This Is Us solidified its position as the breakout new hourlong series of the fall 2016 broadcast season with a big Live+3 lift. The premiere of the ensemble dramedy added a +1.4 adults 18-49 rating between Live+same day and Live+3, the biggest for any new series on any network in 20 months, since the debut of Fox mega hit Empire, which logged a L+3 gain of +1.5 in January 2015.
With the +50% 18-49 lift, This Is Us, which already topped the Live+Same Day standings for new series debuts during premiere week with a 2.8 demo rating, grew to a 4.2 18-49 Live+3 rating, the highest-rated drama premiere on any network since NBC’s Blindspot last September (4.4 in L+3). This Is Us added 3.4 million viewers to 13.5 million (L+3), NBC’s most-watched drama premiere since Blindspot (15.2 million). Not surprisingly, the tear-jerker scored big with women. It scored NBC’s biggest series premiere L+3 lift ever in women 18-49 (+2.01) and the #2 biggest ever on any network, behind only the debut of ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder (+2.86 in September 2014).
CBS
CBS’ Bull, which was the most watched new series premiere on Tuesday in Live+same day with 15.57 million (and the second most watched telecast overall behind NCIS‘ 15.995 million), posted the night’s top Live+3 viewership gain, +3.85 million to 19.42m (+25%), eclipsing NCIS (19.22m) as the most watched program on the night in L+3.
ABC
Shows at 10 PM are generally more prone to delayed viewing, especially by younger audiences, with both top 18-49 Live+3 Tuesday gainers 10 PM shows — This Is Us (absolute lift) and ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (percentage lift). In its debut in its new later time slot, the comic book drama rose +82% over its L+SD rating, marking its largest L+3 increase ever for any single telecast. S.H.I.E.L.D. also scored its biggest-ever % Total Viewer L+3 lift (+61%).
S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s 2.0 L+3 rating in Adults 18-49 and 5.5 million total viewers closed the gap a bit with last season’s premiere (-35% in L+SD 18-49). These are S.H.I.E.L.D.’s best numbers since its winter finale December 8 2015.
Here is L+3 data for the Tuesday series:
…………………………….18-49 total viewers
……………………………..L+SD L+3 % lift L+SD L+3 % lift
NBC
The Voice 3.4 4.0 +18% 12293 14138 +15%
This Is Us 2.8 4.2 +50% 10065 13530 +34%
CBS
NCIS 2.2 2.9 +32% 15995 19222 +20%
Bull 2.2 2.9 +32% 15556 19423 +25%
NCIS: New Orleans 1.4 2.0 +43% 11122 14166 +27%
ABC
Dancing w/the Stars 1.5 1.7 +13% 8603 9555 +11%
Agents of SHIELD 1.1 2.0 +82% 3440 5549 +61%
Fox
Brooklyn Nine-Nine 1.1 1.5 + 36% 2389 3163 +32%
New Girl 1.2 1.7 +42% 2312 312 +35%
Scream Queens 1.0 1.5 +50% 2165 3268 +34%