RATINGS: THIS IS US, THE VOICE Tie As The Top Show Of March 18-24 In 18-49

NBC has tied for #2 among the Big 4 networks in primetime ratings for the week of March 18-24 in adults 18-49, finishing behind only CBS, which was boosted by four nights of NCAA BASKETBALL Tournament coverage, according to "live plus same day" viewership figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Monday's "The Voice" and Tuesday's "This Is Us" tied as the week's #1 telecasts in the key adults 18-49 demographic, along with two segments of CBS' primetime NCAA BASKETBALL coverage. "Ellen's Game of Games" tied for the #6 primetime rating of the week on the Big 4 networks, excluding sports.

Season to date, NBC ranks #1 or tied for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and all key adult-female demographics. In total viewers, excluding sports, NBC is running within 1.393 million persons of #1 CBS, NBC's closest position to #1 in total viewers at this point in the season, excluding sports, in 16 years, since trailing by 795,000 persons at this time in 2002-03.

Weekly ratings are "live plus same day" figures from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date ratings are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day."

Week 26 Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "live plus same day," March 18-24

CBS...1.2

ABC...0.8

NBC...0.8

Fox...0.7

CW...0.3

Total Viewers

CBS...6.2 million

ABC...4.4 million

NBC...4.3 million

Fox...2.8 million

CW...0.9 million

Season-to-Date Averages

Adult 18-49 Rating, "Most Current"

NBC...1.7

Fox...1.7

CBS...1.6

ABC...1.3

CW...0.4

Total Viewers

CBS...9.1 million

NBC...7.6 million

Fox...5.9 million

ABC...5.6 million

CW...1.4 million

NBC highlights for the week of March 18-24:

Monday

NBC wins Monday night among the Big 4 in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and every other key measure.

"The Voice" (1.7 rating in 18-49, 9.9 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and all other key categories, topping ABC's Monday premiere of "American Idol" by a +42% margin in 18-49 (1.7 vs. 1.2) and +3.8 million or +62% in total viewers (9.9 million vs. 6.1 million).

"Live Plus 35 Day Plus Digital" Ratings: Monday's "The Voice" has grown by +58% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 1.77 to a 2.79).

"The Enemy Within" (0.8 rating in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) won the hour among the ABC-CBS-NBC dramas in adults 18-49 versus CBS' "Bull" and ABC's premiere of "The Fix," and also ranked #1or tied for #1 among those dramas in men and women 18-49 and adults, men and women 25-54. L+3: "Enemy Within" grew by +50% going from L+SD to L+3 Nielsens (from a 0.8 to 1.2) and +2.4 million viewers overall (4.3 million to 6.7 million) going from L+SD to L+3.

Tuesday

NBC won the night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and every other key demographic, sweeping six of six half-hours in adults 18-49.

"Ellen's Game of Games" (1.2 rating in 18-49, 5.7 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) ranked as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49, behind only "This Is Us," and tied with "Us" as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 in men 18-34. "Ellen's" won the timeslot in adults 18-49 and every other key demographic, including a margin of +50% in adults 18-49 (1.2 vs. 0.8 for Fox's #2 "MasterChef Junior"). Week to week, "Ellen's" retained 100% in 18-49 (1.2 vs. 1.2) and grew +8% in total viewers (5.7 million vs. 5.3 million).L+35+Digital: "Game of Games" is growing by +46% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 1.53 to a 2.23).

"This Is Us" (1.7 rating in 18-49, 7.6 million viewers overall from 9-10:01 p.m. ET) ranked as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 in adults 18-49 and every other key demographic (including a tie with "Ellen's Game of Games" in men 18-34). In the 9 p.m. timeslot, "Us" won among the Big 4 networks in every key ratings measure, delivering a +143% margin of victory in the timeslot among the Big 4 nets in adults 18-49 (1.7 vs. 0.7 for Fox's premiere of "Mental Samurai"). L+7: "This Is Us" is increasing by +86% in 18-49 rating (from a 2.09 to a 3.89) and +5.5 million viewers overall (8.5 million to 14.0 million) going from L+SD to L+7. The gain of +1.80 rating points in 18-49 is the #1 strongest average L+7 lift on television this season and the increase of +5.518 million viewers is television's #3 biggest L+7 gain. L+35+Digital: "This Is Us" has grown by +237% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 2.09 to a 7.05).

The premiere of "The Village" (0.9 rating in 18-49, 4.9 million viewers overall from 10:01-11 p.m. ET) won the timeslot in adults 18-49, adults 25-54, total viewers and all key adult-female demos and topped the week's other two Big 4 series premieres in 18-49 and total viewers, outscoring Monday's "The Fix" (0.7 in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall) and Tuesday's "Mental Samurai" (0.7 in 18-49, 2.3 million viewers).

Wednesday

NBC finished #2 for the night in total viewers versus all original competition on the Big 4 networks.

An encore recap edition of "The Voice" (1.0 rating in 18-49, 6.1 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) ranked as the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in total viewers, and was also #2 in its two-hour 8-10 p.m. timeslot among those nets in total viewers and adults 25-54.

The NBC Special "bubl'!" averaged a 0.5 rating in 18-49 and 3.2 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET

Thursday

"Superstore" (0.9 rating in 18-49, 3.9 million viewers overall from 8-8:30 p.m. ET) equaled the show's top 18-49 rating since March 22, 2018 (1.1 in 18-49) and delivered its most-watched episode since March 15, 2018 (3.933 million viewers overall). "Superstore" has increased its overall audience with each of its last three telecasts (from 3.0 million on Dec. 13 to 3.1 million on March 7 to 3.3 million on March 14 to 3.9 million on March 21). Week to week, "Superstore" grew +18% in total viewers (3.9 million vs. 3.3 million). L+35+Digital: "Superstore" generates +44% of its L+35+digital 18-49 rating from nonlinear sources, the #2 biggest percentage on the NBC schedule, behind only "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."

"A.P. Bio" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 2.2 million viewers overall from 8:30-9 p.m. ET) maintained 100% week to week in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.5) and grew +13% in total viewers (2.2 million vs. 2.0 million), and has now increased its overall audience both weeks since its season premiere on March 7 (from 1.9 million on March 7 to2.0 million on March 14 to 2.2 million on March 21). It was the show's most-watched episode since March 22, 2018 (2.8 million).

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall from 9-9:30 p.m. ET) increased week to week by +4% in total viewers (2.130 million vs. 2.053 million), and has now increased its overall audience with both telecasts since March 7 (from 1.987 million on March 7 to 2.053 million on March 14 to 2.230 million on March 21). L+35+Digital: "B99" derives +56% of its L+35+digital 18-49 rating from nonlinear sources, the #1 biggest percentage on the NBC schedule.

"Will & Grace" (0.7 rating in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall from 9:30-10 p.m. ET) equaled the show's highest 18-49 rating since Feb. 7 (0.8) and delivered its most-watched episode since that same date (3.1 million). Week to week "W&G" was up +0.1 of a point or +17% in 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.6) and up +20% in total viewers (3.0 million vs. 2.5 million). L+35+Digital: "Will & Grace" has increased by +224% in the 18-49 demo going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 0.76 to a 2.46).

"Law & Order: SVU" (0.8 rating in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) grew +0.1 of a point or +14% week to week in 18-49 (0.8 vs. 0.7) and +5% in total viewers (4.3 million vs. 4.1 million), and won the hour over CBS' NCAA BASKETBALL Tournament coverage in total viewers, women 18-49 and women 25-54. It was the most-watched "SVU" since Jan. 31 (4.6 million).L+35+Digital: "SVU" is growing by +259% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 0.90 to a 3.23).

Friday

"Blindspot" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) increased by +12% week to week in total viewers (3.0 million vs. 2.6 million).

"The Blacklist" (0.6 rating in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET) equaled the show's season high for a Friday telecast in adults 18-49, growing+0.1 of a point or +20% week to week in 18-49 (0.6 vs. 0.5) and +24% in total viewers (4.177 million vs. 3.379 million) to the show's most-watched episode since an 8 p.m. telecast on Feb. 22 (4.3 million). L+35+Digital: "Blacklist" is increasing by +195% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+35+Digital (from a 0.57 to a 1.68).

"Dateline NBC" (0.5 rating in 18-49, 0.8 in adults 25-54, 3.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) maintained 100% week to week in 18-49 (0.5 vs. 0.5), increased by +14% in adults 25-54 (0.8 vs. 0.7) and was up +24% in total viewers (3.6 million vs. 2.9 million), to equal the show's high for a Friday edition in adults 25-54 since Jan. 18 (1.0).

Sunday

An encore telecast of "Ellen's Game of Games" (0.4 rating in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall from 7-8 p.m. ET) increased half-hour to half-hour by +0.2 of a point or +67% in 18-49 (0.3 to 0.5).

"World of Dance" (0.8 rating in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. ET) maintained 100% week to week in 18-49 (0.8 vs. 0.8), to deliver a consistent 0.8 for a third straight telecast. L+7: Last summer's "World of Dance" grew by +42% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 1.40 to a 1.99) and +2.1 million viewers overall (6.4 million to 8.5 million).

"Good Girls" (0.6 rating in 18-49, 2.3 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) grew +0.1 of a point or +20% week to week in 18-49 (0.6 vs. 0.5). L+7: Last season "Good Girls" increased by +48% in 18-49 rating going from L+SD to L+7 (from a 1.02 to a 1.51) and more than +1.6 million viewers overall (4.4 million to 6.1 million). Digital: The prior week's "Good Girls" set a series high for digital viewership.

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