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The first season finale of “NCIS: Sydney” locked down a ratings win for CBS on Tuesday night.
As viewers tuned in for the international spin-off series’ conclusion, the episode brought in 4.62 million total viewers on CBS, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures. Despite competing with coverage of the New Hampshire primary, “NCIS: Sydney” ranked as Tuesday’s most-watched primetime program.
The finale also live streamed on Paramount+, and ranked as the most-watched live streamed entertainment program on the streamer, according to internal reach figures.
Factoring in Tuesday’s viewership, the season has averaged a total viewership of 6.54 million per episode, according to Nielsen Most Current Data, and currently ranks the No. 1 most-watched new series across broadcast television when it comes to total viewership.
The drama’s Nov. 14 premiere made a splash, scoring 5.64 million total viewers and marking the highest premiere viewership for a broadcast show premiering this fall. Within three days of its launch, the premiere grew to reach nearly 10 million viewers across CBS and Paramount+, nearly doubling its initial live-plus-same-day CBS premiere viewership.
To date, “NCIS: Sydney,” which is the franchise’s first international installment, ranks as CBS’s No. 1 primetime entertainment series based on multi-platform viewing, and reached 24 million unique viewers in its first season.
“NCIS: Sydney” was initially slated to debut solely on Paramount+ in the U.S. — and on Network 10 in Australia — but was added to CBS’ fall lineup amid the Hollywood double strike. As it premiered in Australia, “NCIS: Sydney” most-watched local series premiere since the launch of Paramount+ in the country.
As the fifth addition to the “NCIS” franchise, “NCIS: Sydney” joins existing shows “NCIS,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “NCIS: Hawai’i.” CBS will also expand the franchise with an “NCIS” prequel centered around young Leroy Gibbs.