NBC let the games begin on Monday, and Ellen DeGeneres reaped the rewards. The talk-show host’s “Ellen’s Game of Games” scored after “The Voice” performance finale, and NBC easily finished first in primetime last night.
As a matter of fact, “Game of Games” actually ended up posting NBC’s best key demo rating (a 1.7) in the Monday-at-10-p.m. hour since November 2016. Now that’s something to dance about, Ellen.
With “The Great Christmas Light Fight” season finale and a 2017 retrospective special, ABC was No. 2 among adults 18-49. CBS was runner-up in total viewers.
NBC was first in ratings with a 1.9 rating/7 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 9.7 million, according to preliminary numbers. “The Voice” from 8-10 earned a 2.0/7 and 10.9 million viewers. “Ellen’s Game of Games” at 10 posted a 1.7/6 and 7.4 million viewers.
ABC was second in ratings with a 1.0/4 and third in viewers with 4.8 million. “The Great Christmas Light Finale” from 8-10 hung a 1.0/4 and nabbed 4.6 million viewers. At 10, special “The Year in Memoriam 2017” received a 0.9/3 and 5.1 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 0.8/3 and second in viewers with 5.3 million. “Kevin Can Wait” at 8 had a 1.1/4 and 6.2 million viewers. At 8:30, “Man With a Plan” got a 0.9/3 and 5.5 million viewers. “Superior Donuts” at 9 whipped up a 0.8/3 and 5 million viewers. At 9:30, “9JKL” received a 0.7/2 and 4.3 million viewers. “Scorpion” at 10 finished primetime to a 0.8/3 and 5.3 million viewers.
Univision was fourth in ratings with a 0.5/2 and fifth in viewers with 1.5 million.
Fox and Telemundo tied for fifth in ratings, both with a 0.4/1. Fox was fourth in total viewers with 1.6 million, airing reruns; Telemundo was sixth with 1.1 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.1/0 and in viewers with 532,000. An 8 o’clock “Popstar’s Best of 2017” special managed a 0.2/1 and 629,000 viewers. At 9, “The Hollywood Walk of Fame Honors” special settled for a 0.1/0 and 435,000 viewers.
Live TV Musicals Ranked by Ratings, From 'Annie Live!' to 'Grease' (Photos)
NBC's "Annie Live!" bowed Thursday as the first new live musical production to air on broadcast TV since ABC's "The Little Mermaid Live!" in November 2019.
It also marked NBC's return to the genre, which it hasn't ventured into since "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" on Easter Sunday of 2018, and the first of the Big 4 networks' live-TV musicals to be made during the COVID-19 era.
So naturally, all eyes were on how the Taraji P. Henson- and Harry Connick Jr.-led "Annie Live!" performed in TV ratings and viewership, as that's going to be used as an indicator of what "Tomorrow" looks like for the genre.
On the plus side, "Annie Live!" averaged 5.155 million total viewers, which was better than Fox's "Rent" and "A Christmas Story." Unfortunately, "Annie" ranks dead last in the key demo of adults 18-49, though that may be more of an indicator on how young adults view broadcast television in late 2021 vs. late 2019.
"Annie Live!" faced a lot of competition last night: Fox aired "Thursday Night Football," ABC had a highly anticipated Alec Baldwin interview in the first hour of primetime, and CBS did well with its first few sitcoms.
Scroll through our gallery to see how each of broadcast TV's modern-day, live musical productions rank by Nielsen numbers. Lowest-rated is first, highest-rated is last.
ABC
Rank: 11
Musical: "Annie Live!"
Date: December 2, 2021
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 0.9
Total viewers: 5.155 million
NBC
Rank: 10
Musical: "Rent"
Date: January 27, 2019
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.4
Total viewers: 3.415 million
Fox
Rank: 9
Musical: "A Christmas Story: Live"
Date: Dec. 17, 2017
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.5
Total viewers: 4.481 million
Fox
Rank: 8
Musical: "The Passion"
Date: March 20, 2016
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.6
Total viewers: 6.648 million
Fox
Rank: 7
Musical: "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!"
Date: April 1, 2018
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 1.7
Total viewers: 9.607 million
NBC
Rank: 6
Musical: "Hairspray Live!"
Date: Dec. 7, 2016
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 2.3
Total viewers: 9.045 million
NBC
Rank: 5
Musical: "Peter Pan Live!"
Date: Dec. 4, 2014
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 2.4
Total viewers: 9.211 million
NBC
Rank: 4
Musical: "The Little Mermaid Live!"
Date: Nov. 5, 2019
Network: ABC
18-49 rating: 2.6
Total viewers: 8.978 million
ABC
Rank: 3
Musical: "The Wiz Live!"
Date: Dec. 3, 2015
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 3.4
Total viewers: 11.498 million
NBC
Rank: 2
Musical: "Grease: Live"
Date: Jan. 1, 2016
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 4.3
Total viewers: 12.206 million
Fox
Rank: 1
Musical: "Sound of Music Live!"
Date: Dec. 5, 2013
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 4.6
Total viewers: 18.624 million
NBC
1 of 12
Thursday show marked the long-awaited return of broadcast TV’s modern-day, live musical productions
NBC's "Annie Live!" bowed Thursday as the first new live musical production to air on broadcast TV since ABC's "The Little Mermaid Live!" in November 2019.
It also marked NBC's return to the genre, which it hasn't ventured into since "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" on Easter Sunday of 2018, and the first of the Big 4 networks' live-TV musicals to be made during the COVID-19 era.
So naturally, all eyes were on how the Taraji P. Henson- and Harry Connick Jr.-led "Annie Live!" performed in TV ratings and viewership, as that's going to be used as an indicator of what "Tomorrow" looks like for the genre.
On the plus side, "Annie Live!" averaged 5.155 million total viewers, which was better than Fox's "Rent" and "A Christmas Story." Unfortunately, "Annie" ranks dead last in the key demo of adults 18-49, though that may be more of an indicator on how young adults view broadcast television in late 2021 vs. late 2019.
"Annie Live!" faced a lot of competition last night: Fox aired "Thursday Night Football," ABC had a highly anticipated Alec Baldwin interview in the first hour of primetime, and CBS did well with its first few sitcoms.
Scroll through our gallery to see how each of broadcast TV's modern-day, live musical productions rank by Nielsen numbers. Lowest-rated is first, highest-rated is last.
ABC
NBC
