The broadcast networks were off and running as they kicked off another season on Monday, with NBC dominating behind “The Voice” and a hot start for “The Blindspot,” which topped the combined demo scores of veteran timeslot competitors “Castle” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” CBS had the night’s top show in “The Big Bang Theory,” and its new comedy “Life in Pieces” had a decent bow behind it, but Fox’s “Minority Report” opened quietly.
Meanwhile, two of last fall’s biggest drama newcomers — CBS’ “Scorpion” and Fox’s “Gotham” — were down as expected from their strong starts of last year but the Eye program held up better vs. its average from last winter and spring.
According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, “Blindspot” was the clear standout among the night’s three premieres, averaging a 3.1 rating/10 share in adults 18-49 and 10.6 million viewers overall in the 10 o’clock hour. Though this is down from the big second-season premiere of “The Blacklist” in the Monday-at-10 hour a year ago (3.5), it’s well above the peak ratings of the two other dramas to air in the timeslot last season: “State of Affairs” (2.2) and “The Night Shift” (1.5).
Conspiracy thriller “Blindspot,” the latest drama from Greg Berlanti, outdrew its combined ABC-CBS drama competition in the 10 o’clock hour among adults 18-49 (3.1 vs. 2.4), and its 3.1 rating is the best for any NBC series premiere since the “Blacklist” premiere in September 2013. The newbie retained 82% of the 9:30 p.m. half-hour rating of “The Voice” — the highest retention for a post-“Voice” drama debut to date.
NBC won among the broadcast networks for the night in 18-49 (3.4/11) as well as total viewers (11.6 million), and that carried over to a victory in late-night, where Carly Fiorina was among the guests on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
Leading off the night, “The Voice” was down but still potent as it began its ninth season (3.5/11 in 18-49, 12.1 million viewers overall). It was the night’s No. 2 broadcast series in 18-49, and off about 15% from its most recent launches (a 4.1 both last spring and last fall).
At CBS, the wedding episode of “The Big Bang Theory” did a big 4.5 rating/16 share in adults 18-49 and 17.8 million viewers overall in the show’s temporary Monday-at-8 timeslot. It was down from last year’s monster premiere (5.5) but out-rated its final seven episodes from last season.
Family comedy “Life in Pieces” (2.7/9 in 18-49, 11.5 million viewers overall) had a credible premiere, retaining about 60% of its 18-49 lead-in and placing second among the Big Four at 8:30; it garnered the most overall viewers of Monday’s three premieres. “The Odd Couple,” the most recent CBS comedy to launch behind “The Big Bang Theory,” opened with a 3.1 demo rating last February (retaining 69% of the same 4.5 “Big Bang” lead-in).
The ho-hum result at 8:30 p.m. had to impact “Scorpion” (2.2/7 in 18-49, 11.0 million viewers overall). It was down about 30% in 18-49 from its year-ago series premiere (3.2), when it opened behind an hourlong “Big Bang Theory,” but was up a bit from its winter-spring Monday average (2.1). Closing out the night, “NCIS: Los Angeles” (1.2/4 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall) opened its season with series lows.
After premiering last week, ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” (1.8/6 in 18-49, 11.6 million viewers overall) was down 14% (0.3). It was followed by the eighth-season premiere of “Castle” (1.2/4 in 18-49, 7.1 million viewers overall), which tumbled about 40% from last year’s premiere and joined “NCIS: Los Angeles” in hitting series lows. (ABC’s averages could be adjusted in the nationals due to a pre-emption for Colts football in Indianapolis.)
Over at Fox, “Gotham” (1.6/5 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall) came in about 50% below its year-ago launch in 18-49 (3.3) and was also about 15% lower than its winter-spring average (1.9). It was followed by a modest debut for “Minority Report” (1.1/3 in 18-49, 3.1 million viewers overall), based on the 2002 Steven Spielberg film of the same name.
ESPN was expected to win Monday with its “Monday Night Football” matchup between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts. It pulled a 9.3 overnight household rating, down from a 9.9 for last year’s Week 2 matchup (the Colts against the Philadelphia Eagles)
