With its mid-week NFL package having wrapped last week, CBS premiered its Thursday night entertainment lineup, getting solid ratings from its returning comedies but softer results from its new addition. Freshman series The McCarthys premiered to a 1.9 rating among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnight numbers, losing 30% of its lead-in from Two and a Half Men. The premieres of Two and a Half Men and its lead-in, Mom, both came in at 2.7, the former down 7% from last fall’s debut and the latter up 8% from its series premiere last year. Drama Elementary began its third season with a 1.4, down 33% from its season-two premiere. The Big Bang Theory, returning to Thursdays after five weeks on Monday night, led off the night with a 4.1, making it the top program of the night. CBS numbers were inflated by preemptions in Charlotte and New Orleans, where the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football broadcast of the Panthers-Saints game was picked up by local CBS affiliates.
ABC was the night’s top network, averaging a 2.5 rating and 8 share—edging out CBS by one tenth of a point. Scandal was even with last week at 3.0. How to Get Away With Murder was down 10% at 2.7. ABC started the night with holiday special It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which drew a 1.7.
NBC and Fox tied for third at 1.0 / 3. Fox’s Bones was down 24% from its last new episode Oct. 16 at 1.3. Gracepoint was even with last week at 0.8. On NBC, The Biggest Loser hit a series low at 1.1, down one tenth of a point from last week. Bad Judge was down one tenth at 0.9. A to Z was down 22% at 0.7. Parenthood was declined one tenth to 1.1.
The CW averaged a 0.6 / 2. The Vampire Diaries was down one tenth of a point from last week at 0.7. Reign was even at 0.5. In the network’s target 18-34 demo, The Vampire Diaries drew a 0.8 and Reign a 0.5.
