BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Can 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Scandal' And 'How To Get Away With Murder' Save ABC's Ratings?

This article is more than 8 years old.

Olivia Pope, kidnapped; Meredith Grey, her hands on an explosive device; Annalise Keating, shot and left for dead — Shonda Rhimes's shows have never shied away from sensational, cliffhanger conclusions, whether mid-season or at the end of a run. Thursday nights on ABC have acted as a counterpoint to the network's consistently declining viewership. The Shonda Rhimes-developed "TGIT," comprising Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, earned consistent ratings throughout the fall prior to its mid-season hiatus this year. And in the month prior to "TGIT," ABC has focused its promotional efforts on Thursday night's three shows, reminding audiences of the sometimes-absurd, always-entertaining action that Shonda Rhimes's shows promise. The most recent sneak peak features Meredith Grey, stricken after an attack by a patient and apparently in critical condition. And, perhaps better yet, Denzel Washington will guest-direct the mid-season Grey's Anatomy premiere.

At the end of 2015, TV By The Numbers looked back at ABC's ratings for the year and noted a grim trend: Viewership in the coveted 18-49 demographic had declined 12% since the previous year, reportedly a sharper decline than any other network. The network averaged Nielsen ratings of 2.1 throughout 2015, in comparison with the 2.4 rating boasted in 2014. So the network's latest promotional efforts might be a method to head into the second half-season of the 2015-2016 program with a running start after a ratings lull over the winter holidays.

Most recently, the network has focused its promotional efforts on Grey's Anatomy, which saw the release of its own independent teaser Monday after a month of "TGIT"-themed promotions. As the first show scheduled for Thursday nights, it's a window into the whole "TGIT" slate, and as the longest-running show on Rhimes's roster, it also has one of the most devoted audiences on network television. Throughout the fall, Grey's Anatomy's Nielsen ratings held steady around 2.3 — it outpaced competitors like FOX, whose almost equally long-running series Bones saw almost half the audience, though it still lagged behind CBS's The Big Bang Theory. ABC's Wednesday night comedies, too, have raked in strong numbers — particularly beloved shows like Modern Family, whose Nielsen rating, for example, reached 2.7 on November 11, 2015.

Just before the hiatus, Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder's ratings reached respective high points: For Grey's Anatomy, it peaked with its best ratings since the season premiere, with 2.5, while for How to Get Away with Murder, ratings bumped up to 2.3, its best showing since the second week of the season. It proved to the network that these series are still capable of making strong showings, even if it was just due to the attraction of a quasi-season finale. The recent trailers that have come out over the past two months teasing Thursday night's "TGIT" return offer exciting, cliffhanger looks into what audiences can expect from the upcoming half-season. Just as the mid-season finale drew in wider audiences than previous weeks, the return will likely demonstrate the same effect — so the showrunners must give reason for viewers to keep coming back week after week.

During the "TGIT" hiatus, which coincides with the mid-season breaks for many popular prime time series, ABC's ratings dropped precipitously. Reality show Beyond the Tank filled in the open time slots, its Nielsen ratings hovering around 1.0. (Though this is partly due to a global decline in viewership during the winter holidays; Modern Family earned a Nielsen rating of 1.4 January 26, 2016.) Though all three Rhimes series have seen a concerted promotional effort, the recent focus on Grey's Anatomy looks increasingly like a way to promote engagement throughout Thursday nights. With Denzel Washington directing the first hour and beloved characters in peril, it's a fast-paced, female-forward night of programming. And as night-of viewership is on the decline globally across network television, it's a significant counterpoint to the trend — and a critical one for ABC.