New CBS Legal Drama BULL Opens with Over 15 Million Viewers

The series premiere of BULL won its time period with 15.5 million viewers while building on its lead-in among adults 18-49, leading CBS to a premiere Tuesday win, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day rating for Sept. 20.

At 8:00 PM, the season premiere of NCIS was first in viewers (15.63m), the night's most-watched program, and it averaged 2.1 in adults 18-49 and 3.3 in adults 25-54.

At 9:00 PM, the series premiere of BULL was first in viewers (15.49m) and averaged 2.2 in adults and 3.4 in adults 25-54. BULL built on its adults 18-49 lead-in by +5%, in adults 25-54 by +3% and maintained virtually all of viewer lead-in. Compared to the time period last year, BULL was up +23% in viewers, +29% in adults 18-49 and +26% in adults 25-54.

At 10:00 PM, the season premiere of NCIS: NEW ORLEANS was first in viewers (11.17m) and averaged 1.4 in adults 18-49 and 2.2 in adults 25-54. NCIS: NEW ORLEANS was up +13% in viewers vs. the year ago time period.

For the night, CBS was first in viewers (14.10m, up +4% from premiere Tuesday last year) and averaged 1.9 in adults 18-49 and 3.0 in adults 25-54 (even).

CBS also delivered strong late night ratings with THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT, with guest Michelle Obama, delivering a 2.8/08 in the 56 overnight metered markets, its highest local rating in exactly one year (9/22/15). THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN averaged a 1.0/04 in the 56 overnight metered markets, its highest local rating in seven months (2/15/16).

Photo: John Paul Filo/CBS