Ratings: SEAL Team Has Solid Debut; Star, Blacklist Rise in New Time Slots
CBS’ SEAL Team premiere targeted 9.9 million total viewers and a 1.5 demo rating (per finals), delivering Wednesday’s largest audience and improving on time slot predecessor Criminal Minds’ previous average (7.5 mil/1.4).
The David Boreanaz-led drama, which TVLine readers gave an average grade of “B,” outdrew Criminal Minds‘ year-ago premiere (8.9 mil/1.9) yet was down in the demo with a significantly softer Survivor lead-in.
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Survivor (8.3 mil/1.8) ticked up from its spring opener but was down 13 and 22 percent from its year-ago premiere. Now airing an hour later, Criminal Minds (7 mil/1.3, average grade “B+”) slipped from its May finale (8.1 mil/1.6) but slightly improved on Code Black‘s year-ago premiere (6.4 mil/1.2).
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Elsewhere on the night….
FOX | Now leading off the night, Empire (7.1 mil/2.4, average grade “B”) was on par with its finale (6.9 mil/2.4) but down from its Season 3 average (7.6 mil/2.7). Star opened Season 2 with its largest audience (5.4 mil) since its second episode and its best rating (1.8) since its launch (which also benefited from an Empire lead-in).
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ABC | The Goldbergs (6.1 mil.1.8), Speechless (5 mil/1.4) and Modern Family (6.9 mil/2.1) all returned up from their finales, while the relocated American Housewife (5.6 mil/1.6) improved on both its freshman launch and finale as well as time slot predecessor black-ish‘s average (5.2 mil/1.5). Designated Survivor (5.5 mil/1.1, average grade “B-“) matched its finale while down from its freshman average (5.8 mil/1.3).
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NBC | The Blacklist christened its latest time slot with 6.4 mil and a 1.1 (and an “A-” grade), delivering its biggest audience in just over a year and its best demo number since Nov. 10. SVU (5.6 mil/1.4, average grade “B”) was up a tenth from its finale, while Chicago P.D. (6.1 mil/1.3, average grade “B”) matched its finale.
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