Preliminary Ratings: Thursday 10/02/14

The second Thursday night of the new season featured five premieres, including the first of the CW programs to kick off their 2014-15 season. THE VAMPIRE DIARIES collected 1.8 million viewers and a 0.9 rating in Adults 18-49. That is down 800,000 viewers and 25% in the demo, from the 2013 season premiere. We'll see if Live+3 ratings make up the difference.

REIGN kicked off it's second season with a meager 1.1 million viewers and a 0.4 demo rating. Compared to the series premiere, last year, REIGN lost nearly half it's audience (900k) and exactly half of the A18-49 ratings. The series was in decline last winter/spring, so it is no surprise to see REIGN struggle in the fall.

NBC gave us their first two new sitcoms, staring off with BAD JUDGE. the comedy drew 5.9 million viewers and a 1.3 rating in Adults 18-49. Year-to-year, that is up in total viewers, by 1.5 million viewers, to the premiere of SEAN SAVE THE WORLD. But, the A18-49 numbers are down one tenth of a point from the defunct sitcom. Not a great start, but it could have been worse... much worse.

The second NBC comedy, A TO Z, fell about 20% from its lead in, grabbing 4.8 million viewers and a 1.2 demo rating. It didn't even come close to THE MICHAEL J FOX SHOW, episode three, from a year ago.

The final premiere of the night, GRACEPOINT, was a bit underwhelming. The UK remake lost to NBC during the hour, finishing four in the hour. Only PARENTHOOD drew less viewers, from the Big 4 networks, and tied A TO Z for the low Demo ratings of the night. Not a good start for yet another FOX series. 

Let's have a look at the week-to-week gains/losses from last Thursday's premieres.

GREY'S ANATOMY - down 1.0 million viewers and -16% in the A18-49 ratings.
SCANDAL - down 1.8 million viewers and -15% in the A18-49 ratings.
HTGAWM - down 2.5 million viewers and -18% in the A18-49 ratings.

BONES - even in total viewers and down one tenth of a ratings point, in the demo.

PARENTHOOD -  up 100,000 viewers and -7% in the demo ratings

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

ABC - 10.4 million viewers, 3.0 rating in A18-49

CBS - 10.0 million viewers, 2.4 rating in A18-49

CW - 1.4 million viewers, 0.7 rating in A18-49

FOX - 5.6 million viewers, 1.4 rating in A18-49

NBC - 4.8 million viewers, 1.3 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Grey's Anatomy	9.10	2.6
9:00	ABC	Scandal	10.40	3.3	14%
10:00	ABC	How To Get Away With Murder	11.80	3.2	13%
8:00	CBS	TNF Kick-Off	10.00	2.8
8:30	CBS	TNF (PIT v BAL)	12.90	4.4	29%
8:00	CW	The Vampire Diaries	1.80	0.9
9:00	CW	Reign	1.10	0.4	-39%
8:00	FOX	Bones	6.30	1.5
9:00	FOX	Gracepoint	4.80	1.2	-24%
8:00	NBC	The Biggest Looser	4.70	1.3
9:00	NBC	Bad Judge	5.90	1.3	26%
9:30	NBC	A to Z	4.80	1.2	-19%
10:00	NBC	Parenthood	4.40	1.3	-8%

* - in millions