Sunday TV Ratings 5/23/21: NCIS: New Orleans Steady for Series Finale, The Equalizer and American Idol End Steady, Billboard Music Awards Hit New Low, Duncanville Ties The Great North Finale (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: CBS's 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.5) failed to move the needle on series finale night, merely tying its previous episode in the 10pm slot. 'New Orleans' joins a growing list of shows that have either barely risen or didn't rise at all for their final installments. Earlier in the night, '60 Minutes' (1.0) got a healthy boost from airing after the 'PGA Tournament' (1.3), doubling what it posted a week ago (0.5). The finales of 'The Equalizer' (0.6) and 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.6) were flat at 8 and 9 respectively. Over on Fox, 'Duncanville' (0.3/0.2) arrived in rough shape for its second season debut. The Amy Poehler cartoon tied its series low at 8:30 and hit a new one at 9:30. 'The Simpsons' (0.3) inched down on finale night and went below a million viewers for the first time in its run. 'Bless the Harts' (0.2) and the 'Bob's Burgers' finale (0.4) held even. NBC's telecast of the 2021 'Billboard Music Awards' (0.6) was down two-tenths from the last ceremony that aired in October 2020 (0.8). The season finale of 'American Idol' (0.7) was steady on ABC, with 'AFV' (0.7) rising two-tenths at 7. On the CW, 'Legends of Tomorrow predictably posted a 0.1. A repeat of 'Big Trick Energy' (0.0) somehow went even lower at 9.

Finals Update: 'American Idol' (0.9, +0.2), the 'Billboard Music Awards' (0.7, +0.1), 'The Equalizer' (0.7, +0.1), 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.7, +0.1), and 'The Simpsons' (0.4, +0.1) adjusted up. '60 Minutes' (0.7, -0.3) and 'AFV' (0.6, -0.1) adjusted down. The shares listed are preliminary ones. 

Sunday TV Ratings 5/9/21: The Simpsons Hits Series Low, The Rookie Ties Season High, Family Guy and Bobs Burgers Rise (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: Fresh off of a three-week break, Fox's 'The Simpsons' (0.3) crashed to an awful new series low, barely building from a steady 'Bless the Harts' (0.2). What made matters worse for the yellow family is that fellow veterans 'Bob's Burgers' (0.5) and 'Family Guy' (0.5) were each up a tenth, posting their strongest ratings in a month. In the midst, 'The Great North' (0.3) held even in the 8:30 slot, pulling into a tie with 'Simpsons'. ABC's 'American Idol' (0.8) matched its last episode but lead-in 'AFV' (0.6) and lead-out 'The Rookie' (0.6) each picked up a tenth. CBS saw one-tenth declines across the board for '60 Minutes' (0.5), 'The Equalizer' (0.6), and 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.5). At 10, 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.5) managed to avoid slipping. NBC aired an 'American Ninja Warrior' special (0.3) that failed to improve from the usual 'Ellen's Game of Games'. 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' (0.2) inched down at 9 but 'Good Girls' (0.3) grew from there. 'Legends of Tomorrow' (0.1) and 'Batwoman' (0.1) were unchanged on the CW. 

Finals Update: 'America's Funniest Home Videos' (+0.1), 'American Idol' (+0.1), '60 Minutes' (+0.1), 'The Equalizer' (+0.1), 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (+0.1), 'American Ninja Warrior' (+0.1), 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' (+0.1), and 'Bless the Harts' (+0.1) adjusted up.

Sunday TV Ratings 5/2/21: American Idol Leads, NCIS: LA and NCIS: New Orleans Rise, Good Girls and The Equalizer Slip, Legends of Tomorrow Returns Low (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: ABC's 'American Idol' (0.7) aired its annual, Disney-themed installment but actually lost a tenth in the process. That rating was still enough to top a quiet evening by a pretty narrow margin. 'AFV' (0.5) also lost a tenth in the 7pm slot while 10pm drama 'The Rookie' (0.5) admirably held steady. Over on CBS, 'The Equalizer' (0.6) inched down after a month-long break but was able to beat out its '60 Minutes' lead-in (0.5). 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.6) and 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.5) each picked up a tenth from there, with the former set to return and the latter on its way out. NBC's 'Ellen's Game of Games' (0.4) rose by a tick behind a repeat of itself. 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' (0.3) was unchanged as 'Good Girls' (0.3) dropped by a tenth at 10. 'Bob's Burgers' (0.3) and 'Family Guy' (0.4) were both at series low territory on Fox, with the network rudely airing 'Bob's' behind a low-rated 'Great North' encore (0.2). Sandwiched between a pair of 'Simpsons' reruns (0.2/0.2), 'Bless the Harts' (0.2) also shed a tenth. The CW brought back 'Legends of Tomorrow' (0.1) in disastrous fashion, with the drama down a whopping four-tenths from its last, crossover-themed premiere (0.5). 'Batwoman' (0.1) gave back a tenth at 9. 

Finals Update: '60 Minutes' (+0.1), 'The Equalizer' (+0.1), 'Bob's Burgers' (+0.1), the repeat of 'Ellen's Game of Games' (+0.1) and the 8 PM repeat of 'The Simpsons' (+0.1) adjusted up. This means that 'Bob's Burgers' avoided hitting a 0.3 rating, but it was still a new low by a hundredth. 

Sunday TV Ratings 4/4/21: The Equalizer and Bless the Harts Hit Lows on Easter, The Rookie Rises, Zoey’s Playlist Steady (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: ABC took the reins on Easter Sunday as a steady 'American Idol' (0.8) topped the night altogether. 'AFV' (0.5) suffered a two-tenth decline at 7, but 'The Rookie' (0.5) managed to gain a tenth in the 10pm slot. On CBS, '60 Minutes' (0.5) lost a staggering six-tenths when stacked up against last week's 'NCAA'-boosted installment. The downward trajectory continued as the evening progressed, with 'The Equalizer' (0.6) and 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.4) each shedding two-tenths. In the middle, 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.5) only lost one. NBC had another brutal night as 'Ellen's Game of Games' (0.2) inched down behind a repeat of itself (0.2). 'Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist' (0.2) held even at 9 and led into a 'Good Girls' encore (0.2). Fox had an even worse time than the peacock network as recently-canceled 'Bless the Harts' (0.1) dropped to a new low behind an equally-anemic 'Ice Age' Easter special (0.1). The 'Ice Age' special was down two-tenths from last year's showing (0.3). Nature documentary 'Malika the Lion Queen' (0.2) built a bit from there, with a 0.1 in the 8pm hour and a 0.2 from 9-10. The CW went with repeats of 'World's Funniest Animals' (0.1/0.1) and 'Masters of Illusion' (0.0/1). 

Finals Update: 'America's Funniest Home Videos' (0.6, +0.1), 'American Idol' (0.9, +0.1), 'The Equalizer' (0.7, +0.1), 'Ellen's Game of Games' (0.3, +0.1), and 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.5, +0.1) adjusted up.

Sunday TV Ratings 2/28/21: Golden Globes Collapse to Embarrassing Low, The Rookie Slides Behind Steady American Idol, Fox Cartoons Go Even Lower (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: Hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the 78th Golden Globe Awards crashed to a pitiful 1.2 rating and 5.4 million viewers. The first COVID-era ceremony was down a whopping 74% from the 4.7 rating that the 77th one posted back in January 2020 and 70% below the 18.3 million that the previous 'Globes' garnered. Although the 2020 'Golden Globes' did have a massive 'NFL Overrun' (9.8) leading into it, that still does not excuse this year's broadcast for losing such a massive chunk of its usual audience. While it will likely adjust up a few tenths in finals, that will not be nearly enough to make this performance salvageable. A 7pm preshow (0.7) was the lead-in to the low-rated main event. 

ABC seemed relatively unfazed opposite the 'Globes' as 'AFV' (0.8) and 'American Idol' (1.0) tied their week-ago outings. But 'The Rookie' (0.4) took a distressing two-tenth dip in the 10pm hour, matching its series low in the process. On CBS, '60 Minutes' (0.6) lost two-tenths while dramas 'The Equalizer' (0.7), 'NCIS: Los Angeles' (0.5), and 'NCIS: New Orleans' (0.5) were only down by one. Fox had an absolutely horrific evening as 'The Simpsons' (0.4), 'The Great North' (0.3), 'Bob's Burgers' (0.3), and 'Family Guy' (0.4) all plummeted to new lows. In the 7pm hour, 'Cherries Wild' (0.5) rose by two-tenths as 'Bless the Harts' (0.3) held even. Both programs will likely adjust down due to a NASCAR overrun. 'Batwoman' (0.1) and 'Charmed' (0.1) were flat on the CW.

Finals Update: The 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards (+0.3), The Equalizer (+0.1), America's Funniest Home Videos (+0.1), NCIS: New Orleans (+0.1) and Bob's Burgers (+0.1) adjusted up. Golden Globes Pre-Show (-0.1) and Cherries Wild (-0.2) adjusted down.