Even with the much-hyped return of original showrunner Dan Harmon, NBC’s “Community” slipped to its lowest season premiere yet.
On Thursday, the show scored a 1.3 in the key 18-49 demographic. Last season’s “Community” premiere, in February 2013, earned a 1.9 rating in the key demo.
The NBC comedy was not the only premiere to drop last night. ABC’s “The Taste” opened its second season with a 1.2 rating. Last year it debuted to a 2.2 rating on a different night, Tuesday.
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CBS was first Thursday with a 2.7 rating/7 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 10.9 million, according to preliminary numbers. “The Big Bang Theory” at 8 p.m. was Thursday’s highest-rated and most-watched show, earning a 5.3/15 and 18.9 million viewers. At 8:30, “The Millers” received a 2.9/8 and 11.6 million viewers. “The Crazy Ones” at 9 got a 2.0/5 and 8.2 million viewers. “Two & a Half Men” at 9:30 had a 2.1/5 and 8.6 million viewers. At 10, “Elementary” tallied a 1.8/5 and 8.9 million viewers.
Univision was second in ratings with a 1.3/3 and fourth in total viewers with 3.2 million.
ABC and NBC tied for third in ratings, each with a 1.1/3. ABC was second in viewers with 4.4 million. NBC was third in total viewers with 3.3 million.
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For ABC, “The Taste” season premiere at 8 was down 43 percent from last year, earning a 1.2/3 and 4.7 million viewers. At 10, the premiere of miniseries “The Assets” earned a 0.7/2 and 3.8 million viewers.
NBC’s “Community” season 5 premiere at 8 earned a 1.3/3 and 3.4 million viewers. At 9, “Sean Saves the World” received a 0.8/2 — a low — and 2.8 million viewers. “The Michael J. Fox Show” at 9:30 got a 0.8/2 — also a low — and 2.5 million viewers. “Parenthood” at 10 had a 1.3/3 and 4 million viewers.
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Fox was in fifth in ratings with a 0.7/2 and in viewers with 2.6 million, airing reruns.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.6/2 and in total viewers with 1.6 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in total viewers with 815,000. It aired repeats.