Wednesday wasn’t “Good Times” for Donald Trump, but it was an OK night for ABC. The network’s “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” mixed with impeachment coverage and led the Disney-owned broadcaster to a third-place finish.
The “Good Times” and “All in the Family” re-creations faced some stiff competition in primetime, and this Jimmy Kimmel-Norman Lear effort was way down from the one last season, according to Nielsen.
Fox was No. 1 on the night with its “Masked Singer” Season 2 finale. CBS was runner-up with the conclusion of “Survivor” Season 39.
Fox was first in ratings with a 2.0 rating/10 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 7.4 million, according to preliminary numbers. At 8 p.m., a “Masked Singer” recap show received a 1.7/9 and 6.4 million viewers. The actual season finale at 9 posted a 2.2/10 and 8.3 million viewers.
CBS was second in ratings with a 1.1/6 and in viewers with 6.1 million. The “Survivor” finale from 8 to 10:30 averaged a 1.2/6 and 6.4 million viewers. A half-hour reunion show to close primetime had a 0.8/5 and 4.5 million viewers.
ABC was third in ratings with a 0.8/4 and in viewers with 4.1 million. “Live in Front of a Studio: ‘Good Times’ & ‘All in the Family’” audience from 8-9 landed a 1.1 and 5.8 million viewers. There were a few brief interruptions of the live-TV event on the east coast to cover the Trump impeachment. Reruns followed.
NBC was fourth in ratings with a 0.7/3 and in viewers with 3.3 million. While the primetime schedule was filled with “Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways” encores, NBC News cut in during the 8 o’clock hour in the eastern time zone for Trump impeachment coverage.
Univision was fifth in ratings with a 0.4/2 and in viewers with 1.3 million.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in viewers with 878,000.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 700,000. Following a repeat, a “Masters of Illusion” Christmas Special at 9 got a 0.1/1 and 618,000 viewers.