RATINGS RECAP: 3/23/16

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 6.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 7.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.4
9:30 Black-ish
Viewers: 6.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 4.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
10:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 7.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

NBC
8:00 Heartbeat
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4

FOX
8:00 Rosewood
Viewers: 3.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0
9:00 Hell's Kitchen
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

On the last Wednesday before Empire returns, Heartbeat made its time period debut for NBC and it was below anything The Mysteries of Laura has done in this slot all season. The fact that Laura is on the bubble probably means Heartbeat doesn't stand a chance. Later in the night, Law & Order: SVU was down eight tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while Chicago PD was down nine tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. CBS had a good night starting with Survivor, which was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. A big episode of Criminal Minds boosted the show to season highs as it rose 1.1 million viewers and a strong three tenths in the demo. Despite the much bigger lead-in, the new spinoff Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders was down 1.1 million viewers and a tenth in the demo. In most circumstances, that's not a bad week two drop but this is more unimpressive because of how strong Minds was this week and that won't be the norm, especially with Empire returning next week.

On FOX, Rosewood was even in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. It will get to lead-in to Empire again next week but I'm pretty sure this has been exposed as a fraud at this point. I'm not even convinced it can get back its early season mojo with Empire back. If it does, I'm not convinced it has a chance anyway. At 9pm, Hell's Kitchen was down a tenth in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. Because it gets jerked around the lineup so much, it returns to Fridays at 9pm next week. Finally on ABC, it was a pretty steady night with every show except Modern Family even in the demo. Family was down a tenth from last week. Among total viewers, The Middle and The Goldbergs were even, Modern Family was down four tenths, and Black-ish and Nashville were down a tenth.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Criminal Minds (CBS)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Heartbeat (NBC)