Welcome to summer, “Hannibal” — not only is it lower-rated here, but you get to premiere against Game 1 of the NBA Finals!
The NBC drama dropped 36 percent from its last season debut, which aired in February 2014. The show’s lead-in last night, “Aquarius,” also fell 36 percent, though that was week-over-week from its series premiere.
ABC easily topped the night with its start to the NBA Championship.
Due to the nature of live sports, fast national numbers, reported below, are unreliable for ABC. Final national numbers will be released later on Friday, at which time, TheWrap will report the figures.
ABC was first in ratings with a 4.8 rating/17 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 12.5 million, according to preliminary numbers.
At 8 p.m., a special “Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night” earned a 2.7/11 — up 29 percent from last year — and 7.9 million viewers. At 8:30, “NBA Countdown” posted a 3.6/13 — also up 29 percent — and 9.6 million viewers. The Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the Golden State Warriors, starting at 9, scored a 5.6/19 — up 10 percent from last year — and 14.4 million viewers, both easily highs on the night.
Fox was second in ratings with a 1.1/4 and third in viewers with 4.7 million. At 8, “Bones” had a 1.1/5 and 5.1 million viewers. At 9, “Wayward Pines” got a 1.1/4 and 4.2 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 1.0/3 and second in viewers with 5.6 million, airing entirely reruns.
NBC and Univision tied for fourth in ratings, both with a 0.8/3. NBC was fourth in total viewers with 4.3 million; Univision was fifth with 2.2 million.
For NBC, “Dateline” at 8 received a 1.1/4 and 6.4 million viewers. At 9, “Aquarius” got a 0.7/2 and 3.9 million viewers. At 10, “Hannibal” had a 0.7/2 and 2.6 million viewers.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.6/2 and in viewers with 1.3 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 678,000, airing just repeats.