Thursday Overnights: ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and ‘Young Sheldon’ Lead CBS to Victory

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14,

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.8/10, NBC: 5.6/10, Fox: 2.4/ 4, ABC: 2.3/ 4, CW: 0.8/ 1

Percent Change from Opening Thursday in 2016 – 9/21/16:
Fox: +71, ABC: +15, CW: +14, CBS: +7, NBC: -24

Ratings Breakdown:
CBS moved back into the Thursday overnight winner’s circle thanks to the one-two punch of comedies “The Big Bang Theory” (#1 for the night: 9.0 rating/15 share) and prequel “Young Sheldon” (#1: 7.3/12) from 8-9 p.m. When the Golden Globe Award nominations were announced, there was one key omission: Iain Armitage as young Sheldon Cooper.

Next on the Eye net was “Mom” at a second-place 5.9/ 9 in the household overnights in the 9 p.m. half-hour, which is enjoying growth this season thanks to the stronger lead-in support from “Young Sheldon.” “Life at Pieces” (#2: 4.4/ 7) and freshman crime solver “S.W.A.T.” (#2: 4.3/ 8) were at typical overnight levels from 9:30-11 p.m.

The 25 to 13 victory for the Denver Broncos over the Indianapolis Colts on NBC’s “Thursday Night Football” was below average at an estimated 5.9/10 from 8:30-11:15 p.m. Combined with coverage on the NFLN, and that household rating rose to a 7.4. The rating in adults 18-49 was a 3.2.

In the specials department was ABC’s animated “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” (#2: 3.4/ 5) and an encore telecast of “Disney’s Prep & Landing” (#3t: 2.5/ 4) from 8-9 p.m. And that led into a repeat of “The Great Christmas Light Fight” at a 2.0/ 4 in the household overnights from 9-11 p.m., which was a last minute replacement for canceled “The Great American Baking Show.”

Over at Fox was the combination of variety hour “Showtime at the Apollo” (#3: 2.4/ 4) into annual holiday special “Taraji’s White Hot Holidays” (#3: 2.4/ 4). And The CW featured 90-minute special ‘iHeart Radio Jingle Ball” (#5: 0.9/ 1 from 8-9:30 p.m.) and an encore of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” (#5: 0.5/ 1 at 9:30 p.m.).

What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, December 14:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure”: 3.4/ 5 (#2)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 9.0/15 (#1)
NBC – Football Night in Indianapolis: 3.3/ 6 (#3)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 2.4/ 4 (#4)
CW – “iHeart Radio Jingle Ball”: 0.9/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Disney’s Prep & Landing” (R): 2.5/ 4 (#3t)
CBS – “Young Sheldon”: 7.3/12 (#1)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts): 5.4/ 9 (#2)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CW – “iHeart Radio Jingle Ball”: 0.9/ 1 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Great Light Fight” (R): 2.1/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.7/ 9 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts): 6.1/10 (#1)
Fox – “Taraji’s White Hot Holidays”: 2.4/ 4 (#3)
CW – “iHeart Radio Jingle Ball”: 0.7/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Great Light Fight” (R): 2.1/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 4.4/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts): 6.5/11 (#1)
Fox – “Taraji’s White Hot Holidays”: 2.3/ 4 (#3)
CW – “Whose Line is it Anyway?” (R): 0.5/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Great Light Fight” (R): 1.8/ 3 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.3/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts): 6.1/10 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Great Light Fight” (R): 1.87 3 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.2/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts): 6.1/ 9 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research

8:00 p.m. “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” (R)
8:30 p.m. “Disney’s Prep & Landing” (R)
9:00 p.m. “Great American Baking Show” (two hours)

CBS
8:00 p.m. “The Big Bang Theory”
8:30 p.m. “Young Sheldon”
9:00 p.m. “Mom”
9:30 p.m. “Life in Pieces”
10:00 p.m. “S.W.A.T.”

NBC
8:00 p.m. “Football Night in Atlanta”
8:30 p.m. “Thursday Night Football”: Denver Broncos at Indianapolis Colts

Fox
8:00 p.m. “Showtime at the Apollo”
9:30 p.m. “Whose Line is it Anyway?” (R)

CW
8:00 p.m. “iHeartradio Jingle Ball”
9:00 p.m. “Penn & Teller: Fool Us”