Fast National ratings for Monday, May 4, 2015.
ABC's “Dancing with the Stars” and NBC's “The Voice” both continued their spring downward trending, but even CBS' “David Letterman: A Life on Television” special and FOX's “Gotham” finale couldn't do anything to change the normal Monday pecking order. ABC ruled overall and NBC won the key demographic, same as usual.
The CBS primetime tribute to David Letterman attracted an OK-but-unspectacular audience, with a narrow 10 p.m. hour key demo win as its biggest achievement.
FOX's “Gotham” finale added a 0.2 key demo rating from recent lackluster airings and ranked as Monday's top show among men 18-49, though “The Following” then dipped week-to-week.
Let's get to the numbers…
Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 2.0 rating for Monday night, tops in the key demographic. ABC was second with a 1.7 key demo rating, followed by CBS' 1.5 key demo rating. FOX was fourth with a 1.4 key demo rating but, again, won the night in the male half of the demo. The CW averaged a 0.5 key demo rating.
Overall, though, ABC averaged an estimated 10.96 million viewers and a 7.2 rating/12 share for Monday night. NBC was second with 8.375 million viewers and a 5.4/9, followed by CBS' 4.8/8 and 7.43 million viewers. There was a big drop to FOX's 4.055 million viewers and 2.6/4 and to The CW's 0.7/1 and 1.09 million viewers.
8 p.m. – ABC led the 8 p.m. hour overall with 12.08 million viewers for “Dancing with the Stars,” which finished second with a 1.9 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's “The Voice,” of course, led with a 2.2 key demo rating and finished second with 9.6 million viewers. CBS was third overall and fourth in the key demo with down weeks for “2 Broke Girls” (6.45 million and a 1.6 key demo) and “Mike & Molly” (6.72 million and a 1.5 key demo). FOX's “Gotham” averaged 4.86 million viewers and a 1.7 key demo rating in its first season finale, followed at a distance by the 1.14 million viewers and 0.5 key demo rating for The CW's “The Originals.”
9 p.m. – The leaders remained the same in the 9 p.m. hour. ABC's “Dancing with the Stars” was first with 12.41 million viewers and second with a 1.9 rating among adults 18-49, compared to the 9.9 million viewers and 2.3 key demo rating for NBC's “The Voice. CBS was third with a repeat of “The Big Bang Theory” (7.15 million and a 1.5 key demo) and the first hour of its David Letterman special (7.52 million and a 1.4 key demo). FOX's “The Following” was a distant fourth with 3.25 million viewers and a 1.1 key demo rating. The CW's “Jane the Virgin” averaged 1.03 million viewers and a 0.5 key demo rating.
10 p.m. – “Castle” won a slim overall victory in the 10 p.m. hour with 8.38 million viewers and finished second with a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49, compared to the 8.37 million viewers and 1.5 key demo rating for CBS' “David Letterman: A Life on Television.” NBC's “Night Shift” was third with 5.63 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.