Primetime Ratings: ‘Murder’ Up in Midseason Finale

ABC aired the midseason finales for its block of Shonda Rhimes-produced dramas Thursday night, with How to Get Away With Murder ticking up 7% from last week with a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49. Grey’s Anatomy was even at 2.4. Scandal shed one tenth of a point to 3.1.

ABC led all broadcasters, averaging a 2.9 rating and 9 share on a night when multiple East Coast affiliates for the Big Four preempted primetime programs to carry President Obama’s immigration-reform address. The broadcast networks chose not to carry the speech live nationally. CBS broadcast NFL football in San Francisco-Oakland, while NBC carried the game in Kansas City.

CBS finished second with a 2.1/6. The Big Bang Theory was down 11% at 4.0. Mom was up one tenth at 2.7. Two and a Half Men was up 10% at 2.3. The McCarthys was even with last week at 1.4. Elementary was even at 1.0.

Spanish-language Univision, which carried the President’s speech live, outstripped the remaining broadcasters with a 2.0/6. Telemundo, which also broadcast the speech, averaged a 0.6/2.

NBC averaged a 1.3/4. The Biggest Loser was up 8% at 1.3. Bad Judge was up 33% at 1.2. A to Z was up 50% at 0.9. Parenthood gained 50% to 1.5.

Fox averaged a 1.0/3. Bones and Gracepoint were even with last week at 1.3 and 0.8, respectively.

The CW averaged a 0.6/2. The Vampire Diaries was up one tenth of a point at 0.8. Reign was even with last week at 0.4. In the network’s target 18-34 demo, The Vampire Diaries drew a 0.8 and Reign a 0.4.