Ratings Report: TV in A Global Pandemic
Broadcast: For FOX’s 2018-19 season, four new scripted series were launched and all cancelled. This leaves their current series lineup walking on thin ice: the chances of survival will likely depend on their ratings. 9-1-1, the highest-rated scripted series on the network, saw an increase of 10.90 percent in its total viewership from last year. Going into episode 13 of its third season, 9-1-1 had a total viewers of 7.216 million, as the result of a steady increase. On the other hand, in its final season, Empire saw an average decrease of 42.01 percent, with 2.577 million viewers.
Unlike FOX, The CW renewed all it’s on-going scripted series from its last season: All American, Black Lighting, Dynasty, and Rosewell, New Mexico included. All American finished its second season on March 9th, 2020, with 698,000 viewers. On the same day, Black Lighting ended its season with only 547,000 viewers. Rosewell, New Mexico is 3 episodes into its second season, averaged 735,000 viewers. Comparing to its last season, Rosewell is having a difficult time keeping the ratings up, with a 30.66 percent decrease in total viewership. Dynasty is the only out of four that airs on Friday night, where ratings expectations are lower; its recent episode had 319,000 viewers. With its third season coming to an end, Dynasty is managing to keep it viewership just above 300,000.
CBS cancelled five and renewed four out of the nine new shows last year. Both Bob Hearts Abishola and All Rise were in their first season. Bob Hearts Abishola’s latest episode on March 16th had 6.888 million viewers and 0.94 rating in the 18-49 demo, the highest in the show’s history. All Rise’s March 16th episode also had the highest 18-49 demo rating (.74) yet, with 5.802 million viewers, 25.69 percent increase from its previous episode. God Friended Me was renewed for the second season after the first’s success, being CBS’ seventh-highest-rated scripted series. Season 2 episode 18 had 6.244 million viewers, 4.62 percent increase from episode 17.
ABC renewed six out of nine new shows from last season. Black-ish’s ratings has been on a decline, struggling to reach 3 million viewers this season. The last episode had a 3.48 percent decrease which left the show with 2.573 million viewers. It’s prequel Mixed-ish had 2.86 million viewers. With a steady increase in ratings from the last five episodes, will this last into the season finale? Station 19 has been renewed for a new season, with an average viewership of 6.546 million, 23.77 percent increase from its last season.
NBC has a number of TV series about first responders and healthcare workers. Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD and Brooklyn Nine-Nine had all been renewed for a new season. In the latest episode, Chicago Fire had 8.074 million viewers, Chicago Med had 8.234 million, Chicago PD had 6.964 million, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine had 2.05 million. The first three experienced a slight decrease, Brooklyn-Nine-Nine had a major decrease of 8.55 percent in viewership. Other NBC shows like Superstore and Good Girls had even more drastic drop in viewership. Superstore dropped 7.4 percent, with 3.153 million viewers; Good Girls dropped 21.57 percent, with 1.804 million viewers.
During the global COVID-19 pandemic, viewers are having a steady, if not increasing, interest in scripted series about those who are working in the front line of fighting the virus outbreak — first responders and health care workers. The dramatic genre is earning more popularity than comedy in the past few weeks. In broadcast TV, there is a general decrease in viewership, even though more people are spending time at home.
In past two weeks, soap operas had a higher than average but decreasing viewership. Young and Restless, renewed by CBS, had 3.829 million viewers; The Bold and the Beautiful had 3.64 million viewers; General Hospital had 2.523 million viewers; Days of Our Lives, renewed by NBC, had 2.165 million viewers. In the world of soaps, there is an average 6.71 percent decrease in total viewership, and 13.97 percent decrease in women age 18-49 demographic.
Cable: On BET, Boomerang had 426,000 viewers tuning in for its latest episode, a 9.55 percent decrease from the previous, which had 471,000 viewers. Sistas, the first series Tyler Perry has created under his deal with BET, had 976,000 viewers, a 6.78 percent decrease from 1.047 millions viewers the week before. Created and produced by Ava DuVernay, OWN’s Cherish the Day only had 436,000 and 474,000 viewers for episode 7 and 8, a drastic drop from previous episodes which generally had 600,000 viewers and above. The Haves and the Have Nots, OWN’s highest rated show, had 1.372 million viewers tuning in for the latest episode, and a total of 2.738 million viewers in the past two weeks. If Loving You Is Wrong is in its last season on OWN, its last premiere episode had 1.113 million viewers, a 26.10 percent decrease from the previous season debut. Freeform is renewing its highest rated show Grown-ish for a new season, which had 312,000 viewers last week, a 26.32 percent increase from the episode before. Over at Pop TV, One Day at a Time’s first two episodes had an average of 147,000, and a total of 293,000 viewers.
A Place In The Sun
International: TVSA’s March ratings are available. At SABC1, Uzalo continues to be number one with 10.295 million viewers. Generation: the Legacy follows with 8.217 million viewers. Skeem Saam runs third again with 7.268 million viewers. The audience continues to favor these three soaps, keeping them the top three rated shows in South African prime time adult television. At SABC2, Muvhango is once again the top-rated with 5.045 million viewers. 7De Laan has fallen to the fourth place with 2.033 million viewers, bumped by SABC News: Covid-19 Lockdown and Music. Isidingo: the Need falls in second place at SABC3 with 7.82 million viewers. Scandal remains the top-rated scripted television at ETV, with 5.17 million viewers, followed by Imbewu: The Seed with 4.141 million viewers. Rhythm City is the number three show at ETV, with 3.890 million viewers. The Queen remains in the first place at DSTV with 2.287 million viewers.
Due to South Korea’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraging its citizens to stay at home as much as possible, the viewership experienced a boost. The top shows Korea’s major broadcast (KBS1, KBS2, MBC, SBS) are as follows: Home for Summer - 17.85%, A Place in the Sun - 11.025%, Blessing of the Sea - 6.25%, Shady Mom-in-Law - 5.15%.
Top Cable dramas (JTBA, OCN, tvN) are Designated Survivor: 60 Days - 3.8%, The Wind Blows - 3.6%, Search: WWW - 3.45%.
Streaming: Little Fires Everywhere, based on Celeste Ng’s novel of the same name, is now streaming on Hulu to favorable reviews. The series stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, who also executive produced. The audience responds enthusiastically to the series’ strong ensemble, but some criticize the series for playing it too safe. This series earned a 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.