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Thursday Overnights: NFL Ignited NBC Wins; CBS the Most Improved

ABC's 'The Great American Baking Show' Season-Opener On Par With One Year Earlier

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2017

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 7.3/12, CBS: 6.0/10, ABC: 2.5/ 4, Fox: 2.3/ 4, CW: 1.0/ 2

Percent Change from Opening Thursday in 2016 – 9/21/16:
CBS: +33, ABC: + 9, Fox: – 4, NBC: -14, CW: -23

-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC led the Thursday overnights care of “Thursday Night Football” (Atlanta Falcons 20, New Orleans Saints 17) at an estimated 8.1 rating/14 share in households from 8:30-11:30 p.m. ET. Combined with coverage on the NFLN and that increases to a 10.2 in households (with a 4.7 rating in adults 18-49). But CBS is the most improved year-to-year thanks to freshman “Young Sheldon” (#1: 7.9/13 at 8:30 p.m.), which last night held 86 percent of its “The Big Bang Theory” lead-in (#1 for the night: 9.2/15 at 8 p.m.).

With strong lead-in support, “Mom” on CBS scored a solid 5.9/10 in the 9 p.m. half-hour (#2), which was an improvement of 16 percent from the year-ago evening. And that led into “Life in Pieces” at a 4.4/ 7 (#2) at 9:30 p.m. At 10 p.m. on the Eye net was full season-renewed “S.W.A.T.” (#2: 4.2/ 7), which was 17 percent above failed year-ago time period occupant “Pure Genius” (3.6/ 6 on 12/08/16).

In season premiere news was season three of ABC cooking competition “The Great American Baking Show,” which at a 2.6/ 4 from 9-11 p.m. was on par with its overnight performance one year earlier. Populating the 8 p.m. hour on the alphabet net were encore telecasts of holiday specials “Shrek the Halls” (#3t, 2.8/ 5) and “Toy Story That Time Forgot” (#3: 2.2/ 4).

Elsewhere, Fox was on par with typical household overnight levels for “Gotham” (#4: 2.1/ 4 at 8 p.m.) and “The Orville” (#4: 2.5/ 4 at 9 p.m.), which increased by 19 percent from “Gotham” and is a likely candidate for a second season renewal. And The CW featured “Supernatural” (#5: 1.1/ 2 at 8 p.m.), now in season 13, into relocated “Arrow” (#5: 1.0/ 2 at 9 p.m.).
What follows is the breakdown by half-hour for Thursday, December 7:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “Shrek the Halls” (R): 2.8/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “The Big Bang Theory”: 9.2/ 5 (#1)
NBC – “Football Night in Atlanta”: 2.8/ 5 (#3)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.1/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “Toy Story that Time Forgot” (R): 2.2/4 (#3)
CBS – “Young Sheldon”: 7.9/13 (#1)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons): 6.9/12 (#2)
Fox – “Gotham”: 2.0/ 3 (#4)
CW – “Supernatural”: 1.1/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Great American Baking Show” (season premiere): 2.6/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “Mom”: 5.9/10 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons): 8.1/13 (#1)
Fox – “The Orville”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Arrow”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Great American Baking Show” (season premiere): 2.7/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “Life In Pieces”: 4.4/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons): 8.2/13 (#1)
Fox – “The Orville”: 2.6/ 4 (#4)
CW – “Arrow”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Great American Baking Show” (season premiere): 2.5/ 4 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.2/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys): 8.0/14 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “The Great American Baking Show” (season premiere): 2.5/ 5 (#3)
CBS – “S.W.A.T.”: 4.1/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Thursday Night Football” (Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys): 8.4/ 5 (#1)

Source: Nielsen Media Research