TV Ratings: 'Leaving Neverland' 3rd Most-Watched HBO Docu Ever

HBO’s “Leaving Neverland” documentary about Michael Jackson and his alleged sexual abuse is already the third most-watched documentary of the past decade at the prime cable network, which takes pride in its documentary schedule.

It’s likely to surpass “Bright Lights,” the movie about Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher, which is currently in second place, the network said. HBO’s most-watched documentary over the past decade is “Going Clear,” about Scientology.

The first half of the four-hour program on Jackson has been seen by 3.67 million people, according to The Associated Press citing Nielsen figures. The second half stands at 2.45 million. Those totals are expected to go up as people catch up with the program through delayed viewing.

CBS won another week in prime-time behind the soon-to-depart comedy “The Big Bang Theory,” and its prequel, “Young Sheldon.”

CBS averaged 5.8 million viewers in prime time. ABC had 5.3 million viewers, NBC had 4.7 million, Fox had 2.5 million, ION Television had 1.4 million, Univision had 1.3 million, Telemundo had 1.1 million and the CW had 960,000.

Fox News Channel was the week’s most popular cable network, averaging 2.26 million in prime time. MSNBC had 1.92 million, HGTV had 1.33 million, ESPN had 1.26 million and USA had 1.24 million.

In addition to wins among total viewers, Fox News also beat its cable news competition in the A25-54 demo:

• Fox News – Prime time (371,000) and total day (234,000)
• MSNBC – Prime time (341,000) and total day (180,000)
• CNN – Prime time (242,000) and Total Day (169,000)

⏩ Basic Cable Ranker Week of ... by Scribd

⏩ ABC’s “World News Tonight” topped the evening newscasts with an average of 9.3 million viewers. NBC’s “Nightly News” had 8.6 million and the “CBS Evening News” had 6.3 million.

⏩ Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for March 4-10:

1. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 13 million.
2. “Young Sheldon,” CBS, 11.58 million.
3. “The Voice” (Monday), NBC, 10.97 million.
4. “The Voice” (Tuesday), NBC, 10.22 million.
5. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 8.6 million.
6. “Mom,” CBS, 8.3 million.
7. “Blue Bloods,” CBS, 8.26 million.
8. “American Idol” (Wednesday), ABC, 7.828 million.
9. “This is Us,” NBC, 7.827 million.
10. “NCIS,” CBS, 7.49 million.

11. “The Bachelor,” ABC, 7.31 million.
12. “American Idol” (Sunday), ABC, 7.27 million.
13. “Hawaii Five-0,” CBS, 7.266 million.
14. “Survivor,” CBS, 7.26 million.
15. “The Good Doctor,” ABC, 6.73 million.
16. “God Friended Me,” CBS, 6.63 million.
17. “Grey’s Anatomy,” ABC, 6.57 million.
18. “CBS News: Gayle King’s R. Kelly Interview,” CBS, 6.558 million.
19. “Bachelor: Women Tell All,” ABC, 6.11 million.
20. “New Amsterdam,” NBC, 5.83 million.

⏩ Basic Cable Top 10 (Prime Time)

1. Fox News (2,324,000)
2. MSNBC (1,986,000)
3. HGTV (1,328,000)
4. ESPN (1,287,000)
5. USA (1,205,000)
6. History (1,170,000)
7. Discovery (1,135,000)
8. TLC (1,062,000)
9. TBS (1,009,000)
10. A&E (1,006,000)