CBS had each of last week’s five most-watched prime-time programs, topped by “NCIS,” to finish first in the network race for the fourth consecutive week and sixth time in the 21-week-old 2020-21 television season, according to live-plus-same-day figures released Wednesday by Nielsen.
“NCIS” averaged 9.75 million viewers to be the most-watched program for the second time in three weeks. “NCIS” is the only entertainment program to finish first in the weekly ratings this season.
“60 Minutes” was the only other prime-time program between Feb. 8 and Sunday to average more than 9 million viewers, averaging 9.438 million viewers. The time-slot premiere of “The Equalizer” that followed was third for the week, averaging 8.212 million viewers.
“FBI,” which followed “NCIS,” was fourth for the week, averaging 7.729 million viewers. “Young Sheldon” was fifth, averaging 7.599 million viewers, most among comedies.
CBS also had the most-watched 10 p.m. program, the police drama “Blue Bloods,” 10th for the week averaging 6.522 million viewers.
CBS averaged 5.22 million viewers for the week. The order of finish behind CBS was the same as the previous two weeks. ABC was second, averaging 3.84 million viewers, and NBC third, averaging 3.2 million. Fox was fourth, averaging 2.99 million viewers for its 15 hours of programming.
CBS, ABC and NBC each aired 22 hours of prime-time programming for the week.
NBC’s “Chicago Fire” was the most-watched non-CBS program, averaging 7.506 million viewers, sixth for the week. “Chicago Med,” which preceded “Chicago Fire,” was seventh for the week, averaging 7.292 million viewers.
Sunday’s two-hour season premiere of “American Idol” was ABC’s most-watched program, averaging 6.946 million viewers, eighth for the week.
The procedural drama “9-1-1” was Fox’s most-watched program for the fourth consecutive week, averaging 6.873 million viewers, ninth for the week.
The week’s only premiere on the four major broadcast networks, the CBS crime drama “Clarice” was first in its 10 p.m. Thursday time slot, seventh among programs beginning at 10 p.m. and 35th for the week, averaging 4.002 million viewers.
“Clarice” retained 98.7% of the audience of the program that preceded it, the comedy “The Unicorn,” which averaged 4.054 million viewers, 34th for the week.
The MSNBC news and opinion program “The Rachel Maddow Show” accounted for each of the week’s five most-watched prime-time cable programs, topped by the Wednesday edition which averaged 4.475 million viewers, 27th overall.
In each of the three full weeks since President Joe Biden was inaugurated, “The Rachel Maddow Show” accounted for at least three of the week’s five most-watched cable programs. It accounted for each of the top five the week of Jan. 25-31 and each of the top three the week of Feb. 1-7.
The order of finish among the top three cable networks was the same for the third consecutive week. Fox News Channel was first, averaging 2.513 million viewers, MSNBC second, averaging 2.496 million and CNN third, averaging 1.738 million.
The most-watched Spanish-language prime-time program was the Thursday episode of the Univision drama anthology “La Rosa de Guadalupe” which averaged 1.745 million viewers to finish 76th among broadcast programs. Its overall rank was not available.
Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network for the 63rd consecutive week and 65th time in 66 weeks, averaging 1.26 million viewers. Telemundo was second, averaging 990,000 viewers followed by UniMas (610,000), Estrella TV (170,000) and Azteca America (60,000).
ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” was the most-watched network nightly newscast for the 63rd consecutive week, the 114th time in 115 weeks and the 166th time in 168 weeks, averaging 9.529 million viewers.
“NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” was second, averaging 7.974 million viewers, followed by the “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell,” which averaged 6.114 million viewers.
The week’s 10 most-watched prime-time programs were CBS’ “NCIS,” “60 Minutes,” “The Equalizer,” “FBI,” and “Young Sheldon”; NBC’s “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago Med”; ABC’s “American Idol”; Fox’s “9-1-1”; and CBS’ “Blue Bloods.”