TV’s Timeslot Showdowns: Which Shows Are ‘Really’ Winning?

DVRs and streaming services may have freed TV fans from the confines of primetime viewing, but networks still have to slug it out, program vs. program. As the nets battle to attract an audience for live airings (which have more commercials than their streaming versions), they pit their shows against one another. Here’s who’s winning some of this season’s matchups.

NCIS: Los Angeles vs. Blindspot

Monday, 10/9c
Blindspot was already the season’s top-rated freshman show in the 18–49 demo when NBC ordered a full season of episodes. But CBS’s first NCIS spinoff is still a top 25 show in total viewers.
Winners: Both!

The Muppets vs. Grandfathered

Tuesday, 8/7c
ABC’s ageless Muppets have consistently beaten the well-preserved John Stamos in both total viewers and 18–49, but it’s Grandfathered that is walking away with an order for six additional scripts.
Winner: Aging gracefully

Rosewood vs. The Mysteries of Laura

Wednesday, 8/7c
Here’s a mystery for Fox’s Rosewood to solve: Laura’s continued popularity. NBC’s Laura wins by almost 2 million viewers, but Rosewood’s 18–49 demo numbers have earned it a full season order.
Winner: Whodunit fans

The Player vs. How to Get Away With Murder

Thursday, 10/9c
It’s OK to ignore the Vegas maxim never to bet against the house, because NBC’s The Player is coming up craps. For its fourth episode, it scored the lowest 18–49 rating of all major network shows for the night.
Winner: ABC’s “TGIT” hit

Blood & Oil vs. The Good Wife

Sunday, 9/8c
Blood and oil do mix on ABC’s new nighttime soap, but not with ratings. Viewership dropped by 40 percent from the first episode to the third.
Winner: Alicia Florrick’s umpteenth career reversal/hardscrabble resurrection on CBS