In a face-off between returning TV veterans, Robin Williams is the clear winner: His “The Crazy Ones” easily bested NBC’s “The Michael J. Fox Show,” according to preliminary numbers.
“The Crazy Ones” was the most-watched new show of the fall season, with 15.6 million viewers. It earned a 4.0 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. “The Michael J. Fox Show” at 9 p.m. earned a 2.1/6 and 7.3 million viewers, marking the lowest-rated Thursday fall comedy series premiere ever in network history.
That helped make NBC the loser of the night. The Peacock not only came in fourth but the 8 p.m. season premiere of “Parks and Recreation” was its lowest-rated opener ever, tying a series low. CBS was first in ratings with a 3.7 rating/11 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and first in total viewers with an average of 14.2 million, according to preliminary numbers.
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The premiere of “The Big Bang Theory” at 8 p.m. earned a 5.3/18 and 18.3 million viewers. Another episode at 8:30 received a 5.8/17 and 20 million viewers, making it the highest-rated and most-watched program in primetime. At 9, “The Crazy Ones” debut earned the aforementioned 4.0/11 and 15.6 million viewers. The “Two and a Half Men” premiere at 9:30 received a 2.9/8 and 11.5 million viewers. The “Elementary” premiere at 10 got a 2.1/6 and 10.1 million viewers.
ABC was second in ratings with a 2.7/8 and third in total viewers with 7.9 million. Following a rerun, the season premiere of “Grey’s Anatomy” earned a 3.4/9 — the show’s lowest-rated premiere ever — and 9.3 million viewers.
Fox was third in ratings with a 2.0/6 and in total viewers with 5.8 million. The “X-Factor” at 9 earned a 2.0/6 and 6.4 million viewers. The “Glee” premiere at 9 received a 2.0/5 — down 35 percent from last season’s premiere — and 5.2 million viewers.
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NBC was in fourth in ratings with a 1.7/5 and in total viewers with 5.3 million. “Parks and Recreation” earned a 1.3/4 and 3.3 million viewers, while Michael J. Fox‘s debut got a 2.1/6 and 7.3 million viewers at 9. At 10, the “Parenthood” premiere received a 1.6/5 and 5.2 million viewers.
Univision was in fifth in ratings with a 1.5/4 and in viewers with 3.7 million.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.5/1 and in total viewers 1.2 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.3/1 and in total viewers with 856,000. It aired entirely repeats.