RATINGS RECAP: 4/6/16

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.7
8:30 The Goldbergs
Viewers: 6.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8
9:00 Modern Family
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3
9:30 Black-ish
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
10:00 Nashville
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9

CBS
8:00 Survivor
Viewers: 9.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 7.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
10:00 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders
Viewers: 7.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2

NBC
8:00 Heartbeat
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
9:00 Law & Order: SVU (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
10:00 Chicago PD (Repeat)
Viewers: 3.9 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8

FOX
8:00 American Idol
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
9:00 Empire
Viewers: 11.3 million, 18-49 demo: 4.3

Wednesday night had the performance finale of American Idol, which was slightly above the last couple Wednesday episodes from a couple weeks ago. The biggest hit for a decade on FOX led into their biggest hit now. Empire was down 1.3 million viewers and half a demo point from its return last week. This isn't too surprising of a drop but FOX must be hoping it doesn't continue to slip down as it did in the fall. On CBS, Survivor was down two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Two episodes of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. It was a good news/bad news situation. The 9pm episode was far below anything Criminal Minds has done in this slot but then the 10pm episode was just down a tenth in the demo and held on 100% in the demo from the first episode. Despite the disappointing 9pm result, I think this proves it has its own audience and probably helps its renewal chances more than hurts it.

Over on ABC, three of the four comedies took a hit. The only steady one was The Middle which was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. At 8:30pm, The Goldbergs was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo for a season low. Modern Family tied its series low in the demo from last May, dropping two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Black-ish also tied a series low in the demo, falling half a million viewers and three tenths in the demo as it's dealing with the Empire problem again. At 10pm, Nashville was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Finally on NBC, only Heartbeat was new and it was down nine tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low at a weak 0.7. This surely dooms any slim chance it had while that can't hurt the chances for The Mysteries of Laura.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: American Idol (FOX)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: Heartbeat (NBC)