Thursday TV Ratings 4/23/26: Matlock Ends on a Series Low, NFL Draft Down 15% Year-to-Year, Animal Control and Going Dutch Also End Lower [+ Analysis]

On CBS, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage (0.33, -0.10) declined sharply, Ghosts (0.34, -0.01) dipped slightly, and Matlock (0.17, -0.05) faded away for its finale. Declines were also prevalent on Fox as Animal Control (0.16, -0.04) and Going Dutch (0.14, -0.05) slipped for their own finales. Next Level Chef (0.21, -0.01) was also down at eight. ABC was above the other broadcast networks with its showing of the NFL Draft (0.88), while Law & Order (0.20, -0.04), SVU (0.25, -0.05), and The Hunting Party (0.16, -0.03) all lost momentum on NBC. Scrabble (0.03, -0.03) and Trivial Pursuit (0.04, -0.03) failed to buck the overall trend of the night on the CW. Key: (F) = finale.

Time	Show	18-49 Rating	18-49 Share	Viewers (mil)	Network
8 PM	2026 NFL Draft	0.88	10	4.62	ABC
	Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage	0.33	4	5.13	CBS
	Next Level Chef	0.21	2	1.46	Fox
	Law & Order	0.20	2	3.48	NBC
	Scrabble	0.03	0	0.35	CW
8:30 PM	Ghosts	0.34	4	4.42	CBS
9 PM	Law & Order: SVU	0.25	3	3.41	NBC
	Matlock (F)	0.17	2	4.05	CBS
	Animal Control (F)	0.16	2	0.96	Fox
	Trivial Pursuit	0.04	0	0.41	CW
9:30 PM	Going Dutch (F)	0.14	2	0.79	Fox
10 PM	The Hunting Party	0.16	2	2.02	NBC

Cable Highlights:

Show	Network	18-49 Viewers	Viewers (mil.)
2026 NFL Draft	ESPN	2.02	6.53
2026 NFL Draft	NFL	0.54	1.75
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills	Bravo	0.15	0.82
NHL Playoffs	TBS	0.15	0.51
Gutfeld!	Fox News	0.12	2.84
Jesse Watters Primetime	Fox News	0.12	3.05
Hannity	Fox News	0.10	2.64
Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell	MSNOW	0.08	1.30
MLB	FS1	0.07	0.45
NHL Playoffs	TruTV	0.07	0.22
Ladies of London: A New Reign	Bravo	0.05	0.29
The Briefing with Jen Psaki	MSNOW	0.05	1.21
That Thrifting Show	Freeform	0.05	0.62
All In with Chris Hayes	MSNOW	0.05	1.18
NewsNight	CNN	0.04	0.63
Anderson Cooper 360	CNN	0.04	0.72
The Source with Kaitlan Collins	CNN	0.03	0.69