Wednesday Overnights: ‘Tis the Season for Dominance on NBC

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Household Rating/Share
NBC: 4.8/ 8, CBS: 3.7/ 6, Fox: 3.4/ 6, ABC: 3.0/ 5, CW: 0.8/ 1

Percent Change from the Year-Ago Evening:
CW: no change, Fox: – 3, ABC and NBC: – 6 each, CBS: -20

Ratings Breakdown:
“The 86th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special lifted NBC to Wednesday overnight victory, with a dominant 5.6 rating/9 share in the households from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, this bested two episodes of competing “Survivor” on CBS (average 4.6/ 8 in households) by 22 percent. Both were slightly below year-ago levels and veteran “Survivor,” in particular, deserves props for this truly addictive season.

NBC remained in holiday mode at 10 p.m. with special “A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy,” featuring John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, at a 3.1/ 5 (#1) in the household overnights. Comparably, that beat ABC drama “A Million Little Things” (#2: 2.8/ 5) and an encore telecast of “Magnum, P.I.” (#3: 2.2/ 4) by 11 percent and 41 percent, respectively. CBS, no doubt, is trying to build interest in this “Magnum, P.I.” reboot.

Elsewhere, ABC had nothing unusual to report with its 8-10 p.m. sitcom combination of “The Goldbergs” (#4: 3.5/ 6), “American Housewife” (#4: 3.1/ 5), “Modern Family” (#3: 3.6/ 6) and “Single Parents” (#4: 2.5/ 4). Fox featured “Empire” (#3: 3.9/ 6 at 8 p.m.) and “Star” (#4: 3.0/ 5 at 9 p.m.), which were virtually identical to the year-ago evening. And recent CW drama entry “All American” (#5: 0.6/ 1) will have to rely on the ongoing critical acclaim to stay afloat. Comparably, “All American” dropped from lead-in “Riverdale” (#5: 1.0/ 2) by a hefty 40 percent.

What follows are the household overnight ratings for Wednesday, November 28 broken out by half-hour:

8:00 p.m.
ABC – “The Goldbergs”: 3.5/ 6 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 4.8/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: 5.8/10 (#1)
Fox – “Empire”: 3.8/ 6 (#3)
CW – “Riverdale”: 1.0/ 2 (#5)

8:30 p.m.
ABC – “American Housewife”: 3.1/ 5 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”: 4.7/ 8 (#2)
NBC – “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: 5.5/ 9 (#1)
Fox – “Empire”: 3.9/ 6 (#3)
CW – “Riverdale”: 0.9/ 2 (#5)

9:00 p.m.
ABC – “Modern Family”: 3.6/ 6 (#3)
CBS – “Survivor”” 4.4/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: 5.5/ 9 (#1)
Fox – “Star”: 3.0/ 5 (#4)
CW – “All American”: 0.6/ 1 (#5)

9:30 p.m.
ABC – “Single Parents”: 2.5/ 4 (#4)
CBS – “Survivor”” 4.3/ 7 (#2)
NBC – “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: 5.6/ 9 (#1)
Fox – “Star”: 2.9/ 5 (#3)
CW – “All American”: 0.5/ 1 (#5)

10:00 p.m.
ABC – “A Million Little Things”: 2.8/ 5 (#2)
CBS – “Magnum, P.I.” (R): 2.2/ 4 (#3)
NBC – “A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy”: 3.5/ 6 (#1)

10:30 p.m.
ABC – “A Million Little Things”: 2.7/ 5 (#1t)
CBS – “Magnum, P.I.” (R): 2.1/ 4 (#3)
NBC – “A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy”: 2.7/ 5 (#1t)

Source: Nielsen Media Research