RATINGS RECAP: 3/24/16

ABC
8:00 Grey's Anatomy
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Scandal
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 The Catch
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

CBS
8:00 NCAA Basketball Tournament
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

NBC
8:00 You, Me, and the Apocalypse
Viewers: 2.7 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 The Blacklist (Repeat)
Viewers: 2.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.5
10:00 Shades of Blue
Viewers: 5.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 8.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7

On Thursday night, ABC had a new addition to the TGIT lineup but the results were disappointing. What wasn't disappointing, as usual, was Grey's Anatomy which continues to defy all sorts of problems broadcast shows are having. It was up a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. At 9pm, Scandal was down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo. Then the new Shondaland show, The Catch, premiered to a pretty weak 5.9 million viewers and 1.2 demo. It couldn't even hit the series low 1.4 demo that How to Get Away with Murder was getting recently. Some are comparing this performance to Scandal, which premiered to modest numbers late in the 2011-12 season. Scandal managed to hold mostly steady in its short season one before catching fire in season two. I don't see that happening with The Catch though. It will be lucky to get a season two. This is really a reflection of TGIT and its downward spiral (minus Grey's, of course). A year ago, The Catch probably would have premiered to a demo that was twice as good if not more. Elsewhere, CBS had basketball while NBC had You, Me, and the Apocalypse down a tenth in viewers and even in the demo and Shades of Blue even in both categories for its fifth straight 1.0 demo. Finally on FOX, American Idol was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: The Catch (ABC)