The Nielsen skies were very friendly for NBC’s Manifest, which out of the gate was Monday’s No. 2-rated program (trailing only CBS’ The Big Bang Theory).
Manifest debuted to 10.4 million total viewers and a 2.2 demo rating (per finals), easily besting time slot rivals The Good Doctor (7.4 mil/1.3) and Bull (7.3 mil/0.9). It matched last fall’s Good Doctor premiere as TV’s highest rated, regularly scheduled drama debut in two years (since This Is Us) and marks NBC’s most watched drama launch in three years (since Blindspot).
For comparison’s sake, Manifest built on its Voice lead-in, whereas fall predecessor The Brave delivered 54 percent retention. (Timeless in 2016 had 60 percent, Blindspot in 2015 89 percent.)
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TVLine readers gave it an average grade of “B+,” with 92 percent saying they will keep watching.
Opening NBC’s night, The Voice (9.7 mil/2.0) was down 23 percent in the demo versus a year ago.
Elsewhere….
CBS | The Big Bang Theory (12.9 mil/2.5, reader grade “B-“) returned down from its previous season average (14 mil/2.7), as did Young Sheldon (10.6 mil/1.7 vs. 12.5 mil/2.2). Magnum PI premiered to 8.1 mil and a 1.2 (reader grade “C+,” 68 percent will keep watching), which is well below the 9 mil/2.0 that Kevin Can Wait/Me, Myself & I averaged in the hour a year ago. A relocated Bull (7.3 mil/0.9, reader grade “B+”) went fractional opposite very stiff competition, but greatly improved upon Scorpion‘s year-ago audience (5.8 mil/1.0).
FOX | The Resident‘s Season 2 opener (4.9 mil/1.1, reader grade “A-“) tied its best Monday performance, while 9-1-1‘s regular time slot debut (6.6 mil/1.6, reader grade “A-“) was on par with both its freshman average and finale, giving Fox its highest-rated fall Monday telecast in three years and its most watched in four.
ABC | With football preemptions now factored out, Dancing With the Stars (7.7 mil/1.0) dropped 37 percent in the demo vs. its year-ago premiere. The Good Doctor (7.4 mil/1.3, reader grade “A-“) marked its smallest audience ever while matching its lowest demo rating.
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