Preliminary Ratings: Monday 11/17/14

The new NBC drama, STATE OF AFFAIRS, kicked off its first season with a soft premiere. The drama did win its time period, but only collected 8.6 million viewers and a 2.2 rating in Adults 18-49. That is down from last week's fall finale of THE BLACKLIST. which posted 9.8 million viewers and a 2.5 demo rating. Considering the premiere is usually the highest rated episode of the season, STATE OF AFFAIRS could surrender the hour to CBS or ABC, by the end of the November sweeps.

It didn't help STATE OF AFFAIRS that THE VOICE was also posted soft numbers. The episode is down 700,000 viewers, from last week, and off by 6% in the A18-49 ratings. It is currently the lowest rated Monday edition of THE VOICE, this season.

ABC did post some strong numbers in the preliminary ratings, but the network was preempted in both Nashville and Pittsburgh, for local coverage of the MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME, on ESPN. Those numbers will be filtered out when Finals are released this evening.

FOX and CBS split third place, with FOX edging CBS in the A18-49 ratings, 1.9 to 1.8. CBS had the upper hand in total viewers, with a three million viewer advantage.

GOTHAM is up a tenth in the A18-49 demographic, while SLEEPY HOLLOW was flat, week-to-week. For CBS, THE MILLERS is down, SOCRPION is flat and 2 BROKE GIRLS and NCIS: LA are up, from the previous week. NCIS: LA could see a trend upward, now that THE BLACKLIST is no longer competing in the hour.

Preliminary L+SD Network Averages:

ABC - 13.1 million viewers, 2.3 rating in A18-49

CBS - 8.6 million viewers, 1.8 rating in A18-49

CW - 1.3 million viewers, 0.6 rating in A18-49

FOX - 5.5 million viewers, 1.9 rating in A18-49

NBC - 10.1 million viewers, 2.7 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Dancing With the Stars	14.60	2.4
10:00	ABC	Castle	9.90	2.0	-32%
8:00	CBS	2 Broke Girls	7.90	2.1
8:30	CBS	The Millers	6.30	1.5	-20%
9:00	CBS	Scorpion	10.10	2.0	60%
10:00	CBS	NCIS: LA	8.70	1.7	-14%
8:00	CW	The Originals	1.40	0.7
9:00	CW	Jane The Virgin	1.11	0.4	-21%
8:00	FOX	Gotham	6.40	2.3
9:00	FOX	Sleepy Hollow	4.60	1.5	-28%
8:00	NBC	The Voice	10.80	3.0
10:00	NBC	State Of Affairs	8.60	2.2	-20%

* - in millions