Thursday TV Ratings 5/16/24: Young Sheldon Soars for Series Finale, So Help Me Todd Also Jumps in Final Episode, Organized Crime and Law & Order Finales Also Rise [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: CBS's Young Sheldon ended its seven-season run in monumental fashion. The long-running sitcom posted a monstrous 0.71 rating at 8 p.m. and then climbed to a 0.76 for its final ever episode at 8:30. One would have to go back to January 2022 to find an episode with a higher Adults 18-49 rating than this series finale. In terms of total viewership, both episodes of Young Sheldon cleared the 9-million mark, a feat it has not accomplished since April 2020! But Sheldon was not the only series finale of the night, as canceled drama So Help Me Todd (0.35, +0.08) aired its series finale right after the boy genius's antics came to a close. However, Todd retained less than half of its monstrous lead-in and was not even able to set a new season high. At 10, Elsbeth (0.26, +0.04) also rose but not nearly as much as the others. On NBC, Law & Order (0.35, +0.05) and Organized Crime (0.33, +0.04) were up for their respective finales, but SVU (0.41, -0.01) ticked down. 9-1-1 (0.44, -0.06), Grey's Anatomy (0.35, -0.04), and Station 19 (0.21, -0.05) all slipped on ABC. Fox's I Can See Your Voice (0.17) was significantly weaker than Next Level Chef in its return, and the Farmer Wants a Wife finale (0.19, -0.04) suffered as a result. Patti Stanger (0.03, -0.02) dipped on the CW, while Lovers and Liars posted its third-straight 0.03. 

Thursday TV Ratings 5/9/24: Law and Order: SVU and Organized Crime Rise, So Help Me Todd and Elsbeth Drop [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: Though Law & Order (0.30, -0.03) declined on NBC, SVU (0.42, +0.03) and Organized Crime (0.29, +0.07) were on the rise. On CBS, Young Sheldon (0.44, -0.06) was down markedly from last week at 8 but grew a bit at 8:30 (0.46, +0.02). So Help Me Todd (0.27, -0.05) and Elsbeth (0.22, -0.05) diminished in size. 9-1-1 (0.50, -0.01) inched down on ABC, but Grey's Anatomy (0.39, +0.01) and Station 19 (0.26, +0.04) were up. Next Level Chef (0.29, -0.01) lost a hundredth for its Fox finale, while Farmer Wants a Wife (0.23, +0.01) gained one. Patti Stanger (0.05, +0.01) was up slightly, but Lovers and Liars held steady at 0.03.

Thursday TV Ratings 5/2/24: Ghosts Finale and Elsbeth Rise, Station 19 and Law & Order: Organized Crime Sink to New Lows [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: It was a disappointing night for ABC as dramas 9-1-1 (0.51, -0.08), Grey's Anatomy (0.38, -0.13), and Station 19 (0.22, -0.06) all declined dramatically. On CBS, Ghosts (0.50, +0.05) was up for its season finale. Young Sheldon (0.50, +0.07) and Elsbeth (0.27, +0.03) also improved, but So Help Me Todd (0.32, 0.00) was unable to rise. Law & Order (0.33, -0.03) dropped slightly on NBC, but Law & Order: SVU (0.39, -0.11) and Law & Order: Organized Crime (0.22, -0.11) were both down by more than a full tenth. Next Level Chef (0.30, +0.01) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.22, +0.02) inched up on Fox. Patti Stanger (0.04, -0.02) slipped on the CW, while Lovers & Liars (0.03, +0.01) gained a hundredth.

Thursday TV Ratings 4/25/24: NFL Draft Rises from 2023, Elsbeth Hits New Low, Young Sheldon and Ghosts Also Drop (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: The NFL Draft (1.05) was a tenth higher than it was in 2023 (0.95) and propelled ABC to 18-49 demographic dominance. On CBS, Young Sheldon (0.43, -0.06), Ghosts (0.45, -0.05), So Help Me Todd (0.32, -0.01), and Elsbeth (0.24, -0.04) all declined. Next Level Chef (0.29, -0.08) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.20, -0.07) collapsed on Fox. The Law & Order shows (0.18/0.17/0.18) were in repeat mode on NBC. Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker (0.06, 0.00) held steady on the CW, but Lovers and Liars (0.02, -0.01) ticked down. 

Thursday TV Ratings 4/18/24: Ghosts and Law & Order: SVU Lead the Night, Young Sheldon and So Help Me Todd Slip, Elsbeth Stable (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: Young Sheldon (0.49, -0.09) nearly lost a full tenth on CBS, but Ghosts (0.50, -0.05) declined by a smaller amount and built on its lead-in. So Help Me Todd (0.33, -0.02) also slipped, but Elsbeth (0.28, 0.00) was stable. NBC was up across the board as Law & Order (0.36, +0.08), Law & Order: SVU (0.50, +0.17), and Organized Crime (0.33, +0.06) all surged, with SVU rising by close to two-tenths. Next Level Chef (0.37, +0.03) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.27, +0.07) shot up on Fox, with Farmer setting a new season high. Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker (0.06, +0.03) doubled last week's premiere rating on the CW. ABC re-ran 9-1-1 (0.19/0.17/0.18).

Thursday TV Ratings 4/11/24: Station 19 Drops for 100th Episode, 9-1-1 Stable In the Lead, SVU Hits Another Series Low (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: Though 9-1-1 (0.59, 0.00) held even and Grey's Anatomy (0.51, +0.05) surged, ABC's Station 19 (0.28, -0.05) faded away for a milestone episode at 10. On NBC, Law & Order (0.28, -0.03), SVU (0.33, -0.02), and Organized Crime (0.27, -0.01) all slipped in their returns. Young Sheldon (0.58, +0.16) and Ghosts (0.55, +0.10) soared on CBS, but So Help Me Todd (0.35, -0.01) and Elsbeth (0.28, -0.01) lost a hundredth apiece. Next Level Chef (0.34, +0.04) grew on Fox, while Farmer Wants a Wife (0.20, 0.00) matched last week's installment. Patti Stanger: The Matchmaker (0.03) was modest at best in its CW debut. 

Thursday TV Ratings 4/4/24: Elsbeth Returns Up After Break, 9-1-1 Rises for 100th Episode, Grey’s Anatomy Also Rebounds (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: After taking a month off the air, CBS drama Elsbeth (0.34, +0.05) returned up from its premiere at 9 and tied its February debut (0.29) for the episode that aired at 10. Earlier in the night, Young Sheldon (0.42, -0.09) dropped to a new series low, while Ghosts (0.45, -0.05) declined less than Sheldon. 9-1-1 (0.59, +0.02) was up for its 100th episode on ABC, as were Grey's (0.46, +0.07) and Station 19 (0.33, +0.04). Next Level Chef (0.30, +0.04) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.20, +0.01) grew on Fox. NBC's Law & Order trio (0.24/0.23/0.16) remained in rerun mode. Son of a Critch (0.07, +0.03) left a decent final impression for its CW finale.

Thursday TV Ratings 3/14/24: 9-1-1 Rises in Move to ABC, Grey’s Anatomy Also Returns Higher, Station 19 Premieres to New Low (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: After airing on Fox for six seasons, procedural drama 9-1-1 (0.60) made its debut on ABC and appeared relatively unscathed in the move. Though this was close to a tenth lower than its fall 2022 premiere (0.69), it was a few ticks above its spring 2023 finale (0.55). In the 9 p.m. hour, Grey's Anatomy (0.56) was actually a hundredth higher than its fall 2022 premiere (0.55), but Station 19 (0.37) slipped to a new low in its move to the 10 p.m. hour. On CBS, Young Sheldon (0.51, +0.01) and Ghosts (0.50, +0.02) improved slightly, and So Help Me Todd (0.36, +0.06) was up significantly from its last episode, but Elsbeth (0.22) was in repeat-mode despite only having aired one episode so far. Law & Order (0.37, -0.03) and SVU (0.45, -0.03) declined on NBC, while Organized Crime (0.27, -0.12) plummeted to a new low. Next Level Chef (0.29, -0.07) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.19, -0.02) were both down on Fox. Son of a Critch (0.05, 0.00) was flat on the CW, but Children Ruin Everything (0.05, +0.01) gained a hundredth for its finale.

Finals Update: Law & Order (+0.1), So Help Me Todd (+0.1), and Grey's Anatomy (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 2/29/24: Elsbeth Has Decent Premiere, Ghosts and Next Level Chef Rise, Law & Order: SVU Dips (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: New CBS drama Elsbeth (0.29) looked decent enough on premiere night and only lost a hundredth from So Help Me Todd (0.30, +0.01) despite airing in the challenging 10 p.m. time slot. On the comedy front, Young Sheldon (0.52, -0.01) shed a hundredth, while Ghosts (0.51, +0.07) rebounded after last week's alarming fall. On Fox, Next Level Chef (0.32, +0.03) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.21, +0.04) were both on the rise. Law & Order (0.40, -0.07) and SVU (0.48, -0.10) crashed on NBC, but Organized Crime (0.39, -0.02) had a lighter decline. ABC re-ran American Idol (0.22) and Will Trent (0.13) once more. The CW aired more reruns of The Conners (0.06/0.06). Son of a Critch (0.05, +0.01) and Children Ruin Everything (0.04, +0.02) improved in the 9 p.m. hour.

Thursday TV Ratings 2/22/24: Law & Order Jumps with Sam Waterston Exit, Ghosts Collapses, So Help Me Todd and Next Level Chef Also Sink (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: NBC's Law & Order (0.47, +0.09) was up by nearly a full tenth for the Sam Waterston exit episode and helped SVU (0.58, +0.06) and Organized Crime (0.41, +0.03) grow along with it. On CBS, Young Sheldon (0.53, -0.10), Ghosts (0.44, -0.23), and So Help Me Todd (0.29, -0.09) plummeted in week two, but it was Ghosts that took the most alarming drop of the three. Fox's Next Level Chef (0.29, -0.15) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.17, -0.07) also crumbled. ABC re-ran American Idol (0.30) and Will Trent (0.16). Reruns of The Conners (0.09/0.07) remained a strong option for the CW, but Son of a Critch (0.04, -0.02) and Children Ruin Everything (0.02, -0.02) still slipped. 

Finals Update: All shows held their preliminary rounded ratings.

Thursday TV Ratings 2/15/24: So Help Me Todd and Young Sheldon Return Up from Finales, Ghosts Draws Highest Scripted Premiere of the Season, Next Level Chef Rises (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: CBS comedies Young Sheldon (0.63) and Ghosts (0.67) returned in very solid shape for their respective season premieres. Both returned a good bit higher than their May finales and were well above all other offerings in the Adults 18-49 demographic. The momentum completely stopped once the clock hit 9 as So Help Me Todd (0.38) remained a poor retainer, but the drama was still up from its own season finale from last May. The night finished with an encore of Tracker (0.27). On Fox, Next Level Chef (0.44, +0.05) and Farmer Wants a Wife (0.24, +0.02) were both on the rise, but Farmer was once more a lot less impressive than its lead-in. ABC went with more Truth and Lies (0.24) and another Will Trent rerun (0.16). NBC re-ran Law & Order (0.30), SVU (0.29), and Organized Crime (0.24). Son of a Critch (0.06, +0.01) inched up on the CW, while Children Ruin Everything (0.04, 0.00) held even.

Finals Update: Ghosts (+0.1) and So Help Me Todd (+0.1) adjusted up.

Evaluating Chuck Lorre’s Biggest Hits and Misses on CBS

Young Sheldon Ending After Seven Seasons

 

Thursday TV Ratings 5/18/23: Organized Crime Jumps as SVU Slips for Crossover Finale, So Help Me Todd and CSI: Vegas Finales Sink, Young Sheldon Leads (UPDATED)

Ratings Analysis: CBS's 'Young Sheldon' (0.60/0.57) finished the season strong with a one-hour finale that rated higher than any episode since late March in the Adults 18-49 demographic. But even though 'Sheldon' topped the night altogether, it was unable to keep 'So Help Me Todd' (0.31, -0.11) afloat on finale night. 'Todd' lost more than a full tenth on a week-to-week basis, even though its lead-in was only half a point lower than the May 11th 'Ghosts' closer (0.62). The news was even more grim in the 10 p.m. hour as 'CSI: Vegas' (0.19, -0.13) crashed to a new series low at the worst time imaginable. ABC had better luck as a whole for its Thursday finale night as both 'Station 19' (0.46, +0.04) and 'Grey's Anatomy' (0.43, +0.05) picked up a couple ticks. 'Law & Order' (0.34, +0.01) and 'Law & Order: Organized Crime' (0.41, +0.05) gained a bit of momentum on NBC for their respective finales. In the middle, 'Law & Order: SVU' (0.44, -0.01) shed a single hundredth. The Fox network chugged along with reruns of 'Alert: Missing Persons Unit' (0.13) and 'Animal Control' (0.12/0.13). The CW went even lower than that with an encore of 'Walker' (0.02) and '100 Days to Indy' (0.02).

Finals Update: 'Station 19' (+0.1) and the 8:30 episode of 'Young Sheldon' (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 5/11/23: Ghosts Finale Leads the Night, So Help Me Todd Beats Grey’s Anatomy, Next Level Chef Ends Down (UPDATED)

Finals Update: Young Sheldon (+0.1), the 8 PM episode of Next Level Chef (+0.1) and Law & Order: Organized Crime (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 5/4/23: Call Me Kat Ends On New Low, Animal Control Stable for Finale, SVU and So Help Me Todd Also Drop (UPDATED)

Finals Update: All shows held their preliminary ratings. 

Thursday TV Ratings 4/27/23: Final Carpool Karaoke Special Mediocre, NFL Draft Rises from 2022, Organized Crime Sinks to New Low (UPDATED)

Finals Update: Ghosts (+0.1) and So Help Me Todd (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 4/13/23: Grey’s Anatomy Hits New Low in Two-Hour Episode, Young Sheldon and Ghosts Also Hit Series Lows (UPDATED)

Finals Update: Young Sheldon (+0.1), Next Level Chef (+0.1), Ghosts (+0.1) and Grey's Anatomy (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 3/9/23: Young Sheldon Rises to Season High, Ghosts Also Rises, Animal Control Drops (UPDATED)

Finals Update: The repeat of Law & Order (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 3/2/23: Alaska Daily Inches Up After Break, Grey’s Anatomy, So Help Me Todd and Ghosts Drop, Young Sheldon Leads (UPDATED)

Finals Update: Station 19 (+0.1) and the repeat of Law & Order (+0.1) adjusted up.

Analysis to come.