RATINGS RECAP: 9/30/15

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
8:30 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 7.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 8.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0
9:30 Black-ish
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 10.1 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
10:00 Code Black
Viewers: 8.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

NBC
8:00 The Mysteries of Laura
Viewers: 7.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

FOX
8:00 Rosewood
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 Empire
Viewers: 13.7 million, 18-49 demo: 5.5

Wednesday night brought two season premieres and a series premieres, all dramas. CBS started things off with Survivor, which was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from last week's 90 minute premiere. Criminal Minds returned at 9pm and it's definitely showing its age with a really underwhelming premiere that was barely above the series lows it set last year. Last year, it premiered to a 2.7 demo. It may be time for this show to move to a less prominent spot. At 10pm, the series premiere of Code Black was unimpressive with a 1.5 demo and an old skew. It didn't fall flat on its face but with Limitless overperforming and Supergirl coming at the end of October (not to mention the Criminal Minds spinoff and Rush Hour on tap for midseason), it's going to be a tough road for this show. It was well below Stalker's premiere last year, but Stalker had a much stronger Criminal Minds lead-in.

It had to happen sometime but Empire dropped week to week for the first time ever. It was down 2.5 million viewers and 1.2 demo points. While still dominant, this was a pretty steep fall so it's possible that the season finale and season premiere were the peak for this show. I don't think it's about to embark on some mega decline, but we very well may be past the best it can do. Earlier in the night, Rosewood was down 1.3 million viewers and four tenths in the demo, which isn't a horrible drop. It once again had a jump at the half hour with Empire pre-tune in. NBC had a solid week two on Wednesday where The Mysteries of Laura kept things afloat again by being up three tenths in viewers and even in the demo. This show is acting much more like the acceptable drama it was last fall instead of the slipping one from the spring. At 9pm, Law & Order: SVU was down 1.6 million viewers but just a tenth in the demo from last week's two hour premiere. This is not a bad showing at all especially because it had its better rating last week in the 10pm hour. At 10pm, Chicago PD returned strongly, easily winning the 10pm hour. Looks like NBC made the right call in returning these three shows together, at least for now.

ABC had a pretty good night until the last two shows. After being even with their 2014 premieres, the 8pm comedies were well above levels from a year ago. The Middle was down three tenths in viewers but up a tenth in the demo while The Goldbergs was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. These two shows are having a great fall. At 9pm, Modern Family was down eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. Even though it's well past its peak, the show is definitely aging gracefully. Bad news came at 9:30pm where Black-ish followed last week's very promising season premiere by crashing 1.4 million viewers and six tenths in the demo for its second lowest rating ever. I'm not sure what happened here, maybe last week's subject matter with the "n word" was a turn-off to some viewers? It doesn't really make sense since the other three comedies ranged from ups to slightly down. This show has had volatile swings before so maybe it's just a fluke, but it is troubling. At 10pm, Nashville was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo, tying a series low. Why is this still airing here?

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: The Middle (ABC)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Black-ish (ABC)