Not many viewers shimmied down Fox’s chimney to check out Year 2 of Taraji P. Henson’s “White Hot Holidays.”
The special received 3.5 million total viewers this time around, down 31 percent from 2015’s 5.1 million. The actress behind Cookie Lyon shared the stage and title last year with fellow “Empire” star Terrence Howard. Also in 2015, “White Hot” aired out of a rerun of their hit hip-hop soap opera, while this version was a self-starter at 8 p.m.
It wasn’t the worst dud on Thursday, however. Over on ABC, the “Notorious” season finale managed just a 0.5 rating/2 share in the key 18-49 demographic, and 2.6 million total viewers. In the demo, that’s down 44 percent from its previous original. That said, last night had no “Grey’s Anatomy” setting the Disney-owned broadcaster’s primetime tone.
NBC swept the evening again with “Thursday Night Football.”
NBC was first in ratings with a 3.5/12 in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 11.9 million, according to preliminary numbers. Pregame show “Football Night in America” and the Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Oakland Raiders filled out primetime — and then some.
CBS was second in ratings with a 1.3/5 and in viewers with 7 million. Following a rerun, “The Great Indoors” at 8:30 got a 1.5/5 and 7.3 million viewers. At 9, “Mom” had a 1.4/5 and 7.5 million viewers. “Life in Pieces” at 9:30 received a 1.2/4 and 6.4 million viewers. “Pure Genius” at 10 closed prime to a 1.0/4 and 5.6 million viewers.
ABC and Fox tied for third in ratings, both with a 0.8/3. ABC was third in total viewers with 3.5 million, Fox was fourth with 3.2 million.
For ABC, following repeats, “The Great Holiday Baking Show” at 9 had a 0.9/3 and 4.2 million viewers. “Notorious” followed.
For Fox, the Henson-hosted special at 8 got a 0.9/3. The “Pitch” season finale at 9 received a 0.8/3 and 2.9 million viewers.
The CW and Telemundo tied for fifth in ratings, both with a 0.7/2. CW was fifth in total viewers with 1.9 million, Telemundo was seventh with 1.75 million.
For CW, “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” at 8 put up a 0.7/2 and 2 million viewers. “Supernatural” at 9 posted a 0.6/2 and 1.7 million viewers.
Univision was seventh in ratings with a 0.6/2 and sixth in viewers with 1.80 million.
(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story stated that “White Hot Holidays” slipped 35 percent. The decline was actually 31 percent. TheWrap regrets the error.)
Live TV Musicals Ranked by Ratings, From 'Annie Live!' to 'Grease' (Photos)
NBC's "Annie Live!" bowed Thursday as the first new live musical production to air on broadcast TV since ABC's "The Little Mermaid Live!" in November 2019.
It also marked NBC's return to the genre, which it hasn't ventured into since "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" on Easter Sunday of 2018, and the first of the Big 4 networks' live-TV musicals to be made during the COVID-19 era.
So naturally, all eyes were on how the Taraji P. Henson- and Harry Connick Jr.-led "Annie Live!" performed in TV ratings and viewership, as that's going to be used as an indicator of what "Tomorrow" looks like for the genre.
On the plus side, "Annie Live!" averaged 5.155 million total viewers, which was better than Fox's "Rent" and "A Christmas Story." Unfortunately, "Annie" ranks dead last in the key demo of adults 18-49, though that may be more of an indicator on how young adults view broadcast television in late 2021 vs. late 2019.
"Annie Live!" faced a lot of competition last night: Fox aired "Thursday Night Football," ABC had a highly anticipated Alec Baldwin interview in the first hour of primetime, and CBS did well with its first few sitcoms.
Scroll through our gallery to see how each of broadcast TV's modern-day, live musical productions rank by Nielsen numbers. Lowest-rated is first, highest-rated is last.
ABC
Rank: 11
Musical: "Annie Live!"
Date: December 2, 2021
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 0.9
Total viewers: 5.155 million
NBC
Rank: 10
Musical: "Rent"
Date: January 27, 2019
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.4
Total viewers: 3.415 million
Fox
Rank: 9
Musical: "A Christmas Story: Live"
Date: Dec. 17, 2017
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.5
Total viewers: 4.481 million
Fox
Rank: 8
Musical: "The Passion"
Date: March 20, 2016
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 1.6
Total viewers: 6.648 million
Fox
Rank: 7
Musical: "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!"
Date: April 1, 2018
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 1.7
Total viewers: 9.607 million
NBC
Rank: 6
Musical: "Hairspray Live!"
Date: Dec. 7, 2016
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 2.3
Total viewers: 9.045 million
NBC
Rank: 5
Musical: "Peter Pan Live!"
Date: Dec. 4, 2014
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 2.4
Total viewers: 9.211 million
NBC
Rank: 4
Musical: "The Little Mermaid Live!"
Date: Nov. 5, 2019
Network: ABC
18-49 rating: 2.6
Total viewers: 8.978 million
ABC
Rank: 3
Musical: "The Wiz Live!"
Date: Dec. 3, 2015
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 3.4
Total viewers: 11.498 million
NBC
Rank: 2
Musical: "Grease: Live"
Date: Jan. 1, 2016
Network: Fox
18-49 rating: 4.3
Total viewers: 12.206 million
Fox
Rank: 1
Musical: "Sound of Music Live!"
Date: Dec. 5, 2013
Network: NBC
18-49 rating: 4.6
Total viewers: 18.624 million
NBC
1 of 12
Thursday show marked the long-awaited return of broadcast TV’s modern-day, live musical productions
NBC's "Annie Live!" bowed Thursday as the first new live musical production to air on broadcast TV since ABC's "The Little Mermaid Live!" in November 2019.
It also marked NBC's return to the genre, which it hasn't ventured into since "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" on Easter Sunday of 2018, and the first of the Big 4 networks' live-TV musicals to be made during the COVID-19 era.
So naturally, all eyes were on how the Taraji P. Henson- and Harry Connick Jr.-led "Annie Live!" performed in TV ratings and viewership, as that's going to be used as an indicator of what "Tomorrow" looks like for the genre.
On the plus side, "Annie Live!" averaged 5.155 million total viewers, which was better than Fox's "Rent" and "A Christmas Story." Unfortunately, "Annie" ranks dead last in the key demo of adults 18-49, though that may be more of an indicator on how young adults view broadcast television in late 2021 vs. late 2019.
"Annie Live!" faced a lot of competition last night: Fox aired "Thursday Night Football," ABC had a highly anticipated Alec Baldwin interview in the first hour of primetime, and CBS did well with its first few sitcoms.
Scroll through our gallery to see how each of broadcast TV's modern-day, live musical productions rank by Nielsen numbers. Lowest-rated is first, highest-rated is last.