Overnight Scorecard: CBS Tops Second Wednesday of the New TV Season

What follows are the metered market (overnight) results in households by network and by half-hour for Wednesday, October 4, 2017:

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 4.8/ 8, Fox: 4.1/ 7, NBC: 3.9/ 7, ABC: 3.5/ 6, CW: 0.6/ 1

-Percent Change From the Year-Ago Opening Wednesday (9/21/16):
CBS: + 2, NBC: – 2, Fox: -23, ABC: -25, CW: -50

-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS topped the household overnights on this second Wednesday of the new television season, besting No. 2 Fox by seven-tenths of a rating point. But the home of “Empire” is a lock for dominance in adults 18-49 (and all the key demographics). While “Empire,” now at 8 p.m. ET, is on the year-to-year downside at a 4.6 rating/8 share in the household overnights (-26 percent to be exact), it has given a boost to compatible lead-out “Star” (#4: 3.5/ 6). Retention for “Star” out of the 8:30 p.m. portion of “Empire” (4.7/ 8) was very respectable at 74 percent.

In week two news, CBS military drama “SEAL Team” fits like a glove, with a dominant 5.3/ 9 in the household overnights in the 9 p.m. hour. Comparably, that was 13 percent below its 6.1/10 debut one week earlier (most new shows drop 10 to 20 percent in week two), it was the top-rated series of the night, and it beat competing “Law & Order: SVU” on NBC (#3: 3.8/ 6) by 39 percent. “SEAL Team” was also 8 percent above year-go time period occupant “Criminal Minds” (4.9/ 8 on 10/05/16). While “SEAL Team,” of course, will skew older, never discount the buying power of a viewer over age 50. This looks very promising, BH!

At 10 p.m. on CBS was relocated “Criminal Minds” at a dominant (but diluted) 4.1/ 7, which outdelivered competing “Chicago PD” on NBC (#2: 3.9/ 7) and “Designated Survivor” on ABC (#3: 3.3/ 6) by 5 and 24 percent, respectively. “Designated Survivor,” in particular, was down by a hefty 38 percent in the year-to-year in the household overnights.

At 8 p.m. on CBS was the amazingly consistent “Survivor,” now in its 35th edition, at a dominant 5.1/ 8 in the 8 p.m. hour. This is a show that can outlive us all! Competing on NBC was relocated “The Blacklist” at a third-place 3.9/ 6, which was a slight improvement over year-ago time period occupant “Blindspot.”

Over at ABC, the 8-10 p.m. sitcom rotation – “The Goldbergs” (#4: 3.8/ 7), “Speechless” (#4: 3.0/ 5), “Modern Family” (#2: 4.5/ 7) and relocated “American Housewife” (#4: 3.1/ 5) – was on the noticeable year-to-year downside. But certainly don’t rule out “The Goldbergs” or “Modern Family,” which still resonate in the key demo groups.

What follows are the household overnight results for Wednesday, October 4 by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Goldbergs”: 3.8/ 7 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 5.1/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “The Blacklist”: 4.0/ 7 (#3)
Fox – “Empire”: 4.6/ 8 (#2)
CW – “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” (R): 0.8/ 1 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Speechless”: 3.0/ 5 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 5.1/ 8 (#1)
NBC – “The Blacklist”: 3.8/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “Empire”: 4.7/ 8 (#2)
CW – “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Modern Family”: 4.5/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “SEAL Team”: 5.3/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU”: 3.7/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “Star”: 3.6/ 6 (#4)
CW – “Masters of Illusion” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “American Housewife”: 3.1/ 5 (#4)
CBS – “SEAL Team”: 5.3/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Law & Order: SVU”: 3.9/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “Star”: 3.5/ 6 (#4)
CW – “Masters of Illusion” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “Designated Survivor”: 3.4/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Criminal Minds”: 4.2/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “Chicago PD”: 4.0/ 7 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “Designated Survivor”: 3.3/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Criminal Minds”: 4.0/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “Chicago PD”: 3.9/ 7 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research