Primetime Ratings: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Goes Out With a Bang on CBS

CBS easily won the Thursday ratings race, with the series finale of hit comedy The Big Bang Theory pacing the network. CBS had a 2.0 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 10 share. In second was ABC at 0.8/4.

Big Bang Theory got a 3.1, up 63% from last week, with nearly 18 million total viewers. The show lasted 12 seasons and amassed 279 episodes. The Young Sheldon season finale went up 47% to 2.2. Special Unraveling the Mystery: A Big Bang Farewell did a 1.8 and the SWAT season finale grew 43% for a 1.0.

On ABC, it was the Grey’s Anatomy season-ender at a flat 1.3 and the Station 19 closer down 11% for a 0.8. The For the People finale went up 25% to 0.5.

NBC rated a 0.6/3. Superstore did a 0.6 and the Superstore finale then did a 0.6, both down from last week’s 0.8/0.7 double run. Brooklyn Nine-Nine got a 0.5 and then its finale a 0.5, down from last week’s 0.6. The Law & Order: SVU season closer went up 14% to 0.8.

Telemundo and Univision both got a 0.4/2.

Fox scored a 0.3/2 with Paradise Hotel across prime. Paradise Hotel got a 0.5 last week.

The CW rated a 0.2/1, iZombie and In the Dark both rating a level 0.2. 

Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.