The Breakdown: NBC Thursday in 2016-17 (Superstore, Chicago Med, The Blacklist and more!)

It's time for a journey through the NBC Thursday schedule in 2016-17...

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 4/20/17

WHAT MATTERS:

• Numbers and analysis coming shortly.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 4/13/17

FINALS UPDATE: Grey's Anatomy (1.8), The Big Bang Theory (2.5) and Chicago Med (1.1) adjusted up while Scandal (1.3) and The Amazing Race (0.8) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• After a couple repeat-laden days, everyone was back to originals on Thursday, with ABC seeing a bounce at 9/8c for the 100th episode of Scandal (1.4). Surrounding programs Grey's Anatomy (1.7) and The Catch (0.7) were both even.

• NBC's Trial and Error tried (and failed) to make its case in a different timeslot, plummeting to a new low 0.6 in a special Thursday lead-off episode. Later in the night, NBC said goodbye to The Blacklist: Redemption, even at 0.7 leading out of another 1.0 from Chicago Med.

• On CBS, The Big Bang Theory (2.4) is headed for another new low, and fellow comedies The Great Indoors (1.2), Mom (1.3) and Life in Pieces (1.1) were also on the downtick. The Amazing Race made it three in a row at 0.9 to start the season.

• Bringing up the rear were Fox's MasterChef Junior (0.9) and a new low for Kicking and Screaming (0.5), then the CW's Supernatural (0.5) and Riverdale (0.3).

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 4/6/17

FINALS UPDATE: The Big Bang Theory (2.7) and The Blacklist: Redemption (0.7) adjusted up while Scandal (1.2) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• After one of its strongest showings of the season last week, TGIT came crashing down with three-tenth drops for both Grey's Anatomy (1.7) and Scandal (1.2), marking a new low for both. Scandal seemingly got ravaged by a couple brief news interruptions related to a military strike in Syria.

• But even they probably didn't have the most brutal drops on this broadcast night; that would belong to NBC's Superstore (0.8), which was back from a week off and plummeted by a baffling three tenths. NBC had a minor consolation as Powerless (0.6) and Chicago Med (1.0) each bounced back a tick from last week's ugliness. The Blacklist: Redemption (0.7) gave back last week's uptick, but got a clutch finals upward adjustment to avoid a new low.

• CBS had easily the best night in a generally down landscape, with The Big Bang Theory (2.7) and both the 9:00 comedies (1.4/1.2) on the upswing. 

• Fox and the CW did not emerge unscathed either, as MasterChef Junior (0.9), Supernatural (0.5) and Riverdale (0.3) all shed a tenth to tie their series lows.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 3/30/17

FINALS UPDATE: The Big Bang Theory (2.6) adjusted up while Grey's Anatomy (2.0), Scandal (1.5), Mom (1.2), Superstore (R) (0.6) and Powerless (0.5) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• CBS was back from its March Madness hiatus with a new occupant in the 10/9c hour: reality veteran The Amazing Race (0.9), regularly scheduled in the 10:00 hour for the first time in over a decade. Race was an improvement on previous occupant Training Day but down noticeably from its last premiere, a 1.3 on a Friday in February 2016. Leading in was a soft return for the comedies The Big Bang Theory (2.5), The Great Indoors (1.4), Mom (1.3) and Life in Pieces (1.1).

• On NBC, Powerless (0.6) was back at 8:30 after being preempted for Trial and Error repeats the last two weeks, and hit a new series low (also only tying last week's T&E repeat). It led out of a repeat of Superstore (0.7). After that came a terrible showing from Chicago Med (0.9), at a new low by two tenths, while The Blacklist: Redemption (0.8) was actually up.

• TGIT had a strong night, with Grey's Anatomy (2.1) and Scandal (1.6) each growing by multiple tenths to their best numbers since mid-February. The Catch (0.8) was preliminarily up a tenth, which would tie its season high from the premiere.

• The CW also looked solid as Supernatural (0.6) and Riverdale (0.4) returned from hiatus, with the former rebounding from its series low.

• And Fox's MasterChef Junior (1.0) inched down to a new season low, leading into another 0.6 from Kicking and Screaming.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 3/9/17

FINALS UPDATE: Mom (1.4), Powerless (0.7), Chicago Med (1.1) and The Blacklist: Redemption (0.7) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• ABC's The Catch (0.8) returned to round out the TGIT lineup for the spring, tying its season one finale (which was the ugliest point of the first season run). It led out of Grey's Anatomy (1.9) and Scandal (1.4), which were both down after taking the last one and two weeks off, respectively.

• Fox debuted new reality series Kicking and Screaming (0.7) after MasterChef Junior, and it could only manage to tie the low point of previous occupant My Kitchen Rules (and was two tenths below where that show began).

• On NBC, it was back to reality for Chicago Med (1.2) and The Blacklist: Redemption (0.8), which gave back all of their post-The Voice bounces from a week ago. That still left Redemption with its entire series premiere audience, so it could've been worse. Superstore (0.7) was a repeat, but an original Powerless (0.8) actually ticked up.

• CBS had one final all-original Thursday before its March Madness hiatus. The Great Indoors (1.4) looked worse than usual, on the downswing while The Big Bang Theory (2.8) was even and 9/8c comedies Mom (1.5) and Life in Pieces (1.3) ticked up. Training Day (0.7) gave back half of last week's bounce.

• On the CW, recently renewed Riverdale (0.4) was preliminarily even as its lead-in Supernatural (0.5) ticked down.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 2/23/17

FINALS UPDATE: How to Get Away with Murder (1.4) and Training Day (0.6) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• It was a disappointing night for The Blacklist franchise, with The Blacklist: Redemption launching to a mere 0.8 (below the mothership's series low) at 10/9c. It led out of The Blacklist, which hung at its usual 0.9 in a special 9/8c edition; any benefit it may have seen from the earlier hour was seemingly cancelled out by the weak and incompatible Powerless (0.7) lead-in. The closest thing to a bright spot for NBC was Superstore, which hung on to a 1.1 at 8/7c.

• On ABC, How to Get Away with Murder (1.5) had a strong end to its season, growing by two tenths and actually beating last season's 1.4 finale. It led out of slightly down Grey's Anatomy (2.0).

• After pretty much hanging steady for the last three weeks, it was a brutal episode five for Riverdale (0.3), down a full tenth from last week even in the un-rounded. Supernatural (0.6) also ticked down for the CDub.

• When The Big Bang Theory (2.8) took a big dip last week, the lead-out comedies held on pretty well, but this time all three (1.5/1.4/1.2) shed a tenth. 

• And on Fox, MasterChef Junior (1.2) bounced back a bit after last week's drop.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 2/16/17

FINALS UPDATE: Grey's Anatomy (2.1) and The Big Bang Theory (2.8) adjusted up while Scandal (1.6) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• Barring an extreme finals miracle, Thursday brought the first trip beneath 3.0 since 2008 for The Big Bang Theory (2.7). However, its lead-out comedies The Great Indoors (1.6), Mom (1.5) and Life in Pieces (1.3) all hung in there. The struggles continued at 10/9c for Training Day (0.7), which fell again to tie the lowest result from Pure Genius in the timeslot.

• In TGIT world, Grey's Anatomy (2.0) was down for the third straight week since its winter return, but Scandal (1.7) edged up and the penultimate How to Get Away with Murder settled in at 1.3.

• It didn't get any better for Powerless (0.8) in week three, as it remained well below its Superstore (1.1) lead-in and Chicago Med (1.2) lead-out. The Blacklist (0.9) stayed fractional as it prepares to launch the Redemption spin-off next week.

• After showing some life last week, Fox's pair of MasterChef Junior (1.1) and My Kitchen Rules (0.7) each took two-tenth hits this week.

• And on the CW, Riverdale swung back down to 0.4 following last week's uptick. Its lead-in Supernatural was up, hitting its first 0.7 since making the move to 8:00.

First Two Weeks, Powerless

WEEK ONE
Rating: 1.08
Lead-in: Superstore (1.2)
Competition: Grey's Anatomy (2.3), Superior Donuts (1.9), Hell's Kitchen (1.1), Supernatural (0.6)

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 2/9/17

FINALS UPDATE: Riverdale (0.5) adjusted up while The Great Indoors (1.5) and Mom (1.5) and Powerless (0.8) and Chicago Med (1.1) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• NBC's comedy Powerless (0.9) went fractional in week two, putting it below the series low of previous occupant The Good Place at this very early stage. It led out of a downticking Superstore (1.1), but the dramas Chicago Med (1.2) and The Blacklist (0.9) were even.

• Week three of TGIT brought some more small drops for Grey's Anatomy (2.1) and Scandal (1.6), but How to Get Away with Murder held at 1.3.

• Fox installed MasterChef Junior (1.3) as its new Thursday anchor. It matched last year's 1.3 premiere (on a Friday) and was above most of what Hell's Kitchen had been doing in this slot. It also put a little jolt back into My Kitchen Rules (0.9), which recovered from last week's 0.7. 

• On CBS, usual 8:30 occupant The Great Indoors (1.6) was back, surrounded by steady-ish showings from The Big Bang Theory (3.0), Mom (1.6) and Life in Pieces (1.3). Week two of Training Day (0.8) lost a precious tenth at 10/9c.

• And the CW's week of steadiness continued with Supernatural (0.6) and Riverdale (0.4). Of course, the nature of rounding means Riverdale could actually be down 15% or it could be up from last week's 0.43 final, but it was notably up a touch in total viewers.

Spotted Ratings, Thursday 2/2/17

FINALS UPDATE: Scandal (1.7) adjusted down.

WHAT MATTERS:

• On a busy night of series premieres, we'll start with the best news: CBS got a pretty good sampling at 8:30 for Superior Donuts (1.9), tying the premiere rating from The Great Indoors with a weaker The Big Bang Theory (3.1) leading in. It's obviously gonna have a major change of scenery when it moves to Monday, but this gives it some hope of finding something decent.

• But the other two premieres left a lot to be desired. After Mom (1.6) and Life in Pieces (1.3), CBS opened new drama Training Day (0.9) at 10/9c, with basically an average Pure Genius rating (though a bit above its last couple outings). It'll have to hold pretty much all of this just to be Pure Genius, which is far from a compliment; to be anything more than that, it's got to be one of the 5%ish of newbies that pulls off a post-premiere growth miracle.

• And NBC's comedy Powerless (1.1) opened at typical The Good Place levels, sandwiched between Superstore (1.2) and Chicago Med (1.2). It's probably not as dire a situation as Training Day, since The Good Place levels were actually renewable, but it still needs a great (and unlikely) post-premiere hold to stay off the bottom of the totem pole.
• Later in the night, The Blacklist (0.9) fell into the zeroes for the first time.

• On ABC, week two of the TGIT reunion held up rather well, with Grey's Anatomy (2.3), Scandal (1.8) and How to Get Away with Murder (1.3) all down in the low-teens from last week's returns.

• On the CW, it was a week two downtick from Riverdale (0.4), leading out of a stronger 0.6 from Supernatural. Riverdale is still in the game, but would do well to stop the bleeding here.

•  And Fox's Hell's Kitchen (1.1) slipped a tenth, leading into My Kitchen Rules (0.7).

SpotVault - Powerless (NBC) - Spring 2017 Ratings

Powerless

Thursdays, 8:30/7:30c, NBC

Best Case/Worst Case: Powerless, Superior Donuts, Training Day

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