Ratings: ‘The Last Days of Michael Jackson’ Leads ABC to Thursday Win
Fox finishes last among Big 4 broadcasters with “Terrence Howard’s Fright Club” special, “Showtime at the Apollo” finale
Tony Maglio | May 25, 2018 @ 8:39 AM
Last Updated: May 25, 2018 @ 9:35 AM
Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images
It’s not the traditional Nielsen season anymore — nor is it summer just quite yet. ABC won this first no-man’s-land Thursday with documentary “The Last Days of Michael Jackson” and a new “What Would You Do?” episode.
Fox finished last among the Big 4 broadcasters with its “Terrence Howard’s Fright Club” special and “Showtime at the Apollo” finale.
CBS and NBC tied for second in the key 18-49 demographic last night. CBS was all reruns, while NBC aired “American Ninja Warrior,” “Hollywood Game Night” and “Red Nose Day.”
ABC was first in ratings with a 0.9 rating/4 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 4.92 million, according to preliminary numbers. The Michael Jackson special from 8-10 p.m. averaged a 1.0/5 and 5.6 million viewers. “What Would You Do?” at 10 saw a 0.8/4 and 3.6 million viewers.
CBS and NBC tied for second in ratings, both with a 0.7/3. CBS was second in total viewers with 4.86 million, NBC was third with 3 million.
For NBC, “ANW” at 8 p.m. had a 0.8/4 and 3.6 million. At 9, “Hollywood Game Night” got a 0.8/3 and 3.2 million viewers. The “Red Nose Day” special at 10 received a 0.5/2 and 2.1 million viewers.
Fox was fourth in ratings with a 0.5/2 and in viewers with 1.9 million. “Terrence Howard’s Fright Club” at 8 had a 0.5/2 and 1.5 million viewers. At 9, the Apollo finale got a 0.6/3 and 2.3 million viewers.
Univision and Telemundo tied for fifth in ratings, both with a 0.4/2. Univision was fifth in total viewers with 1.3 million, Telemundo was sixth with 1.2 million.
Airing all repeats, the CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 696,000.
Fall TV: 7 Intriguing New Matchups, Like 'Magnum PI' vs '9-1-1' (Photos)
It's not even summer yet and we're already looking forward to Fall. After all, that's when the best TV shows come back on (and the oppressive heat subsides).
Much like you fans, we at TheWrap are dying to find out what happens next with our favorite small-screen characters. But we've also got an eye on another angle: What are the most intriguing new matchups?
Now that we knows the days and time slots for all new and returning broadcast primetime series, we've pinpointed seven battles worth watching. Click through the gallery for them all.
Welcome! For starters, you've got TV's top show, NBC's "Sunday Night Football," to contend with. On Fox, it'll be animation and freshman show "Rel"; on CBS, "God Friended Me" and "NCIS: Los Angeles"; and on ABC, "Dancing With the Stars: Juniors" and "Shark Tank."
No mustache (OK, so there's a goatee) -- but does this comma-less remake of the '80s "Magnum, P.I." have teeth? It had better to go up against Ryan Murphy's "9-1-1," which is already established in the 9 o'clock time slot on Mondays.
The Connie Britton, Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and now Jennifer Love Hewitt-led Fox drama averaged a big 3.0 rating in the core 18-49 demographic when counting a week's worth of delayed viewing. The freshman first-responder series was Fox's highest-rated entertainment show of the season, beating even "Empire."
In other words, better keep that Ferrari perfectly waxed and buffed, Magnum.
"Manifest" (NBC) vs. "Bull" (CBS) vs. "The Good Doctor" (ABC)
Mondays, 10 p.m.
Apparently, no one told these guys that three is a crowd.
Let's start with the returning shows: "The Good Doctor" was this season's top new drama, averaging a huge 15.6 million total viewers per episode. "Bull" was literally the next most-watched series on broadcast, hauling in 14.3 million viewers of its own. Though it stands to reason that the ABC medical show's Nielsen numbers will decline in Year 2, "Bull" will be moving away from the huge lead-in "NCIS" currently provides -- so say farewell to some built-in eyeballs.
So where does "Manifest" fit in here? Well, we'll have to wait and find out. If done right, the Robert Zemeckis missing-airplane drama could add some turbulence to an already competitive hour.
Super Bowl or no Super Bowl, "This Is Us" is a powerhouse -- and freshman "F.B.I." is moving into Milo Ventimiglia's dorm. Remember how we wished "Bull" lots of luck without "NCIS"? Well, "F.B.I." is the one getting the CBS springboard -- but it had better be a damn good show to have a prayer against the Pearsons.
Here's the case one could make for "F.B.I." beyond just its lead-in: Dick Wolf knows how to make a procedural. Unfortunately for the big fan of the Windy City, Dan Fogelman knows how to make you cry. Tears beat Miranda Rights every time.
"Murphy Brown" (CBS) vs. "Thursday Night Football" (Fox)
Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.
"Roseanne" has changed everything -- but we don't think that means Fox Sports should be shaking in its cleats. Football is still going to win this battle, but Fox's fancy new primetime pro pigskin should see a pretty formidable opponent in "Murphy Brown" -- especially over the revival's first few weeks.
Still, any given Thursday, are we right?
To look at it another way, for $3.3 billion, Fox had better win every damn Thursday that 106 men put on pads.
"Last Man Standing" (Fox) vs. "Fresh Off the Boat" (ABC)
Fridays, 8 p.m.
This one isn't so much about "Fresh Off the Boat" as it is about Tim Allen vs. ABC.
The comedian and Michigan Tourism spokesman really let ABC have it for canceling his reliable Friday sitcom a year ago. Now revived by Fox, you'd better believe that the "Home Improvement" alum wants to dominate the Disney-owned broadcast network in his time period. He will, let's just home the comeback is funnier than Allen's set at the Fox upfront.
At the CBS upfront, entertainment President Kelly Kahl talked about how "The Neighborhood" star Cedric the Entertainer comes complete with a built-in audience -- he'd better.
"Roseanne" will win running away Tuesdays at 8 o'clock, though CBS comedies not named "9JKL" and "Living Biblically" still tend to draw solid viewership. As awkward as the post-pilot "Neighborhood" recasting in favor of Max Greenfield may be, it's a very good decision and a role he'll kill in.
That said, "The Neighborhood" is now on its third title, and that's never a good sign. Hey, you probably could've hung with "Splitting Up Together"!
The CW could be in for a rude awakening as it expands to Sunday nights
It's not even summer yet and we're already looking forward to Fall. After all, that's when the best TV shows come back on (and the oppressive heat subsides).
Much like you fans, we at TheWrap are dying to find out what happens next with our favorite small-screen characters. But we've also got an eye on another angle: What are the most intriguing new matchups?
Now that we knows the days and time slots for all new and returning broadcast primetime series, we've pinpointed seven battles worth watching. Click through the gallery for them all.
NBC/CBS/ABC
CW/NBC/Fox/ABC/CBS
