Tuesday Overnights: Pauley Perrette’s Departure From ‘NCIS’ Ignites Veteran CBS Drama

TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2018

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 7.6/13, NBC: 3.7/ 6, ABC: 3.4/ 6, Fox: 1.7/ 3, CW: 1.1/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
ABC: +55, Fox: +13, CBS: + 7, NBC: – 7, CW: -21

Ratings Breakdown:
Pauley Perrette’s departure from “NCIS” ignited the veteran CBS drama, with a 9.8 rating/17 share in the household overnights. Comparably, this was an increase of 21 percent and 15 percent, respectively, from one week earlier (8.1/14 on May 1) and the year-ago evening (8.5/14 on 5/09/17). But this did not negatively impact competing “Roseanne” on ABC, which was consistent from last week with a 6.9/12 in the 8 p.m. half-hour. Comparably, this was 97 percent above the 3.5/ 6 for year-ago time period occupant “The Middle” and it could very well lead the week again among adults 18-49.

“The Middle,” which concludes its nine-season run on May 22, followed with a 4.1/ 7 in the household overnights at 8:30 p.m.

In season (or series finale) news, Fox’s sophomore “Lethal Weapon” scored a modest 2.3/ 4 in the 8 p.m. hour. If the series does return for season three, it will do so without co-lead Clayne Crawford. Fox and its studio partner Warner Bros. TV are searching for a new actor to play Martin Riggs opposite Damon Wayans as Roger Murtaugh following complaints against the actor for emotional abuse and creating a hostile environment.

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was NBC’s “The Voice” (#2: 4.7/ 8) and “The Flash” on The CW (#5: 1.4/ 2).

Tops in the 9 p.m. hour was CBS’ veteran “Bull” at a 7.7/13 in households, which outdelivered the No. 2 occupants – ABC sitcoms “black-ish” (3.4/ 6) and “Splitting Up Together” (2.6/ 4) – by an average of 157 percent. Next was freshman drama “Rise” on NBC (#3: 2.5/ 4), which cannot compare to recent time period occupant “This Is Us,” followed by two episodes of Fox’s soon-to-conclude “New Girl” (avg. 1.2/ 2) and The CW’s just renewed “The 100” (#5: 0.8/ 1). Chances are “The 100” will remain a midseason benchwarmer for the network next season.

CBS remained in the overnight winner’s circle in the 10 p.m. hour care of “NCIS: New Orleans” at a 5.2/ 9, followed by “Chicago Med” on NBC (3.8/ 7), which could be the show to beat in the hour in the key demos, and ABC’s failing “For the People” (#3: 1.6/ 3).

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Tuesday, May 8 broken out by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Roseanne”: 6.9/12 (#2)
CBS – “NCIS”: 9.6/17 (#1)
NBC – “The Voice”: 4.6/ 8 (#3)
Fox – “Lethal Weapon” (season or series finale): 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CW – “The Flash”: 1.5/ 3 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Middle”: 4.1/ 7 (#3)
CBS – “NCIS”: 10.0/17 (#1)
NBC – “The Voice”: 4.8/ 8 (#2)
Fox – “Lethal Weapon” (season or series finale): 2.3/ 4 (#4)
CW – “The Flash”: 1.4/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “black-ish”: 3.4/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “Bull”: 7.7/13 (#1)
NBC – “Rise”: 2.7/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “New Girl”: 1.2/ 2 (#4)
CW – “The 100”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Splitting Up Together”: 3.4/ 5 (#2)
CBS – “Bull”: 6.7/11 (#1)
NBC – “Rise”: 2.7/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “New Girl”: 1.3/ 2 (#4)
CW – “The 100”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “For the People”: 1.7/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “NCIS: New Orleans”: 5.3/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 3.9/ 7 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “For the People”: 1.5/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “NCIS: New Orleans”: 5.1/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 3.8/ 7 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research