RATINGS RECAP: 3/30/16

ABC
8:00 The Middle (Repeat)
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
8:30 The Goldbergs (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Modern Family (Repeat)
Viewers: 4.7 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:30 Black-ish (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 2.0
9:00 Criminal Minds
Viewers: 9.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
10:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 7.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

NBC
8:00 Heartbeat
Viewers: 4.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:00 Law & Order: SVU
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
10:00 Chicago PD
Viewers: 6.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

FOX
8:00 Rosewood
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
9:00 Empire
Viewers: 12.5 million, 18-49 demo: 4.8

Wednesday night marked the return of Empire and it came back in spectacular fashion for FOX. First up, Rosewood benefited from pre-Empire tune in as it did in the fall. It was up 1.5 million viewers and four tenths in the demo to its best result since the last time it aired with Empire. Then the monster hit drama came roaring back, rising a nice seven tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo from its fall finale on December 2. I was convinced that this was come back to disappointing results (by Empire standards) but that was not the case at all. It still may drop a bit through the spring, but this was about as it could have gone for FOX. People still love their Empire. On ABC, only Nashville was new and it was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

On CBS, Survivor was down a tenth in viewers and the demo. Criminal Minds came back from its big goodbye to Shemar Moore last week but it didn't completely crater against Empire like it did in the fall. It was down 1.7 million viewers and four tenths in the demo. It didn't help matters for Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, which was down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo. At this point it seems like just a slightly stronger option than Code Black though I'm sure the international market is much stronger for this show. Finally on NBC, Heartbeat was down four tenths in viewers and even in the demo from last week's Wednesday premiere. At 9pm, Law & Order: SVU was even in viewers and down a tenth in the demo. Chicago PD was up half a million viewers and a tenth in the demo.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Empire (FOX)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Nashville (ABC)