Ratings: ‘The Blacklist’ fall finale ties ‘The Voice’; ‘Almost Human’ fading fast
Who would have saw it coming earlier this season that “The Blacklist,” arguably the strongest new series on network TV, would actually end up being just as much a saving grace for NBC as “The Voice”? At this point, it’s pretty clear that they have more of a smash hit here than any of us first realized. We’re talking about something that could have the same sort of potential as “Scandal” on ABC if the quality stays this high, and gives people a reason to actually watch network TV live.
The fall finale on Monday actually drew the same 18-49 rating as “The Voice” with a 3.5, even with a tiny caveat in an NFL preemption in New Orleans. But even still, this is not one of the biggest markets in America, and even if it adjusts down somewhat, it’s not going to be so dramatic that it makes this number any less impressive. Just the idea that the show is still in this ballpark only ten episodes into the first season is a win, and it gives us hope that the show will continue to at least pull a 2.5 or higher when it airs without “The Voice” as a lead-in starting in January.
Elsewhere, the news was not so good for “Almost Human.” Airing on a night where there was no “Sleepy Hollow” to accompany it, the futuristic cop drama slipped to a new low in a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic. What we really have to say about this is pretty simple: Let’s go ahead and switch this one back out with “Bones,” shall we? The ratings for the latter will be steadier again on Monday nights, and you may as well just ship this show off to Fridays if it falls even further next week. You have “The Following” airing next year, and you do not want to cripple it by giving it a show with virtually no lead-in to pair up with.
The last thing worth noting on Monday is that “How I Met Your Mother” is apparently the little engine that could when it comes to ratings, drawing a 2.9 in the demo this week. This show always seems to be between this rating and a 3.1, which is about as solid as solid can be for a show now in its final season.
Photo: NBC