Snapshot, updated with finals 1:50 PM: New series premiere: the CW’s Frequency (0.4 in 18-49, 1.4 million); Returning series premiere: the CW’s Arrow (0.7 in 18-49, down -36%, 1.9 million, down -30%). ABC’s Speechless and NBC’s Blindspot even, all other series down week-to-week.



Facing the highest-rated MLB Wild Card game ever, the San Francisco Giants-N.Y. Mets on ESPN, the broadcast networks saw mostly declines on the third Wednesday of the season, with ABC newbie Speechless, and NBC’s Blindspot the only shows holding steady in the fast nationals. (the numbers may undergo adjustments later on because of local preemptions in the Southeast for coverage of Hurricane Matthew).

It’s been a challenge for the CW to turn the lights on this fall, facing the Vice Presidential debate on Night 1 and the MLB Wild Card game on Night 2.

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Arrow, which launched the DC Universe for the network, is showing its age, opening its fifth season last night with a 0.7 in adults 18-49, down -36% from last fall’s opener, and 1.9 million viewers, down -30%. Arrow also was off its most recent finale (0.8, 2.2 million). It was a shaky launching pad for new drama Frequency, which opened with a 0.4 in the demo and 1.4 million viewers. That was well below the Season 11 (!) L+SD debut of Supernatural in the time slot last fall (0.9, 1.9 million), especially in the demo, indicating that Frequency may be drawing older crowds who are familiar with the 2000 movie the series was based on. This may be the lowest rated fall drama premiere for the CW in L+SD (Cult launched with a 0.3 in the demo in midseason).

ABC

New ABC comedy Speechless is showing some spunk. After a minimal, -10% Week 2 drop, the comedy held steady in its third airing, matching its last Wednesday adults 18-49 L+SD rating, 1.8, to rank as the highest-rated new series on the night for the first time. The comedy accomplished the feat by being consistent while the other two Big 4 freshmen, ABC’s Designated Survivor and Fox’s Lethal Weapon, posted declines for a second consecutive week. Lethal Weapon (1.7) was down -15%, Designated Survivor (1.6) was down -11%, still topping the 10 PM in the demo.

NBC

If we talk about consistency, NBC’s Blindspot deserves a mention for maintaining the L+SD it had logged in the last four Season 1 airings on Monday (1.3) for the first three weeks of Season 3 in its new Wednesday 8 PM berth. All other series were off.

Here is the list: ABC’s The Goldbergs (1.8, -0.1), Modern Family (2.2, -0.1) and Black-ish (1.5, -0.1 after downward adjustment), Fox’s Empire (3.3, -0.3), NBC’s Law & Order: SVU (1.4, -0.2, adjusted up a tenth) and Chicago PD (1.4, -0.1, adjusted up a tenth), CBS‘ Survivor (1.9, -0.2, adjusted up a tenth), Criminal Minds (1.4, -0.4) and Code Black (1.0, -0.2). For veteran Criminal Minds, this marks a L+SD series low.