Soft Return for ‘The Amazing Race’ on CBS

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

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Household Rating/Share
CBS: 4.5/ 8, ABC: 4.3/ 7, NBC: 2.8/ 5, Fox: 2.0/ 3, CW: 1.0/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
NBC: +12, CBS: – 6, CW: – 9, ABC: -14, Fox: -69

-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led this final Thursday in March, besting ABC by two-tenths of a rating point (or five percent) in the household overnights. But the season premiere of the Eye net’s “The Amazing Race,” now airing in the Thursday 10 p.m. hour, opened with a modest 3.0 rating/5 share. Comparably, that was 21 percent below lead-in “Life in Pieces” (3.8/ 6 at 9:30 p.m.) and it could not even match the series-premiere of failed year-ago time period occupant “Training Day” (3.1/ 5 on 3/31/16).

While “The Amazing Race” did lead the 10 p.m. hour, beating competing “The Catch” on ABC and “The Blacklist: Redemption” (each with a 2.7/ 5) by 11 percent, this only magnifies the problem the broadcast networks are having attracting a sizable audience into the late local news this season. Year-to-year, “The Catch” slipped by 32 percent in the household overnights, while “The Blacklist: Redemption: was down by 31 percent from former time period occupant “Shades of Blue.”

Tops, as always, was CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” last night at an 8.4/15 in the 8 p.m. half-hour. But lead-out “The Great Indoors” (#2: 4.3/ 7) is just waiting for the pink slip to arrive. “Mom” in the 9 p.m. half-hour perked up to a 4.8/ 8.

Over at ABC, veteran “Grey’s Anatomy” was solidly consistent at a 5.7/10 (#2) in the 8 p.m. hour, leading into a dominant4.6/ 7 for “Scandal” at 9 p.m. A repeat of “Superstore” opened the night for NBC with a 1.8/ 3 at 8 p.m. (#4), which led into a mere 1.4/ 2 for sure-to-be canceled “Powerless” at 8:30 p.m. “Chicago Med” perked up to a third-place 4.1/ 7 from 9-10 p.m., building by 193 percent from “Powerless.”

Elsewhere, Fox is surely feeling the absence of year-ago nightly occupant “American Idol” with its pairing of “MasterChef Junior” (#3: 2.6/ 4) and anemic reality/competition “Kicking & Screaming” (#4: 1.3/ 2). And The CW featured veteran “Supernatural” (#5: 1.2/ 2) and freshman “Riverdale” (#5: 0.8/ 1), which was already renewed based on its strength in social media.

What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, March 30:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.7/10 (#1)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 8.4/15 (#1)
NBC – “Superstore” (R): 1.8/ 3 (#4)
Fox – “MasterChef Junior”: 2.5/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.6/10 (#1)
CBS – “The Great Indoors”: 4.3/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Powerless”: 1.4/ 2 (#4)
Fox – “MasterChef Junior”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 4.9/ 8 (#1)
CBS – “Mom”: 4.8/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 4.0/ 7 (#3)
Fox – “Kicking & Screaming”: 1.4/ 2 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 4.4/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 3.8/ 6 (#3)
NBC – “Chicago Med”: 4.2/ 7 (#2)
Fox – “Kicking & Screaming”: 1.2/ 2 (#4)
CW – “Riverdale” (R): 0.7/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Catch”: 2.9/ 5 (#2)
CBS – “The Amazing Race” (season premiere): 3.0/ 5 (#1)
NBC – “The Blacklist: Redemption”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Catch”: 2.7/ 5 (#2)
CBS – “The Amazing Race” (season premiere): 2.9/ 5 (#1)
NBC – “The Blacklist: Redemption”: 2.6/ 5 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research