In its third night as part of the 11:35 p.m. lineup, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” scored a ratings win over late-night staples “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and “Late Show With David Letterman” on Thursday night.
The ratings win came in the coveted 18-49 and 25-54 demographics, according to early ratings numbers.
In total viewers, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” placed third, but ABC, which airs Kimmel’s show, will take a ratings win any way it can get one.
Kimmel outdrew Leno and Letterman in the 18-49 demographic with a .98 rating, compared to .74 for Leno and .73 for Letterman.
In the 25-54 category, Kimmel’s 1.3 posted ahead of Leno and Letterman, which both drew a 1.07.
In case you’re keeping score, Thursday night’s overall viewers numbers stacked up like this: 3.4 million viewers for “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” 3.3 million viewers for “The Late Show With David Letterman” and 3.2 million for “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Personal take
First off, who knew almost 10 million people are still awake and watching TV at 11:35 p.m.?
When watching late-night TV, most viewers choose a show based on the guest lineup, which takes up most of the time slot.
Which show is best to watch during the front part of the hour—the monologue—depends on personal preference.
Each show’s monologue segment has its redeeming qualities, whether you’re a fan of Leno’s sardonic humor, Letterman’s deadpan style or Kimmel’s wacky comedy.
Experience has shown that it’s best to jump back and forth between the monologues to see who’s bringing his ‘A’ game that night. There’s no such thing as loyalty to one late-night show, at least not to this viewer.
When all is said and done, however, Kimmel’s move to the 11:35 time slot is like a breath of fresh air. Leno and Letterman have dominated the time slot for nearly 20 years, so it’s time to give viewers another choice.
It would appear Kimmel’s in the 11:35 p.m. time slot for the long haul, guys.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” airs in Provo at 10:35 p.m. on ABC 4.
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