Thursday Overnights: Modest Finale for ‘Scandal’ on ABC

Thursday 4/19/18

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.4/ 9, ABC: 4.5/ 8, NBC: 2.2/ 4, Fox: 1.9/ 3, CW: 1.0/ 2

Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening
CW: +100, CBS: +64, ABC: +50, Fox: – 5, NBC: -21

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Ratings Breakdown:
CBS, as usual, topped the Thursday overnights and will lead in total viewers and all the key demographics thanks to the one-two punch of “The Big Bang Theory” (#1 for the evening: 8.4 rating/15 share) and prequel “Young Sheldon” (#1: 7.5/13) from 8-9 p.m. With stronger lead-in support, “Mom” (#1: 5.8/10 at 9 p.m.) is enjoying a particularly strong season, while lead-out “Life in Pieces” topped its 9:30 p.m. time period with a 4.1/ 7 in the overnights.

In series-finale news was ABC’s “Scandal,” which topped the 10 p.m. ET hour with an unexceptional 4.4/ 7 in the household overnights. Comparably, that bested competing “Chicago Fire” on NBC (#2: 3.6/ 6) and “S.W.A.T.” on CBS (3.4/ 6) by 22 percent and 29 percent, respectively. And it was a slight improvement from lead-in “Station 19” (#2: 3.9/ 6 at 9 p.m.).

NBC, meanwhile, has sprung two considerable leaks on Thursday care of recent sitcom entries “A.P. Bio” (#4: 1.4/ 2 at 8:30 p.m.) and “Champions” (#4: 1.2/ 2 at 9:30 p.m.). Both are waiting for their pink slips to arrive.

Earlier in the evening on NBC was “Superstore” at a typically modest 2.1/ 4 (#3) in the 8 p.m. half-hour, while an encore telecast of “Will & Grace” scored a 1.3/ 2 (#4) in the 9 p.m. half-hour. Did anyone notice how “Will & Grace” deteriorated as the season progressed.

Elsewhere, Fox featured the low-rated pairing of “Gotham” (#3: 1.7/ 3), which just has not performed on Thursday this season, and “Showtime at the Apollo” (#3: 1.9/ 4). And The CW featured “Supernatural” (#5: 1.0/ 2 at 8 p.m.) and “Arrow” (#5: 0.8/ 1), which are both confirmed to return next season.

What follows are the household overnights by half-hour for Thursday, April 19:

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8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.4/10 (#2)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 8.4/15 (#1)
NBC – “Superstore”: 2.1/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Gotham”: 1.8/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.2/ 9 (#2)
CBS – “Young Sheldon”: 7.5/13 (#1)
NBC – “A.P. Bio”: 1.4/ 2 (#4)
Fox – “Gotham”: 1.7/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Station 19”: 3.8/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.8/10 (#1)
NBC – “Will & Grace” (R): 1.3/ 2 (#4)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 1.8/ 3 (#3)
CW – “Arrow”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Station 19”: 4.0/ 7 (#2)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 4.1/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “Champions”: 1.2/ 2 (#4)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 2.1/ 3 (#3)
CW – “Arrow”: 0.8/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal” (series finale): 4.4/ 7 (#1)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 3.5/ 6 (#3)
NBC – “Chicago Fire”: 3.6/ 6 (#2)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal” (series finale): 4.4/ 8 (#1)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 3.3/ 6 (#3)
NBC – “Chicago Fire”: 3.7/ 7 (#2)

Source: Nielsen Media Research