Update at 9:45 a.m. PT: Fox’s special-ordered timezone adjusted fast nationals and gave the network a 1.5 rating in the key demographic and 4.2 million viewers. This breaks the previously reported preliminary tie with NBC, positioning Fox alone in first in ratings. Previously…
Season 13 of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” premiered OK on Wednesday night, and — for now at least — did just well enough to tie NBC atop the key ratings demo from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fox may rise above in the finals.
The latest Fox Gordon Ramsey season debut marked the lowest premiere in “Hell’s Kitchen” history.
It’s important to note that each of the so-called “Big 4” networks carried President Obama’s address from 9 p.m. to approximately 9:17 p.m.-9:18 p.m. Therefore, results for the 9 and 10 p.m. hours are subject to adjustment in official nationals. Fox elected to count primetime through 10:30 last night, as its primetime was extended 16-minutes due to the interruption, which would edge out NBC for first. The other networks reported through 10 o’clock.
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Therefore, the general consensus is that the two networks tied for first in ratings, both with a 1.4 rating/5 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic. NBC was first in viewers with an average of 8 million, according to preliminary numbers. Fox was third in viewers with 4.1 million.
For NBC, following a rerun, the combination of Obama’s address and “America’s Got Talent” at 9 p.m. got a 2.0/6 and night-high 10.7 million viewers. “AGT” at 9:30 had a 1.8/5 and 10.5 million viewers. At 10, the end of “America’s Got Talent” and beginning of “Taxi Brooklyn” got a 1.4/4 and 8.4 million viewers. The end of the “Taxi Brooklyn” finale at 10:30 had a 0.8/3 and 4.7 million viewers.
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For Fox, the “Hell’s Kitchen” premiere at 8 received a 1.5/5 and 4.2 million viewers. The presidential address at 9, mixed with more “Hell’s Kitchen,” got a 1.3/4. Continued “Hell’s Kitchen” at 9:30 had a 1.5/5 and 4 million viewers. The end of the show during the 10 p.m. hour received a 1.5/5 and 4.9 million viewers.
CBS was third in ratings with a 1.2/4 and second in viewers with 4.6 million. “Big Brother” at 8 earned a night-high 2.4/8, and had 6.9 million viewers. The President’s speech at 9 combined with a special “Under The Lights: Thursday Night Football” for a 0.9/3 and 3.8 million viewers. The football special continued at 9:30 to a 0.5/1 and 2 million viewers. That telecast met up with “Extant” in the 10 o’clock slot, receiving a 0.6/2 and 3.4 million viewers. The remainder of the Halle Berry drama at 10:30 saw a 0.7/2 and 4.2 million viewers.
ABC was fourth in ratings with a 1.1/3 and in viewers with 3.8 million. The only non-rerun on the network’s schedule was Obama’s address at 9, which had a 1.2/4, combined with a partial “Modern Family” repeat.
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Univision was fifth in ratings with a 1.0/3 and in total viewers with 2.6 million.
Telemundo was sixth in ratings with a 0.6/2 and in total viewers with 1.5 million.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.4/1 and in total viewers with 1.2 million. “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” at 8 had a 0.5/2 and 1.8 million viewers. A rerun followed.