The premiere episode of MTV’s “Jersey Shore Family Vacation” dominated over the Thursday cable ratings this week. The long-awaited “Shore” revival series scored two back-to-back 1.5 and 1.4 ratings in adults 18-49, with an average of 2.49 million viewers. TNT’s live broadcasts of the Wizards vs Cavaliers and Timberwolves vs Nuggets NBA games scored fairly high spots in the top 25 as well with 0.6 and 0.4 ratings, respectively.
It was a good night for FX’s “Atlanta,” VH1’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and the History Channel’s “Swamp People”, with all 3 of the series ticking up one-tenth from their previous 0.3s to 0.4s this time around. Meanwhile, ESPN’s coverage of the first round of the Masters Golf Tournament landed in the top 3 of the night with a 0.6 and 2.97 million viewers.
Top 25 original cable shows among adults 18-49 for Thursday, April 5, 2018
| Show | Net | Time | Total viewers (000s) | 18-49 rating |
| JERSEY SHORE: FAM VACATION | MTV | 9:00 PM | 2,555 | 1.5 |
| JERSEY SHORE: FAM VACATION | MTV | 8:00 PM | 2,418 | 1.4 |
| NBA BASKETBALL | TNT | 8:14 PM | 1,745 | 0.6 |
| MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT | ESPN | 3:00 PM | 2,971 | 0.6 |
| NBA BASKETBALL | TNT | 10:38 PM | 1,077 | 0.4 |
| RUPAULS DRAG RACE | VH1 | 8:00 PM | 766 | 0.4 |
| ATLANTA | FX | 10:00 PM | 776 | 0.4 |
| SWAMP PEOPLE | HISTORY | 9:00 PM | 1,846 | 0.4 |
| SOUTHERN CHARM | BRAVO | 9:00 PM | 1,025 | 0.4 |
| TRUCK NIGHT IN AMERICA | HISTORY | 10:03 PM | 1,118 | 0.3 |
| RACHEL MADDOW SHOW | MSNBC | 9:00 PM | 2,904 | 0.3 |
| BRAXTON FAMILY VALUES | WETV | 9:00 PM | 890 | 0.3 |
| SPORTSCENTER PRIME | ESPN | 7:21 PM | 1,174 | 0.3 |
| DIABOLICAL | INVEST | 10:00 PM | 1,210 | 0.3 |
| UNTUCKED | VH1 | 9:30 PM | 526 | 0.3 |
| BEAT B.FLAY | FOOD | 10:00 PM | 1,001 | 0.3 |
| LAST WORD W/L. ODONNELL | MSNBC | 10:00 PM | 2,565 | 0.3 |
| NBA PRE-GAME SHOW | TNT | 8:00 PM | 894 | 0.3 |
| THE FIRST 48 | A&E | 8:00 PM | 918 | 0.3 |
| HOUSE HUNTERS | HOME | 10:00 PM | 1,397 | 0.3 |
| HOUSE HUNTERS INTL | HOME | 10:30 PM | 1,419 | 0.3 |
| TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT | FOX NEWS | 8:00 PM | 2,496 | 0.3 |
| INSIDE THE NBA | TNT | 1:03 AM | 560 | 0.3 |
| PROJECT RUNWAY ALL STARS | LIFETIME | 9:00 PM | 1,258 | 0.3 |
| IMPRACTICAL JOKERS | TRUTV | 10:00 PM | 516 | 0.3 |
Source: The Nielsen Company.
