‘Big Brother’, ‘MasterChef’ Lead Thursday Night Chock-Full Of Football – Update

Patrick Hipes

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UPDATED with final numbers: As expected, all of broadcasters’ primetime shows took a hit Thursday thanks to a slew of NFL preseason games in local markets. CBS’ Big Brother remained the night’s top-rated and most-watched program, but saw a downward adjustment of three tenths of a ratings point in the key adults 18-49 demo. All viewership totals were also adjusted accordingly, per Nielsen.

Among other fresh shows, ABC saw dips of six tenths for Holey Moley and Family Food Fight, and five tenths for Reef Break. Fox’s duo of MasterChef and Spin the Wheel both adjusted down five tenths, with the former winning the 8 PM slot in the demo but falling behind a Big Bang Theory repeat in viewers in the hour, and the latter leapfrogging Hollywood Game Night repeat to finish No. 2 at 9 PM.

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CBS’ Elementary dipped two tenths but leapfrogged its 10 PM competition to win the time slot.

Both shows on the CW fell including the premiere of Two Sentence Horror Stories, dropping two tenths.

Check out the final chart below.

PREVIOUSLY, Friday, 10:08 AM: CBS’ Big Brother and Fox’s MasterChef led Thursday’s primetime in preliminary ratings on a night when the broadcast networks’ unscripted-rich lineups were boosted by NFL preseason pre-emptions in local markets across the dial. The first full week of exhibition games means adjustments are coming later today.

Until then, Big Brother (1.3 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic, 5.05 million viewers) was the night’s top show, with MasterChef (1.2, 4.88M) edging out ABC’s Holey Moley (1.1, 4.69M) for the top spot in the 8 PM hour. All were fresh episodes.

MasterChef and a new Spin the Wheel (1.0, 4.03M) gave Fox the nightly demo win for now. The network tied with NBC’s all-repeat lineup for No. 1 in overall viewers.

ABC followed Holey Moley with a new Family Food Fight (0.9, 3.80M) and Reef Break (0.7, 3.30). On the CW, a new The Outpost (0.2, 970,000) led into the premiere of Two Sentence Horror Stories (0.3, 1.01M).

We’ll update with revised numbers later today.

Here are Thursday’s final L+SD numbers:

Here were Thursday preliminary numbers:

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