CBS, ‘NCIS’ top television ratings
CBS had each of last week’s five most-watched primetime programs, topped by “NCIS,” to finish first in the network race for the fourth consecutive week and sixth time in the 21-week-old 202021 television season, according to live-plus-same-day figures released Wednesday by Nielsen.
“NCIS” averaged 9.75 million viewers to be the most-watched program for the second time in three weeks. “NCIS” is the only entertainment program to finish first in the weekly ratings this season.
“60 Minutes” was the only other prime-time program between Feb. 8 and Sunday to average more than 9 million viewers, averaging 9.438 million viewers. The time-slot premiere of “The Equalizer” that followed was third for the week, averaging 8.212 million viewers.
“FBI,” which followed “NCIS,” was fourth for the week, averaging 7.729 million viewers. “Young Sheldon” was fifth, averaging 7.599 million viewers, most among comedies.
CBS also had the mostwatched 10 p.m. program, the police drama “Blue Bloods,” 10th for the week averaging 6.522 million viewers.
CBS averaged 5.22 million viewers for the week. The order of finish behind CBS was the same as the previous two weeks. ABC was second, averaging 3.84 million viewers, and NBC third, averaging 3.2 million. Fox was fourth, averaging 2.99 million viewers for its 15 hours of programming.
CBS, ABC and NBC each aired 22 hours of primetime programming for the week.
NBC’s “Chicago Fire” was the most-watched non-CBS program, averaging 7.506 million viewers, sixth for the week. “Chicago Med,” which preceded “Chicago Fire,” was seventh for the week, averaging 7.292 million viewers.
Sunday’s two-hour season premiere of “American Idol” was ABC’s mostwatched program, averaging 6.946 million viewers, eighth for the week.
The procedural drama “9-1-1” was Fox’s mostwatched program for the fourth consecutive week, averaging 6.873 million viewers, ninth for the week.
The week’s only premiere on the four major broadcast networks, the CBS crime drama “Clarice” was first in its 10 p.m. Thursday time slot, seventh among programs beginning at 10 p.m. and 35th for the week, averaging 4.002 million viewers.
“Clarice” retained 98.7% of the audience of the program that preceded it, the comedy “The Unicorn,” which averaged 4.054 million viewers, 34th for the week.
The MSNBC news and opinion program “The Rachel Maddow Show” accounted for each of the week’s five most-watched prime-time cable programs,