UPDATED: Robert Wagner has said he will return for Michael Weatherly’s final episode of “NCIS” in May.
Wagner’s appearance Tuesday as the father of Tony DiNozzo (Weatherly) helped the CBS drama to the biggest audience of the night: 15.9 million, according to Nielsen ratings released Wednesday afternoon. CBS projected that with Live+7 viewing the audience will grow to 19 million.
Fans saw Wagner, 86, give a poignant performance while helping a homeless veteran who thought he was her dad.
“NCIS: New Orleans,” also on CBS, pulled in 13.4 million, the night’s second biggest audience. With Live+7 viewing, the audience will grow to 16.3 million, CBS said.
“The Voice” had 10.8 million singing along, but the NBC contest was the night’s favorite show with the 18-to-49 age group. The original “NCIS” was second in that count.
At 10 p.m., CBS’ “Limitless” offered Bradley Cooper as guest star and attracted 6.6 million viewers. It was ahead of a “Chicago Fire” repeat on NBC (3.9 million) and ABC’s “Beyond the Tank” (2.2 million).
“Heartbeat,” a medical drama with Melissa George as a heart surgeon, debuted on NBC to 6.3 million viewers.
The network prime-time averages in total viewers: CBS with 12 million, NBC with 7 million, ABC with 3.1 million, The CW with 2.1 million and Fox with 1.6 million. In the 18-to-49 age group, CBS also topped NBC.
ABC’s best was the set-in-Orlando “Fresh Off the Boat” with 4.6 million viewers. It was followed by “The Real O’Neals” (3.8 million) and “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD” (2.9 million).
“The Flash” produced 3 million viewers for The CW. Fox’s best was a fresh “New Girl” with 2.3 million; otherwise, Fox aired reruns.
In Orlando, “NCIS” was way out in front with 221,329 total viewers, according to Nielsen ratings supplied to the Sentinel. “NCIS: New Orleans” was second with 176,724. Rounding out the top five were “The Voice” with 126,064, “Limitless” with 81,583 and Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” with 74,203.
In the local 18-to-49 age group, “The Voice” was tops. It was followed by “The Flash,” two episodes of “American Dad” on Adult Swim and “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD.”
