Fox has found the right number of cooks in the kitchen — or at least child chefs, apparently.
Tuesday’s season premiere of “MasterChef Junior” — which was previously a Friday series — hit a high, boosting the rest of the night’s lineup and handing the network the top demo spot on a weak night full of reruns and late-primetime election coverage.
Fox was first in ratings with a 1.6 rating/5 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic, but third in viewers with an average of 4.1 million, according to preliminary numbers. The season premiere of “MasterChef Junior” — which is replacing the canceled “Utopia” that was originally slated for Tuesdays — at 8 p.m. earned a 1.8/5 and 5.1 million viewers. “New Girl” at 9 rose 33 percent to a 1.6/5, and had 3.4 million viewers. “The Mindy Project” at 9:30 ticked up to a 1.3/4 and 2.9 million viewers.
NBC was second in ratings with a 1.5/4 and in viewers with 6.1 million. Following a rerun, “Marry Me” at 9 had a 1.3/4 and 5 million viewers. “About a Boy” at 9:30 got a 1.1/3 and 4.1 million viewers. An NBC News midterm election special at 10 received a 1.0/3 and 4.3 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 1.2/4, but first in viewers with 9 million. Following repeats, CBS’s midterm coverage had a 0.8/3 and 5.4 million viewers.
Univision was fourth in ratings with a 1.1/3 and fifth in viewers with 2.6 million.
ABC was fifth in ratings with a 1.0/3 and fourth in total viewers with 3.7 million. “Selfie” at 8 got a 1.0/3 and 3.9 million viewers. A second episode at 8:30 had a 0.9/3 and 3.4 million viewers. A special, “Marvel: 75 Years: From Pulp to Pop” at 9 received a 1.2/3 and 3.9 million viewers. ABC’s election coverage at 10 had a 0.8/3 and 3.5 million viewers.
The CW and Telemundo tied for sixth in ratings, both with a 0.5/2. CW — airing entirely reruns — was sixth in viewers with 1.6 million, Telemundo was seventh in 1.3 million.