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The 90-minute spring premiere of CBS’ _Survivor_ averaged a 1.9 rating in the demo and was Wednesday night’s most-watched broadcast – good news for a reality series opening its 32nd
iteration. But its 8.35M total viewers and that demo rating were lowest ever for a season starter. Last year’s _Survivor_ spring premiere clocked a 2.4/7 demo rating and 10 million viewers.
Opposite _Survivor_, Fox’s one-hour _American Idol_ drew a 2.0 in the demo – tying _Survivor_ in the hour but a new season low for _Idol_, for either a Wednesday or Thursday edition,
suggesting the two competition series dinged each other ratings-wise. One week earlier, _Idol_ Wednesday had clocked a demo 2.1/7, which had been a 9% dip from previous Wednesday. After
_Idol_ last night,_ _Fox’s _Hell’s Kitchen_ held steady this week vs. last, with a 1.3/4. ABC’s 8-9 PM comedies _The Middle/The Goldbergs_ (1.9/7, 7.22M and 19/6, 6.3M) collectively nipped
at _Survivor’s_ first-hour heels demo-wise, and came in 90% ahead of NBC’s _The Mysteries of Laura_ (1.0/3, 6.291M). WATCH ON DEADLINE From 9-10 PM, ABC’s comedies _Modern Family_ (2.4/8,
7.4M)) and _Black-ish_ (1.8/6, 5.78M) collectively won the demo, though _Modern Family (_2.4/8, 7.4M_)_ carried that point, while _Black-ish _(1.8/6, 5.78M) tied NBC’s _Law & Order: SVU.
SVU_ (1.6/5, 7.68M) was the night’s night’s most-watched scripted series, with its third consecutive telecast overall audience growth, thumping Fox’s _Hell’s Kitchen_ (1.3/4.04M) and CW’s
_Supernatural_ (0.8/3, 2M), which enjoyed a 0.9/3, 2.45M _Arrow_ lead-in. NBC’s _Chicago P.D._ captured the 10 PM hour (1.6/6, 7.46M) and has now finished or tied for No. 1 ranking in the
demo versus other nets’ regular competition with its 30 most recent regular-time slot originals. _CPD_ bested slot’s No. 2-ranked broadcast drama, CBS’ _Code Black_ (1.2/4, 6.4M), by 33% in
the demo. CBS won the night outright in overall audience with 7.18M watching, which edged out NBC’s 7.14M. CBS, ABC, and Fox shook hands – until L+3 stats are in, anyway – on a three-way
1.6/5 demo tie for No. 1, though CBS had pre-emptions in several North Carolina markets for Duke-UNC basketball, which is likely to affect its stats in that slot.