By Andrew Dalton, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --“The Big Bang Theory” edged out “Game of Thrones” as the two beloved TV behemoths again topped the ratings as they approach their finales.
CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” drew 12.6 million live viewers last week, while HBO’s “Game of Thrones” had 12.5 million, the Nielsen company said.
It was the second week in a row atop the ratings for “The Big Bang Theory,” whose 12-season run of nerdy comedy ends with a May 16 finale episode that by that time will have no competition from “Thrones” and should win the week running away.
With HBO available in far fewer homes than CBS and the other networks, the past week was still a big win for “Game of Thrones,” which continues to break its own viewership records.
The series’ penultimate episode, titled “The Bells,” which brought a new level of fiery, dragon-fueled destruction, drew 18.4 million viewers if reruns later that night and streaming services views are included. That breaks its record of 17.8 million set for an episode earlier in the season, and makes it the most-watched episode of any show in HBO history.
Next week’s series finale, whose title has not been revealed, is likely to crush those numbers.
The second round of the NBA playoffs made it a big week overall for cable, with four games on ESPN and TNT among the top 20 shows, three of them in the Golden State Warriors-Houston Rockets series.
CBS rode “The Big Bang Theory” and six other shows in the top 10 to again win the week in primetime, with an average of 5.9 million viewers. NBC averaged 4 million, ABC had 3.6 million, Fox had 2.5 million, Telemundo had 1.3 million, ION Television had 1.24 million, Univision had 1.22 million and the CW 750,000.
TNT used the NBA playoffs to become the week’s most popular cable network with a primetime average of 3.4 million viewers. Fox News Channel had 2.3 million, ESPN had 1.8 million, MSNBC had 1.7 million and HGTV had 1.2 million.
ABC’s “World News Tonight” topped the evening newscasts with an average of 8.1 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News” was second with 7.5 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 5.6 million viewers.
Below are primetime viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for May 6-12. Listings include the week’s ranking and viewership.
1. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 12.6 million.
2. “Game of Thrones,” HBO, 12.5 million.
3. “NCIS,” CBS, 11.7 million.
4. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 10.5 million.
5. “FBI,” CBS, 8.8 million.
6. “Blue Bloods,” CBS, 8.5 million.
7. “Mom,” CBS, 8 million.
8. “American Idol” (Sunday), ABC, 7.9 million.
9. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 7.82 million.
10. “Chicago Med,” NBC, 7.8 million.
11. “Chicago Fire,” NBC, 7.7 million.
12. NBA Playoffs: Golden State at Houston, ESPN, 7.32 million.
13. “Survivor,” CBS, 7.3 million
14. “The Voice,” NBC, 7.27 million.
15. NBA Playoffs: Golden State at Houston, Turner, 7 million.
16. NBA Playoffs: Philadelphia at Toronto, Turner, 6.9 million.
17. NBA Playoffs: Houston at Golden State, Turner, 6.86 million.
18. “Hawaii Five-0,” CBS, 6.8 million.
19. “NCIS: New Orleans, CBS, 6.7 million.
20. “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC, 6.4 million.
ABC and ESPN are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; CBS is a division of CBS Corp.; Fox is owned by 21st Century Fox; NBC is owned by NBC Universal; Turner is owned by WarnerMedia.
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More