TV ratings: ‘Blacklist’ midseason finale jumps to tie ‘The Voice’
James Spader is again proving to be a winner for NBC as the freshman FBI drama he stars in, “Blacklist,” reached its midseason finale Monday night.
According to early numbers from Nielsen, the show drew 12.26 million viewers overall and a rating of 3.5 among 18-to-49-year-old viewers, the demographic most desired by advertisers. The demo number is the best rating for “Blacklist” since its premiere and ties NBC’s “The Voice” as the top program of the night on the major broadcast networks. “Blacklist” increased its rating by 17% from last week’s episode.
With only six contestants remaining and CeeLo Green’s singers out for the season, “The Voice” increased its 18-49 rating by 3% to a 3.5. It had a slight edge over “Blacklist” in total viewers (12.35 million) as the night’s most-watched telecast. NBC topped the other networks in both measures, though its numbers may be off because of an NFL preemption.
PHOTOS: Cable versus broadcast ratings
CBS’ comedy block had increases in total viewership, with “2 Broke Girls” and “Mom” pulling in their largest audiences since their season premieres. However, in 18-49, “How I Met Your Mother” and “2 Broke Girls” were flat week-to-week while “Mike & Molly” and “Mom” fell by single digits. “Hostages,” the new show from Jerry Bruckheimer, was flat with last week’s rating of 1.1.
Fox’s new sci-fi cop show “Almost Human,” the network’s only original for the night, fell 11% to a 1.7 in 18-49 and drew 5.8 million viewers.
“Almost Human” was bested by ABC’s airing of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in the 8 p.m. time slot, which drew a 1.9 and 7.91 million viewers, though the Peanuts gang was down 34% percent in the demo compared with last year’s telecast. “CMA Country Christmas” improved over last year’s performance among those key young adults by 7% for a rating of 1.5.
The CW had the holiday special “It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie,” which drew an average audience of 1.12 million people and a demo rating of 0.4.
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