CBS' 'Young Sheldon' Has Strongest Comedy Opening in Four Years

09.26.2017

CBS' Young Sheldon, arguably the show most likely to succeed this season, came out of the gate with a big bang, debuting at a 3.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 16.6 million viewers.

That's the most-watched premiere rating for a new comedy since 2 Broke Girls debuted in 2011 and the highest-rated since The Crazy Ones in 2013. That said, both of those shows have since been canceled, with 2 Broke Girls ending its run after last season and The Crazy Ones - which starred and the late, great as a daughter-father advertising team - failed to make it past season one.

Young Sheldon debuted out of the show from which it's spun, The Big Bang Theory, and held almost all of its viewers. Big Bang, opening season 11, premiered at a 3.9 rating in the key demo and 17 million viewers.

Young Sheldon was just teasing viewers with this early episode, however. It's not due to return until its official premiere on Nov. 2, after CBS completes its run of Thursday Night Football and the show can enter its regular time slot of Thursday at 8:30 p.m., behind The Big Bang Theory. , starring and featuring the arrival of among some viewer blowback, returned for season two at 9 p.m. with a 2.3 in the demo and 10.1 million viewers, while new Me Myself & I starring Bobby Moynihan and John Larroquette premiered at a 1.7 in the demo and 7.4 million viewers.

At 10 p.m., ABC also saw decent sampling for its new show, The Good Doctor, starring Freddie Highmore. The Good Doctor debuted at a 2.4 among adults 18-49 with nearly 12 million viewers. NBC debuted new military drama The Brave in the hour to a 1.4 in the key demo and nearly 6.2 million viewers.

CBS closed its night with the fourth-season premiere of Scorpion, which was in third place behind both The Good Doctor and The Brave at a 1.0 in the demo and nearly 6 million viewers. ​

READ MORE: The Hollywood Reporter, TV by the Numbers

[Image courtesy of CBS/Robert Voets]