After no shortage of snafus in the run-up, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned to CBS on Tuesday night. The annual runway event, which taped in Shanghai before the Thanksgiving weekend, suffered its worst ratings on record.
At 10 p.m., the lingerie show averaged a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49, sinking nearly 30 percent from the previous low in 2016. Among total viewers, Victoria’s Secret was off 32 percent from the year before — pulling just under 5 million viewers. These new lows come after several years of steady drops for the holiday event.
The 2016 event showcased a slew of familiar models and musical performances by Harry Styles and Miguel. It had been reported that Katy Perry was originally set to perform at the event but was denied a visa to China.
CBS’ annual repeat airing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer actually bested Victoria’s Secret, scoring a formidable 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. before a repeat of NCIS.
That said, the real winner of the night was always going to be This Is Us. The NBC drama, broadcast’s highest-rated series, wrapped its fall run with a 2.7 rating among adults 18-49 and 10.8 million viewers. It won the night by both measures and boasted its highest showing among adults 18-49 since October.
