Fast National ratings for Sunday, March 1, 2015.
FOX got a strong premiere for the new comedy “Last Man on Earth,” which delivered Sunday's top numbers among young viewers and helped the network win primetime in that measure. CBS, meanwhile, easily won Sunday overall thanks to the return of “Madam Secretary,” despite a weak premiere for “Battle Creek.
Falling somewhere in-between the premieres for “The Last Man on Earth” and “Battle Creek” was an OK launch for ABC's “Secrets & Lies.”
Both “Last Man on Earth” and “Secrets & Lies” had double-episode premieres and both shows had encouraging splits, retaining their full key demo numbers for their second episodes.
On to the numbers…
Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 1.8 rating for Sunday night, tops in the key demographic. ABC was second with a 1.6 key demo rating. CBS' 1.2 key demo rating and the 1.0 key demo rating for NBC followed on Sunday.
Overall, though, CBS averaged an estimated 10.36 million viewers and a 6.4 rating/10 share for Sunday primetime. ABC was a distant second with 5.705 million viewers and a 3.5/6, followed by NBC's 4.48 million viewers and 2.8/5. Despite winning the key demo, FOX was fourth overall for the night with 4.08 million viewers and a 2.3/4.
7 p.m. – CBS led the 8 p.m. hour with 13.31 million viewers and a 1.6 rating among adults 18-49 for “60 Minutes.” ABC's “Once Upon a Time” recap episode averaged 4.38 million viewers and a 1.3 key demo rating, edging out the 4.37 million viewers and 0.9 key demo rating for a “The Voice” encore on NBC. FOX was fourth overall and third in the key demo with a “Simpsons” repeat (2.51 million and a 1.0 key demo) and a new “Bob's Burgers” (2.98 million and a 1.4 key demo).
8 p.m. – The return of “Madam Secretary” averaged 11.42 million viewers to win the 8 p.m. hour, but finished fourth with a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's “Once Upon a Time” return was second with 6.55 million viewers and won the hour with a 2.2 key demo rating, up from its last 2014 airing. NBC's “The Voice” encore rose to 5.86 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating in third. FOX got steady numbers for “The Simpsons” (3.97 million and a 1.8 key demo) and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (3.635 million and a 1.8 key demo rating).
9 p.m. – “The Good Wife” kept CBS in first overall in the 9 p.m. hour with 8.92 million viewers and finished third with a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49. ABC's “Secrets & Lies” premiere was second with 5.83 million viewers and third with a 1.5 key demo rating. FOX's “The Last Man on Earth” averaged 5.685 million viewers for third and won the hour with a 2.3 key demo rating. [Perhaps not surprisingly, “Secrets & Lies” had a 2.0 among women 18-49 and a 1.0 among men 18-49, compared to the 1.8 rating among women 18-49 and the 2.8 rating among men 18-49 for “Last Man.”] NBC's “Dateline” trailed with 3.86 million viewers and a 0.8 key demo rating.
10 p.m. – The premiere of “Battle Creek” led the 10 p.m. hour for CBS with 7.805 million viewers and finished second with a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49. [“Battle Creek” also maintained The Mulaney Line in the key demo in its second half-hour.] ABC's “Secrets & Lies” ticked up to 6.06 million viewers and won the hour with a 1.5 key demo rating. NBC's “Dateline” averaged 3.84 million viewers and a 0.9 key demo rating in third.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.