Primetime Ratings: CBS Wins With Rebounding Dramas

CBS won the ratings race Tuesday, with NCIS posting a 2.3 in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen’s overnights. CBS overall had a 1.9 rating and 6 share in 18-49. NBC was runner-up with a 1.7/6 and ABC at 1.2/4, while The CW’s 1.0/3 nudged ahead of Fox’s 0.9/3.

CBS’ numbers were up across the board, due in part to not competing against the World Series. NCIS’ score was up 15% from its previous airing, while NCIS: New Orleans registered a 1.9, up 19%, and Limitless a 1.5, up 7%.

NBC’s Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris scored a 1.3, up 18%, while The Voice’s 2.0 was off a steep 20%. Chicago Fire’s 1.8 was off 5%.

ABC’s Muppets scored a flat 1.4 before Fresh Off the Boat had a 1.5, up 7% from last week. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had a flat 1.4, and Wicked City a disappointing 0.7, down 22% from its 0.9 premiere.

CW scored a rare fourth place win, with The Flash at 1.5, up 15% from last week, and iZombie flat at 0.6.

After a two week respite due to the World Series, Fox’s Grandfathered showed a flat 1.0 and The Grinder a 0.8, down 11%, then Scream Queens scored a 1.0—consistent with its previous airing.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.