Thursday Ratings: ABC, CBS and Fox Share Modest Dominance

Thursday, February 25, 2021
Preliminary Results

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 4.79, ABC: 4.24, NBC: 2.80, Fox: 2.38, CW: 662,000

-Adults 18-49:
ABC, CBS and Fox: 0.6 rating/4 share each, NBC: 0.5/ 3, CW: 0.1/ 1

Breakdown:
In season-finale news, ABC game show “The Hustler” exited on a quiet note, with 2.54 million viewers (#3) and a 0.4 rating/3 share in adults 18-49 (#1t) in the Thursday 10 p.m. ET hour. Two observations: Life is not good for the broadcast networks when a 0.4 rating in the demo is tops in the time period. Given the stronger lead-in support from “Wheel of Fortune” (Viewers: #2, 5.77 million; A18-49: #1t, 0.8/ 5 at 8 p.m.) and “The Chase” (Viewers: #2: 4.41 million; A18-49: #1t: 0.6/ 4 at 9 p.m.), I would not expect a second season for “The Hustler.”

First in the 10 p.m. hour was recent CBS entry “Clarice” at 3.60 million viewers, which is certainly nothing to boast about. Second was NBC’s “Dateline” at 2.58 million. Both shows scored a 0.4/ 3 in adults 18-49.

In sitcom news, CBS’ “Young Sheldon” led the night in the category with 7.62 million viewers and a 0.9/ 6 in the demo (which pales in comparison to what “The Big Bang Theory” once was). But it was downhill for CBS afterwards care of “B Positive” (Viewers: #2: 5.12 million; A18-49: #2, 0.7/ 4 at 8:30 p.m.), soon-to-conclude “Mom” (Viewers: #3: 5.07 million; A18-49: #1t, 0.6/ 4 at 9 p.m.), and sophomore “The Unicorn” (Viewers: #3, 3.72 million; A18-49: #3, 0.5/ 3). Chances of a third season for “The Unicorn” seem slim.

On NBC, both “Mr. Mayor” (Viewers: 2.46 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 3 at 8 p.m.) and soon-to-end “Superstore” (Viewers: 1.84 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 3 at 8:30 p.m.) finished fourth in the 8 p.m. hour. Note to NBC: these single camera “smart” comedies just don’t deliver. And that led into granddaddy “Law & Order: SVU”, which perked up a bit to 3.68 million viewers (#3) and a 0.6/ 4 in the demo (#1t).

Fox, meanwhile, generated minimal interest with recent comedy entry “Call Me Kat” (Viewers: #4, 2.12 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 3 at 9 p.m.) into Tim Allen’s concluding “Last Man Standing” (Viewers: #4, 2.44 million; A18-49: #4, 0.4/ 3 at 9:30 p.m.). And The CW featured encore telecasts of “Walker”, which is destined for a long shelf life on the network, and “Legacies”, which is not.

Source: Nielsen Media Research