Thursday Overnights: Modest Start for NBC Sitcom ‘Champions’

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

Household Rating/Share
CBS: 5.6/10, ABC: 4.1/ 7, NBC: 2.9/ 5, Fox: 1.9/ 3, CW: 1.0/ 2

-Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CBS: +22, CW: +11, NBC: + 2, ABC: – 2, Fox: – 5

Ratings Breakdown:
Led by “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon,” CBS won this second Thursday in March, besting No. 2 ABC by 37 percent in households. “Big Bang” topped the night, with an 8.7 rating/15 share at 8 p.m., followed by this season’s top-rated new series, prequel “Young Sheldon,” at a compatible 7.4/13 (#1) at 8:30 p.m. When the Emmy nominations come out for next fall, I don’t think Iain Armitage should be ingnored.

With stronger lead-in support, “Mom,” featuring freshly minted Oscar winner Allison Janney, scored a very dominant 5.7/ 9 on CBS in the 9 p.m. half-hour. “Life in Pieces” (#1: 4.3/ 7) and freshman revival “S.W.A.T.” (#2: 3.7/ 7) followed from 9:30-11 p.m.

Second-place ABC has nothing unusual to report with its Thursday night combination of veteran “Grey’s Anatomy” (#2: 5.5/10 at 8 p.m.), soon-to-conclude “Scandal” (#2: 3.8/ 6 at 9 p.m.), and “How to Get Away with Murder” (#3: 2.8/ 5 at 10 p.m.). Upcoming “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off “Station 19” debuts in the Thursday 9 p.m. hour on ABC on March 22.

In series-premiere news, NBC sitcom “Champions” scored a modest 2.0/ 3 (#3t) in the household overnights at 9:30 p.m., dipping from lead-in “Will & Grace” (#3: 2.9/ 5 at 9 p.m.) by 31 percent. Once year earlier, “Chicago Med” averaged a notably stronger 4.1/ 7 in the Thursday 9 p.m. hour. Since most new series drip in the vicinity of 10 to 20 percent in week two, consider this a stalled-at-the-gate start for “Champions.”

At 8:30 p.m. on NBC, recent sitcom entry “A.P. Bio” dipped to a series low 1.7/ 3 at 8:30 p.m. Comparably, that dropped by 15 percent from lead-in “Superstore” (#3: 2.3/ 4 at 8 p.m.), and it was no better than failed year-ago time period occupant “Powerless.”

Capping off the night for NBC was “Chicago Fire,” which perked up to a dominant 4.2/ 7 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that was a hefty 110 percent above lead-in “Champions.”

Elsewhere, Fox could not compete with its pairing of “Gotham” (#4: 1.8/ 3 at 8 p.m.) and “Showtime at the Apollo” (#4: 1.9/ 3 at 9 p.m.). At four seasons (translation: enough episodes for off-network), it might be time for “Gotham” to call it quits.

The CW featured “Supernatural” (#5: 1.1/ 2 at 8 p.m.) and “Arrow” (#5: 1.0/ 2 at 9 p.m.), which were both at typical overnight levels.

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Thursday, March 8 broken out by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.6/10 (#2)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 8.7/15 (#1)
NBC – “Superstore”: 2.3/ 4 (#3)
Fox – “Gotham”: 1.9/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy”: 5.5/ 9 (#2)
CBS – “Young Sheldon”: 7.4/13 (#1)
NBC – “A.P. Bio”: 1.7/ 3 (#4)
Fox – “Gotham”: 1.8/ 3 (#3)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 3.8/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.7/ 9 (#1)
NBC – “Will & Grace”: 2.9/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 1.8/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Arrow”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Scandal”: 3.8/ 6 (#2)
CBS – “Life in Pieces”: 4.3/ 7 (#1)
NBC – “Champions” (series premiere): 2.0/ 3 (#3t)
Fox – “Showtime at the Apollo”: 2.0/ 3 (#3t)
CW – “Arrow”: 0.9/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 3.0/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 3.8/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago Fire”: 4.2/ 7 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “How to Get Away With Murder”: 2.7/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 3.6/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Chicago Fire”: 4.2/ 8 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research