Ratings: ABC’s ‘TGIT’ Boxes Out CBS’ March Madness – For Now

Live NCAA Tournament games could theoretically overtake Shondaland dramas in final timezone-adjusted numbers

Greys Anatomy
ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy'

Nielsen recovered from its weekend power outage disaster just in time for “TGIT” — thank goodness, indeed.

Per preliminary TV Ratings, ABC’s all-Shondaland lineup topped Thursday night outright, despite going up against college hoops competition on CBS. Of course, due to the nature of live sports, fast national Nielsen numbers for CBS’ NCAA Tournament coverage are subject to greater adjustment than other programming — so we’ll see what final numbers look like later.

For now at least, ABC finished first in ratings with a 1.4 rating/5 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 5.9 million. “Grey’s Anatomy” at 8 p.m. earned a 2.0/8 and 8 million viewers. At 9, “Scandal” landed a 1.4/5 and 5.8 million viewers. “The Catch” at 10 grabbed a 0.8/3 and 3.9 million viewers.

CBS was second in ratings with a 1.3/5 and third in viewers with 4.6 million. The network aired two different basketball games during primetime’s 8 p.m.-11 p.m. window.

NBC was third in ratings with a 1.0/4 and second in viewers with 5 million. “Superstore” at 8 had a 1.1/4 and 4.2 million viewers. Following a rerun, at 9, “Chicago Med” put up a 1.4/5 and 7.2 million viewers, tying “Scandal” head-to-head in the key demo for the first time ever. “The Blacklist: Redemption” at 10 received a 0.8/3 and 4.2 million viewers.

Fox was fourth in ratings with a 0.8/3 and in viewers with 3 million. “MasterChef Junior” at 8 got a 1.1/4 and 3.9 million viewers. At 9, “Kicking & Screaming” managed a 0.6/2 and 2 million viewers.

Univision and Telemundo tied for fifth in ratings, both with a 0.6/2. Univision was fifth in total viewers with 1.8 million, Telemundo was sixth with 1.5 million.

The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.1/1 and in viewers with 489,000, airing repeats.

Comments