Ratings: ‘The Bachelor’ Is 2018’s Top Show – You Know, After 1 Night

ABC dating show premiere bests “The Wall,” everything else in key demo

Arie Luyendyk Jr. - 'The Bachelor'
ABC

If 2018 ended today, ABC would win the calendar year. Last night’s New Year’s Day season premiere of “The Bachelor” topped Monday’s broadcast primetime in TV ratings, handing the Disney-owned broadcaster a victory among adults 18-49.

Unfortunately for ABC, the year is 365 days — not one — and this “Bachelor” kickoff was down from last year’s. The Jan. 2, 2017 season premiere posted a 2.1 demo rating and 6.620 million viewers overall. Monday’s version, which faced a holiday and heavy college football bowl game competition on cable, had a 1.5 and 5.449 million viewers.

With some of its hit sitcoms still around via reruns, CBS ended up finishing first last night in terms of total viewers. NBC and CBS tied for second in the key demo.

ABC was first in ratings with a 1.2 rating/4 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and second in total viewers with an average of 5 million, according to preliminary numbers. A rerun followed the two-hour “Bachelor” premiere.

CBS and NBC tied for second in ratings, both with a 0.8. CBS had a 3 share, NBC got a 2. CBS was first in total viewers with 5.3 million, airing all repeats; NBC was third with 4.2 million.

For NBC, “The Wall” at 8 p.m. put up a 0.8/2 and 4.3 million viewers. “Better Late Than Never” at 9 received a 0.7/2 and 4.2 million viewers. A second hour at 10 had a 0.7/3 and 4.1 million viewers.

Fox was fourth in ratings with a 0.7/2 and in viewers with 2.8 million. “Lucifer” at 8 had a 0.7/2 and 3.1 million viewers. At 9, “The Gifted” got a 0.7/2 and 2.5 million viewers.

Univision was fifth in ratings with a 0.5/2 and in viewers with 1.4 million.

Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in viewers with 967,000.

The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 844,000. After a rerun, “Valor” at 9 received a 0.2/1 and 792,000 viewers.

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