Chicago Med season 3 premiere ratings strong, especially in context
The One Chicago series, (following another successful outing for This Is Us) ended up generating a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic for the first episode of the season. That made Chicago Med easily the #1 scripted show in the demo in the timeslot; not only that, but it ended up tying (roughly) the finale of Dancing with the Stars.
Another good cross-comparison here is the ratings for Chicago Med versus what Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders drew during most of its run this fall. While the limited series kicked off with an impressive 1.6 given its lead-in, that eventually fell to the extent that by the end of the season its numbers were well below a 1.0 on most weeks. The goal with a limited series is to get people watching throughout, knowing that it’s not a big commitment and they will want to see it through. Based on the fact that The Menendez Murders couldn’t even achieve that, this says a lot about what most viewers who watched the show ultimately thought about it. It was not doing anywhere near enough in order to keep people thoroughly engaged and the proof showed through in some of the viewing figures.
If Chicago Med can keep its ratings above a 1.0 for most of its season we’re fairly confident that it will come back for a season 4. The thing that impresses us the most about the 1.3 is that we are talking about an episode airing two days before Thanksgiving. This is routinely a difficult night given that families are often either traveling or preparing to travel in order to celebrate the holiday. (For the record, we more than expect the ratings for tonight’s prime-time lineup to be even worse.) On the flip side, it’s fairly reasonably to think that the second episode of Chicago Med season 3 could end up generating a 1.3 or 1.4 rating without the specter of Turkey Day hanging over it.
For now, congrats to the Chicago Med cast and crew! While it may have been a long wait in order to get the series back on the air it appears as though it was very much worth it.
What do you think about the Chicago Med season 3 premiere ratings, and what do you think that this says about where the One Chicago franchise is right now? (Personally, we think that it’s a sign that none of them are in danger in the near future.) Share below!
Also, be sure to take a look over here if you do want to see our review for the premiere episode (if you haven’t already) or like CarterMatt on Facebook for even more Chicago Med scoop! (Photo: NBC.)