RATINGS RECAP: 4/4/17

ABC
8:00 The Middle
Viewers: 5.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.4
8:30 American Housewife
Viewers: 4.4 million, 18-49 demo: 1.2
9:00 Fresh Off the Boat
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.1
9:30 Imaginary Mary
Viewers: 3.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
10:00 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Viewers: 2.2 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7

CBS
8:00 NCIS
Viewers: 13.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6
9:00 Bull
Viewers: 11.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
10:00 NCIS: New Orleans
Viewers: 8.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.0

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Trial & Error
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
9:30 Trial & Error
Viewers: 3.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.7
10:00 Chicago Fire
Viewers: 6.3 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3

FOX
8:00 New Girl
Viewers: 2.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.9
8:30 The Mick
Viewers: 2.1 million, 18-49 demo: 0.8
9:00 Prison Break
Viewers: 3.8 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

CW
8:00 DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Viewers: 1.5 million, 18-49 demo: 0.6
9:00 iZombie
Viewers: 1.0 million, 18-49 demo: 0.4

Tuesday night marked the return of Prison Break after eight years away. But first on FOX, the season finale of New Girl was down two tenths in viewers and even in the demo. It has not been renewed and I still think it will be, but it is possible this was a series finale. At 8:30pm, The Mick was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo. Then Prison Break returned and skewed very young with just 3.8 million viewers but a decent 1.5 demo. Believe it or not, that's actually above its last couple episodes aired on Fridays way back in 2009. I was predicting a low 1s debut at best so I think this was a pretty decent start as there appeared to have been some pent-up interest. But I also think a big fall could happen next week. On the CW, the season finale of DC's Legends of Tomorrow aired at the special time of 8pm and was down a tenth in viewers and up a tenth in the demo. The very late season premiere of iZombie followed and tied series lows with 1.0 million viewers and a 0.4 demo. It seems like all these CW shows held for midseason - The 100, Riverdale, The Originals, and this, are all pretty similar when it comes to ratings.

On ABC, The Middle was down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo to tie a series low. American Housewife was also down half a million viewers and two tenths in the demo but that meant it hit a new series low by two tenths in the demo. This was originally even with or building on The Middle, but now it seems to definitely be a little bit of a weaker show. At 9pm, Fresh Off the Boat was up four tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Imaginary Mary had its timeslot premiere and it was of course down from its Wednesday sampling but in line with numbers that The Real O'Neals was getting in the same slot. Probably not enough to get it renewed but also not a complete disaster. At 10pm, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was back after being off for over a month. It was up two tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo from its last airing.

On NBC, The Voice was down seven tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo and it is already down below a 2.0 demo, which isn't great for the cornerstone show. It's getting worse for Trial & Error as each episode was down another tenth in the demo from last week. At 10pm, Chicago Fire was down four tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo for a series low. It's gotten a 1.4 at different times from its first fall in 2012 to last week, but this is its first 1.3 and it's the third Chicago show to hit a series low within a week, joining Chicago Med and Chicago Justice. Fire is getting no help from its lead-in as it did build on Trial & Error by six tenths in the demo. Finally on CBS, NCIS was down six tenths in viewers and even in the demo. Bull was up two tenths in viewers and even in the demo, getting its seventh straight 1.3. At 10pm, NCIS: New Orleans was down three tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo to tie a series low.

WINNER OF THE NIGHT: Prison Break (FOX)
LOSER OF THE NIGHT: American Housewife (ABC)