Broadcast primetime live + same-day ratings for Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015.
Note: Live NFL telecasts on NBC and CBS could result in greater than usual adjustments for those networks in the final nationals.
The numbers for Thursday:
| Time | Show | Adults 18-49 Rating/Share | Viewers (000s) |
| 8 p.m. | Football Night In America (NBC) | 5.6/20 | 17.96 |
| The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – R | 3.4/12 | 12.83 | |
| The Muppets (ABC) – R | 0.6/2 | 2.17 | |
| All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration (FOX) (8-10 p.m.) – S | 0.4/1 | 2.07 | |
| Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW) – R | 0.3/1 | 1.18 | |
| 8:30 p.m. | NFL Football (NBC) (8:30-11 p.m.) | 8.0/27 | 25.17 |
| Life in Pieces (CBS) | 2.2/8 | 8.01 | |
| Fresh Off the Boat (ABC) – R | 0.4/2 | 1.58 | |
| Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW) – R | 0.3/1 | 1.1 | |
| 9 p.m. | Mom (CBS) | 1.6/6 | 6.72 |
| The Middle (ABC) – R | 0.6/2 | 1.87 | |
| Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW) – R | 0.3/1 | 1.02 | |
| 9:30 p.m. | 2 Broke Girls (CBS) | 1.6/5 | 5.86 |
| The Goldbergs (ABC) – R | 0.5/2 | 1.75 | |
| Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW) – R | 0.4/1 | 1.07 | |
| 10 p.m. | Elementary (CBS) | 1.0/4 | 5.33 |
| Last Man Standing (ABC) – R | 0.5/2 | 1.97 | |
| 10:30 p.m. | Dr. Ken (ABC) – R | 0.4/2 | 1.74 |
It’s no surprise that NBC’s telecast of the Packers-Bears game dominated the Thanksgiving night ratings. What is something of a surprise is that CBS’ lineup of (mostly) originals did about as well as they did last week, at least in the early numbers.
With an assist from the late afternoon NFL game, “Mom” (1.6) matched its 18-49 number from a week ago, while “2 Broke Girls” (1.6) was down just a tenth. “Life in Pieces” (2.2) and “Elementary” are actually up, pending updates.
ABC and The CW each aired a night full of repeats, while FOX’s “All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration” (0.4) didn’t draw much attention.
Network averages:
| NBC | CBS | ABC | FOX | CW | |
| Adults 18-49 rating/share | 7.6/26 | 1.8/6 | 0.5/2 | 0.4/1 | 0.3/1 |
| Total Viewers (000s) | 23.97 | 7.35 | 1.85 | 2.07 | 1.09 |
Late-night metered market results (18-49, households):
Note: “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night” were delayed by the end of the NBC’s NFL broadcast.
11:35 p.m.
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”: 1.5/9, 3.0/10
“Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – R: 0.4/2, 1.7/4
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” – R: 0.3/2, 1.3/3
12:35 a.m.
“Late Night with Seth Meyers”: 0.7/6, 1.6/7
“Nightline”: 0.3/2, 1.0/3
“Late Late Show with James Corden” – R: 0.3/2, 0.9/3
Definitions:
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings are available at approximately 11 a.m. ET the day after telecast. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time.
Time Shifted Viewing: Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live +Same-Day and Live +7 Day. Time-shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs. Live+SD includes viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3 a.m. local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live +7 ratings include viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
Source: The Nielsen Company.
