Positive Return for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on ABC

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

Household Rating/Share
ABC: 6.2/10, NBC: 3.0/ 5, CBS: 2.9/ 5, Fox: 1.7/ 3, CW: 0.6/ 1

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
Note: Sept. 19, 2016 was the official start of the 2016-17 TV season
ABC: + 2, CW: -14, Fox: -41, CBS: -57, NBC: -58
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Ratings Breakdown:
It was an easy Monday overnight victory for ABC care of the season-premiere of “Dancing with the Stars,” which topped the night at a 7.6 rating/12 share in households from 8-10 p.m. ET. Comparably, this was right on par with the year-ago evening (which was the first official night of the 2016-17 TV season, featuring the return of NBC’s “The Voice,” CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” and other original programs). So, the better comparison was the year-ago season-opener of “Dancing with the Stars” on Sept. 12, 2016, which averaged an 8.6/14 in the household overnights. And that translated into 12.18 million viewers and a 2.1 rating/7 share in adults 18-49, based on the Live + Same Day data. In other words, “Dancing with the Stars” is down, but still solid.

Proof lead-in still matters was the season-finale of ABC game show “To Tell the Truth,” which out of “Dancing with the Stars” rose to a summer high 3.5/6 (#1) at 10 p.m. Opposite “To Tell the Truth” was the season (or series) finale of NBC drama “Midnight, Texas” at a mere 1.7/ 3 (#3), which certainly does not bode well for renewal.

Also concluding for the season last night was demo friendly “American Ninja Warrior” on NBC at a 3.7/ 6 in the household overnights from 8-10 p.m. Also featured in the block was Fox’s tired “So You Think You Can Dance” at a 1.7/ 3. The rest of the evening was all repeats.

What follows is the half-hour breakdown for Monday, September 18, 2017:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing with the Stars” (season premiere): 7.9/13 (#1)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory” (R): 34.1/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “American Ninja Warrior” (season finale): 3.6/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “So You Think You Can Dance”: 1.9/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing with the Stars” (season premiere): 7.7/12 (#1)
CBS – “Kevin Can Wait” (R): 3.1/ 5 (#3)
NBC – “American Ninja Warrior” (season finale): 3.7/ 6 (#2)
Fox – “So You Think You Can Dance”: 1.7/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supergirl” (R): 0.6/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing with the Stars” (season premiere): 7.6/12 (#1)
CBS – “Mom” (R): 2.9/ 5 (#3)
NBC – “American Ninja Warrior” (season finale): 3.7/ 6 (#2)
Fox – “So You Think You Can Dance”: 1.5/ 2 (#4)
CW – “Whose Line is it Anyway” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Dancing with the Stars” (season premiere): 7.2/12 (#1)
CBS – “Life in Pieces” (R): 2.3/ 4 (#3)
NBC – “American Ninja Warrior” (season finale): 3.8/ 6 (#2)
Fox – “So You Think You Can Dance”: 1.6/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Whose Line is it Anyway” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – To Tell the Truth (season finale): 3.5/ 6 (#1)
CBS – “Scorpion” (R): 2.6/ 4 (#2)
NBC – “Midnight, Texas” (season or series finale): 1.8/ 3 (#2t)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – To Tell the Truth (season finale): 3.1/ 6 (#1)
CBS – “Scorpion” (R): 2.5/ 5 (#2)
NBC – “Midnight, Texas” (season or series finale): 1.6/ 3 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research