US REPORT: MARCH 14, 2018

THIS IS US finishes Season 2 strong, RISE premieres solidly for NBC; Shondaland FOR THE PEOPLE premiere soft for ABC; A&E renews LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH for a third season + greenlights 4 new shows to series

BROADCAST RATINGS:

Network Average:

Broadcast Primetime Live + Same Day – Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Ratings Report:

• Two new dramas premiered last night to solid, but not stellar, results. NBC won the night overall, with THIS IS US scoring the highest of the night, a 2.7 among adults 18-49 and 10.85 million viewers for its Season 2 finale. While up half a point from last week, it’s still down more than half a point from the eye-popping 3.4 it scored for the Season 1 finale. Later in the evening, new musical drama RISE got off to a solid start, scoring a 1.3 in its first outing, equal to the average of CHICAGO MED in the same time slot. Earlier in the evening, THE VOICE was down a tenth from its last Tuesday show.
• ABC had yet another off night, all of its comedies slumped from last week. THE MIDDLE (1.1) was off a tenth, while two back-to-back episodes of BLACKISH (0.9, 0.8) were down a tenth and .2 from their last new episodes back in February. Only FRESH OFF THE BOAT (0.9) managed to remain steady with ratings from its last airing. ABC also premiered the newest property from Shondaland, FOR THE PEOPLE, to modest results. The legal procedural centered around a new group of brand-new lawyers in New York scored a 0.8 in its premiere, slightly ahead of the 0.7 average earned by the previous occupant of the timeslot, KEVIN (PROBABLY) SAVES THE WORLD.
• CBS rebounded slightly; NCIS the original stayed even with last week, earning a 1.4, while both BULL (1.2) and NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (1.0) each rose a tenth.
• Fox and CW both had steady nights, with LA TO VEGAS (0.7), THE MICK (0.6), THE FLASH (0.7) and BLACK LIGHTNING (0.5) all keeping their same numbers from last week.

CABLE RATINGS:

Top 25 Original Programs on Cable – Monday, March 12, 2018

Of Note:

• While it is no surprise that WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW once again took all three top spots on cable ratings, the 3-hour broadcast managed to tick back up to its peak of 1.2, up a tenth from last week.
• Also the same as last week, both LOVE & HIP HOP and LOVE & HIP HOP: MIAMI rounded out the top 5 with 0.9 (flagship), while Miami dropped a tenth to 0.8.
• In scripted cable, TNT’s THE ALIENIST held steady with a 0.4.
• After dropping slightly in total audience, Rachel Maddow was once again ahead of Hannity across the board on Monday, beating him by two tenths in 18-49s (the largest margin I’ve seen since they started going against each other head to head), .15 in the 25-54 news demo, and an audience of around 100K more for the same hour of viewing. An hour earlier, Tucker Carlson on Fox News continues to wallop Anderson Cooper on CNN, even though their 18-49 ratings are identical (each earned a 0.21 last night). However, in the key news demo, Carlson is averaging 0.15 ahead in the 25-54 demo, and an audience size that is approaching 2 million viewers larger than Cooper’s.

OTHER NEWS:

• In non-scripted renewal news today:
  • ABC has renewed three long-running programs and one rookie for the 2018-19 season. THE BACHELOR, DANCING WITH THE STARS, and AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS are safe for another season, as well as freshman entry CHILD SUPPORT, featuring Ricky Gervais and hosted by Fred Savage.
  • A&E has renewed a third season of LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
• A&E also announced four new alternative shows today, two in the crime space and two in the general interest category. I’ve included the log lines below:
  • MANY SIDES OF JANE | 6x60 | Renegade 83

Jane is a 28-year-old woman from Boise, Idaho who has Dissociative Identity Disorder – commonly referred to as multiple personality disorder. Her 9+ personalities, ranging in age from 6-27 years old, appear at any time, usually triggered by stress. Diagnosed only two years ago, she is on a journey to understand what caused the D.I.D. as well as to figure out how she can best co-exist with her many “parts,” as she calls them. As a full-time single mother of two, Jane is also studying for a Ph.D in Biology. She’ll be coming to terms with her childhood, her relationship with her family, and launching her career.

• LOST FOR LIFE | 8x60 | Intellectual Property Corporation

In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life terms without parole for juveniles was “cruel and unusual punishment,” deeming it unconstitutional. In January of 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court said it must be applied retroactively. Now, all of those sentenced as juveniles to mandatory life in prison have a chance to plead their case. Access to the criminals, victims, lawyers, and courts will allow viewers to be taken through the original crime, as well as experience the unfolding of an intense legal battle.

• THE ACCUSED | 8x60 | Brinkworth Films

This gripping series reveals the true inside story of what happens when someone is accused of a crime they believe they did not commit. Featuring the defendant, their family and their legal teams, “The Accused” reveals the personal cost of every charge, watching each case unfold from the defendant’s point of view.

• EMPLOYABLE ME | 8x 60 | Optomen Productions

Finding a job is hard enough, but when you have a mental disability, it can be even harder. Many people with these challenges face unemployment, yet so many people with disabilities have unique skills that make them excellent workers. This groundbreaking series unlocks their “secret powers” to help them land their dream jobs and gain a new independence in life.