RATINGS: NBC Delivers 4 Of The Top 5 Scripted Programs For The Week Of Jan. 13-19 In 18-49

By: Jan. 22, 2020
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RATINGS: NBC Delivers 4 Of The Top 5 Scripted Programs For The Week Of Jan. 13-19 In 18-49

NBC has averaged a 0.7 rating in adults 18-49 and 4.2 million viewers overall for the primetime ratings week of Jan. 13-19, according to "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research.

NBC's schedule accounted for four of the week's five highest-rated scripted programs in adults 18-49, with "This Is Us," "Chicago Fire," "Chicago Med" and "Chicago P.D." Excluding Fox's Sunday preview of "9-1-1: Lone Star," which benefited from a high-rated NFL lead-in, NBC dramas accounted for all four of the weeks' top scripted programs in 18-49.

Also generating strong 18-49 rankings were Monday's "America's Got Talent: The Champions" and Tuesday's "Ellen's Game of Games," which tied for #9 among primetime Big 4 programs (excluding sports post-game shows).

Season to date, NBC is running within 226,000 persons of #1 in total viewers (7.506 million vs. 7.732 million for CBS), the closest NBC has run to first place in total viewers at this point in the season in 20 years, since the 1999-2000 season when NBC ranked within 9,000 viewers of #1 at this point.

Weekly ratings are "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date ratings are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Week 17 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," Jan. 13-19

Fox...2.7

ABC...0.7

NBC...0.7

CBS...0.6

CW...0.2

Total Viewers

Fox...9.9 million

CBS...4.9 million

NBC...4.2 million

ABC...3.7 million

CW...0.8 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

Fox...2.0

NBC...1.7

CBS...1.1

ABC...1.1

CW...0.3

Total Viewers

CBS...7.7 million

NBC...7.5 million

Fox...7.2 million

ABC...5.2 million

CW...1.1 million

NBC highlights for the week of Jan. 13-19:

Monday

NBC won Monday among the Big 4 networks in total viewers.

"America's Got Talent: The Champions" (1.0 rating in 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall from 8-10:01 p.m. ET) was the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers, topping ABC's "The Bachelor" by +1.1 million viewers or +21% head to head from 8-10 p.m. (6.5 million vs. 5.4 million). Delayed Viewing: For the 2018-19 season, "AGT: Champions" increased its next-day L+SD rating by +92% in 18-49 with delayed viewing on all platforms through 35 days, growing to a 3.3 rating. In total viewers, "Games" grew by more than +6.2 million persons to 16.4 million viewers.

"Manifest" (0.7 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m.) was up +17% versus NBC's average in the timeslot this season prior to "Manifest's" debut in 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.6, L+SD). In the men 18-49 and men 25-54 demos, "Manifest" tied for #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in the timeslot with ABC's "The Good Doctor" and finished within 0.1 of the ABC drama in adults 18-49.

L+3: The prior week's "Manifest" season premiere as the #1 program of the week with the biggest 18-49 L+3 lift in 18-49 rating, growing by +0.73 of a rating point (0.86 to 1.59). In total viewers, the Jan. 6 "Manifest" delivered the week's #3 biggest lift, +3.359 million persons (4.727 million to 8.086 million).

Tuesday

NBC won Tuesday in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and all key adult-female demographics, outrating ABC for the night despite that network's boost from the concluding episode of "Jeopardy: Greatest of All Time."

"Ellen's Game of Games" (1.0 rating in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) maintained 100% of the previous week's regular-slot season premiere in 18-49 (1.0 vs. 1.0), to equal NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the timeslot since Dec. 10, despite this week's "Jeopardy" competition. Delayed Viewing: For the 2018-19 season, "Ellen's Game of Games" increased its next-day L+SD rating by +48% in 18-49 with delayed viewing on all platforms through 35 days, growing to a 2.1 rating. In total viewers, "Games" grew by more than +2.0 million persons to 8.1 million viewers.

"This Is Us" (1.5 rating in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall from 9-10:01 p.m. ET) matched the show's top 18-49 rating since Oct. 22 to dominate the hour among the broadcast nets, beating the #2 show in adults 18-49 by an +88% margin (1.5 vs. 0.8 for CBS' "FBI"). Social: "This Is Us" ranked as the #2 most social scripted primetime drama of the week, with 391, 000 total interactions (Source: Nielsen Social Content Ratings, 1/13/20-1/19/20, Primetime, Drama Series). Justin Hartley had the most engaging post of the week for all scripted primetime dramas, generating 95,000 engagements with an image of himself posing with Sophia Bush and John Legend and dubbing themselves as the "new big 3" (Source: Nielsen Social Content Ratings, 1/13/20-1/19/20, Primetime, Drama Series). Last week's "This Is Us" also generated the #3 most viewed video of the week on Facebook (679,000) among all primetime scripted broadcast programs with a video of John Legend's single "Conversations in The Dark" (Source: ListenFirst Media, LF // TV UNIVERSE // EPISODIC, 1/13/20-1/19/20, ListenFirst Content Video Views [Facebook], Brand Type: TV Shows, Primetime, Broadcast, Dramas). Delayed Viewing: The season's first nine episodes of "This Is Us" have delivered television's #1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 biggest L+7 lifts in 18-49 rating so far this season (a +1.51 increase for the Sept 24 season premiere, a +1.42 gain for the Oct. 1 telecast, a +1.50 for Oct. 8, a 1.55 for Oct. 15, a +1.46 for Oct. 22, a +1.41 for Oct. 29, a +1.43 for Nov. 5, a +1.48 for Nov. 12 and a +1.39 for Nov. 19). The biggest lift for any other show on television this season is the +1.21 for the Sept. 23 season premiere of "The Good Doctor."

"New Amsterdam" (0.8 rating in 18-49, 5.0 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) equaled its highest 18-49 rating since Oct. 22 (0.9) to tie for #1 for the hour among the ABC-CBS-NBC dramas in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34 and ranks #1 outright among those dramas in all key adult-female demographics. Social: Total Interactions for "New Amsterdam" (79,000) increased +114% from the fall finale (37,000) and +112% from the series average (42,000), making last week's telecast the #2 most social episode in series history, behind only the Season 2 premiere.

Wednesday

NBC "Chicago" lineup won Wednesday night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and every other key ratings measure, with "Fire," "Med" and "P.D." scoring as the #1-2-3 shows of the night on those nets in all 10 key categories - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 plus total viewers.

"Chicago Med" (1.2 rating in 18-49, 8.4 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) tied as the #1 show of the night in adults 18-49 with "Chicago Fire" and was the #1 show of the night outright in total viewers. The Jan. 15 "Med" equaled the show's strongest 18-49 rating, excluding crossover episodes, since Feb. 20, 2019 (1.3), to win the hour among the Big 4 networks in every key ratings measure, including a win by a +71% margin in adults 18-49 (1.2 vs. 0.7 each for ABC and CBS).

"Chicago Fire" (1.2 rating in 18-49, 8.2 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) tied as the #1 show of the night in adults 18-49 with "Chicago Med" and was the #2 show of the night in total viewers behind only "Med." "Fire" equaled its strongest 18-49 rating, excluding crossovers, since Feb. 6, 2019 (1.3),to win the 9-10 p.m. hour in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and all other key measures, with a +50% margin of victory in adults 18-49 (1.2 vs. 0.8 for ABC's #2 hour of comedy).

"Chicago P.D." (1.1 rating in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) won the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in 10 of 10 key measures - adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus total viewers - and beat the combined rating of the hour's ABC-CBS drama competition (1.1 vs. a combined 1.0). The Jan. 15 "P.D." matched the show's highest 18-49 rating for a non-crossover episode since Feb. 6, 2019 (1.2). "P.D." has now won the slot or tied for #1 versus regular ABC and CBS competition with its last 71 straight original telecasts in adults 18-49 (L+SD), extending back to October 2016. Social: "Chicago P.D." was Wednesday's #1 most social scripted primetime drama, with 134,000 Total Interactions. That's up +26% from the prior week's episode (106,000) and +37% higher than the show's season average (101,000), to rank as the show's #2 most social episode this season (Source: Nielsen Social Content Ratings, 1/15/20, Percent Share, Primetime, Drama).

Thursday

For the night, NBC finished within 0.1 of a rating point of second place among the Big 4 networks in adult 18-49 rating (0.5 vs. 0.6) and within 0.2 of first place (0.5 vs. 0.7).

"Superstore" (0.6 rating in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall from 8-8:30 p.m. ET) grew +3% week to week in total viewers (2.7 million vs. 2.6 million).

"The Good Place" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 1.9 million viewers overall from 8:30-9 p.m. ET) maintained 100% of its lead-in in adults, men and women 18-34. Social: "The Good Place" ranked as the #2 most social scripted broadcast primetime comedy of the week, with 207,000 Total Interactions, up +60% from the series average of 130,000 (Source: Nielsen Social Content Ratings, 1/13/20-1/19/20, Percent Share, Primetime, All Series).

"Will & Grace" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall from 9-9:30 p.m. ET) increased versus its lead-in in total viewers (+10%).

"Perfect Harmony" (0.3 rating in 18-49, 1.3 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET) retained 100% of its lead-in in women 18-34. Social: "Perfect Harmony's" 10,000 total interactions is a +136% gain versus the prior week.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (0.6 rating in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) tiedfor #1 in the timeslot among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults, men & women 18-49; adults & men 18-34; and women 25-54, and was #1 outright among those nets in women 18-34. Social: "Law & Order: SVU" delivered its #2 most social episode of the season, with 99,000 Total Interactions, up +26% versus the show's season average (78,000) and +20% higher than the prior week's episode (82,000).

Friday

"Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) was up +6% versus NBC's timeslot average this season prior to the Jan. 10 "Rhyme" premiere in total viewers (3.8 million vs. 3.6 million), to rank #2 in the timeslot in total viewers. Delayed Viewing: Combined with digital and linear delayed viewing to date, the prior week's "Rhyme" premiere is up to a 1.47 rating in 18-49 and 6.9 million viewers, for increases on its "live plus same day" results of +133% in 18-49 (1.47 vs. 0.63) and +2.5 million in total viewers (6.9 million vs. 4.4 million).

"Dateline NBC" (0.5 rating in adults 18-49, 0.8 in adults 25-54, 3.8 million viewers overall from 9-11 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 newsmagazine of the night in total viewers. For its second hour from 10-11 p.m., "Dateline" tied for #1 in adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. Delayed Viewing: In L+7 Nielsens, "Dateline" is growing this season by +50% going from L+SD to L+7 Nielsens in 18-49 rating (from a 0.54 to a 0.81) and more than +1.1 million viewers overall (3.5 million to 4.6 million).

Saturday

"Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 0.7 in 25-54, 3.7 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 primetime program of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers and is tied for #1 excluding sports in adults 25-54,while equaling the show's top 25-54 result since March 16 (0.8) and delivering its most-watched episode since that same March 16 telecast (4.2 million). L+7: "Dateline Mystery" is increasing by +26% this season going from next-day L+SD ratings to L+7 Nielsens (from a 0.38 to a 0.48) and by +377,000 persons in total viewers (2.6 million to 2.9 million).

"SNL Vintage" (0.4 in 18-49, 2.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET, with an encore of a Jan. 17, 1976 telecast of "Saturday Night Live" hosted by Buck Henry and featuring musical guest Bill Withers) was up +48% versus the prior Saturday 10 p.m. "SNL" encore in total viewers (2.6 million vs. 1.8 million on Jan. 4), and by +0.1 of a point or +33% in 18-49 (0.4 vs. 0.3).



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