Thursday Overnights: Football Leads NBC to Victory

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 6.7/10, CBS: 5.9/10, ABC: 4.2/ 7, Fox: 2.2/ 4, CW: 1.1/ 2

Percent Change from Opening Thursday in 2016 – 9/21/16:
NBC: +81, CBS: +16, ABC: +14, Fox: no change, CW: -15

-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC led the Thursday overnights thanks to the arrival of “Thursday Night Football,” which featured the 22 to 16 victory for the Seattle Seahawks over the Arizona Cardinals and scored an estimated 7.2 rating/12 share in households from 8:30-11 p.m. ET. Combined with coverage on the NFLN, and the household rating rose to a 9.4 (with a 4.8 rating in adults 18-49).

In freshman series news, CBS’ “Young Sheldon” is the real deal, with episode three at a dominant 7.7/12 in the household overnights at 8:30 p.m. Comparably, that was 57 percent above failed year-ago time period occupant “The Great Indoors” (4.9/ 8 on 10/16/16). And the overnight retention for “Young Sheldon” out of lead-in “The Big Bang Theory” (#1 for the night: 9.1/15 at 8 p.m.) was 85 percent, which is better than anything ever airing out of adult Sheldon and company.

In week two news on CBS was episode two of the revival of crime drama “S.W.A.T.”, which scored a second place 4.4/ 8 in the 10 p.m. ET hour. Comparably, this bested ABC’s competing “How To Get Away With Murder” (#3: 2.9/ 5) by 52 percent. It was 22 percent above failed year-ago time period occupant “Pure Genius” (3.6/ 6 on 10/16/16). It was seven percent above lead-in “Life in Pieces” (#2: 4.1/ 7 at 9:30 p.m.). And, opposite football, “S.W.A.T.” only dropped by four percent from its launch one week earlier (4.6/ 8 on Nov. 2).

In the 9 p.m. half-hour on CBS was sitcom “Mom” at a solid (and second-place) 5.5/ 9. Since Violet (Sadie Calvano) and Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal) barely appear anymore, it makes perfect sense to change the opening credits.

Elsewhere, “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC reached the 300 episode mark with a healthy second-place 5.8/ 9 at 8 p.m., which led into a 3.9/ 6 (#3) for this final season of “Scandal” at 9 p.m. Full season-renewed “The Orville” on Fox (#4: 2.5/ 4 at 9 p.m.) increased by 25 percent from lead-in “Gotham” (#4: 2.0/ 3 at 8 p.m.). And The CW featured “Supernatural” (#5: 1.2/ 2 at 8 p.m.), now in season 13, and relocated “Arrow” (#5: 1.0/ 2 at 9 p.m.).

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What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, November 9:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.9/10 (#2)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 9.1/15 (#1)
NBC – “Football Night in Arizona”: 4.1/ 7 (#3)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.0/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.2/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.7/ 9 (#3)
CBS – “Young Sheldon”: 7.7/12 (#1)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals): 6.6/11 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 1.9/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 4.0/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.5/ 9 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals): 7.5/12 (#1)
Fox – “The Orville”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Arrow”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 3.8/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 4.1/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals): 7.7/13 (#1)
Fox – “The Orville”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Arrow”: 0.9/ 2 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 2.9/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.4/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals): 7.1/12 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 2.8/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.3/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals): 7.2/13 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research