WORLD CUP NOTE: Starting tomorrow, SHOWBUZZDAILY will be posting regular updates on WORLD CUP ratings on ABC and cable as they become available, with analysis of this year’s ratings vs. 2010’s and demographic analysis. Watch for WORLD CUP SKEDBALL! (FYI, yesterday’s WORLD CUP PREVIEW special on ESPN had a 0.16 rating in 18-49s in its afternoon premiere, and a fairly impressive 0.3 in Men 18-34.)
NETWORK UPDATE: MOTIVE found an extra 0.1, and that was it for afternoon adjustments.
WEDNESDAY CABLE: DUCK DYNASTY (A&E) returned to the air and led the night’s ratings for both broadcast and cable, but at a level shockingly below last summer: 1.8 in 18-49s, compared to 5.0 last August (4.6M total viewers compared to 11.8M). Even compared to the January 2014 premiere (3.4/8.5M), DUCK DYNASTY is clearly past its prime. BIG SMO followed DUCK DYNASTY on A&E with a 1.0 premiere. USA also featured season premieres, with a 0.75 rating for SUITS that was considerably below last July’s 1.1 premiere, which aired on Tuesday (total viewers were more stable, with 2.5M vs. 2.9M), although steady with the show’s spring premiere in March (0.76/2.3M), which aired on Thursday. GRACELAND returned at 0.8, below last June’s 1.1 premiere (on a Thursday). Meanwhile, NBC, as a corporate entity, breathed a sigh of relief that the STANLEY CUP FINALS didn’t end last night with Game 4 on NBC Sports Network, with its mere 1.3 rating. (Game 5 airs on NBC itself on Friday.) CATFISH (MTV) lost 0.1 to 0.8. AMERICAN PICKERS (History) held at 0.7, while DUAL SURVIVOR (Discovery) slipped 0.1 to 0.6. On TVLand, the 2d episode of JENNIFER FALLS dropped from 0.27 to 0.16, with 750K total viewers, almost exactly the same as its lead-in HOT IN CLEVELAND.
Summer on the networks: when a 2-hour news retrospective special is the highest-rated show on the air.
NBC: DATELINE: THE PEOPLE VS O.J. SIMPSON led the networks last night with a 1.4 rating. The night started with a burn-off of the final episodes of GROWING UP FISHER, which departed with twin 0.9s.
FOX: SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE was down 0.2 from last week to 1.3.
ABC: MOTIVE dropped 0.4 from last week to a wan 0.7. Before that, it was all reruns, highlighted by 1.2 for MODERN FAMILY.
CW: The season finale of THE 100 fell 0.1 to 0.5, although CW’s numbers may shift in afternoon numbers due to some sports preemptions. The night started with 0.3 for an ARROW rerun.
CBS: Reruns, led by 1.0 for CRIMINAL MINDS.
Game 4 of THE NBA FINALS will have no trouble dunking on the other networks tonight. NBC has a fresh line-up, and FOX has a new HELL’S KITCHEN.
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