Anybody want to debate the importance of a lead-in from The Voice?
NBC: For the second consecutive week, THE BLACKLIST had a reduced, non-Voice lead-in (this week it was the season premiere of HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT, its 2 hours at 1.3/1.5, down from last week’s 1.9 for American Ninja Warrior), and for the second consecutive week, Blacklist hit a new series low, down another 0.2 to 2.3. Blacklist has only one more Voice-less airing before it goes back on hiatus, and there’s no doubt its numbers will rebound once it has its trusty lead-in back, but these ratings have to give NBC pause on the bigger question of what to do with Blacklist next season. Moved away from the Monday 10PM timeslot (to give a new drama the benefit of the Voice lead-in), Blacklist might not crater the way Revolution has this season, but these past weeks suggest that it won’t be any kind of major hit, either. Of course, even mediocrity is a step up for most of the NBC schedule these days…
FOX: The 2-hour SLEEPY HOLLOW season finale (which was a corker) only edged up 0.1 from last week to 2.3. In the context of FOX’s drama line-up, it certainly earned its renewal, but it’s another show that has turned out not to be the game-changer smash that its premiere seemed to promise.
CBS: HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER and 2 BROKE GIRLS were steady at 3.0/2.7, but then things went in the wrong direction. MIKE & MOLLY dropped 0.3 to 2.1, MOM tied its series low by falling 0.2 to 1.9, and INTELLIGENCE hit a new low at 1.1, down 0.1 from last week’s timeslot premiere.
ABC: THE BACHELOR was even at 2.3, and CASTLE gained 0.1 to 2.0 (just 0.3 behind The Blacklist).
CW: At the moment, HART OF DIXIE is down 0.1 to 0.4 and BEAUTY & THE BEAST (which is getting progressively more wacko) is up 0.1 to match it at 0.4, but both shows were preempted for an NBA game in Chicago, so those numbers might shift.
CBS is taking the night off with reruns tonight, but the rest of the networks are all-new.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Due to our Sundance coverage, which will kick in tomorrow, we’ll have the morning ratings grid but less detailed TV content for the rest of this week. The Scorecard and TV reviews will return next week.
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