NBC’s star-studded “Saturday Night Live” anniversary special on Sunday scored some of the network’s best ratings for an entertainment telecast in years, drawing numbers that were pretty close to what CBS did one week earlier with the Grammys. The Peacock easily beat its combined ABC-CBS-Fox competition during primetime.
According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, “SNL 40th Anniversary Special” averaged a 7.8 rating/21 share in adults 18-49 and 23.1 million viewers overall from 8 to 11 p.m., preceded by an hourlong red-carpet special that performed nicely as well (3.0/10 in 18-49, 11.1 million viewers overall).
The 7.8 rating is the best for any NBC primetime entertainment telecast (excluding post-Super Bowl programs) since the “Will & Grace” finale in May 2006, and the 23.1 million total viewers is the net’s best since the night of the “Frasier” finale in May 2004.
And among all “SNL” primetime specials, last night’s is the highest-rated in 18-49 since a February 2001 edition following an episode of “Friends” (9.3) and the most-watched overall aince a “SNL Presidential Bash” in November 1992 (28.8 million).
