TV ratings: ‘Masterchef’ takes key demo; ‘Monday Night Football’ returns

Despite the season-opening doubleheader of “Monday Night Football” on ESPN, two hours of Fox’s “Masterchef” stayed steady, according to Nielsen.

The culinary competition show elevated Fox to the No. 1 network among the key demo, earning a rating of 1.8 in its first hour of programming and 1.9 in its second. The show averaged 5.4 million viewers in its two-hour run.

According to Nielsen’s meter market overnight ratings, the Detroit Lions - New York Giants game on ESPN earned a 9.2. The Arizona Cardinals-San Diego Chargers game that followed earned an overnight rating of 7.8. Final numbers will be available later this afternoon.

Meanwhile, on ABC, the finale of “Bachelor in Paradise” was the most-watched program of the night with 6.7 million viewers. Up 38% from last week’s episode, the show earned a rating of 1.8 among the key demo.

However, due to local NFL pre-emptions, ratings for ABC are inflated. The network, which also aired “Shark Tank,” averaged 5.7 million viewers, making it No. 1 overall.

With a rating of 1.5, ABC tied with NBC for second most watched network of the night among the key demo.

NBC’s finale of “American Ninja Warrior” earned a rating of 1.7 among the key demo, down 11% from last week’s episode. The show averaged 5.2 million viewers, an increase from last year’s telecast.

Also the network, the “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” finale was up 22% from its Labor Day telecast with a rating of 1.1. The show averaged 3.8 million viewers.

On CBS, “Under the Dome” was up 17% with a rating of 1.4 among the key demo. The show was the second-most-watched program of the night, averaging 6.5 million viewers overall.

The network, which averaged 5.5 million viewers, also aired reruns of “Big Bang Theory,” “Mom” and “Two and a Half Men.”

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