Comics Unleashed Beats Fallon Across Both Key Ratings Measures (Exclusive)

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For the first time since taking over Stephen Colbert’s old 11:35 p.m. time slot on CBS, Comics Unleashed beat The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Tuesday night across both key ratings measurements.

The first of CBS’ two back-to-back Comics Unleashed episodes drew 1.073 million total viewers and 161,000 viewers aged 18-49. The Tonight Show, meanwhile, averaged 1.018 million total viewers and 128,000 demo viewers across its hour.

It’s a milestone for the Byron Allen-hosted comedy panel show, although there’s some nuance to the numbers.

Because CBS airs two separate half-hour episodes of Comics Unleashed, comparing its 11:35 p.m. audience to Fallon’s full-hour average gives the CBS show an inherent advantage. Late-night audiences generally decline as the night goes on, meaning Fallon’s midnight half-hour pulls down his overall average in a way that doesn’t affect the first Comics Unleashed.

Stack the shows up half-hour against half-hour, and the total-viewer race becomes a split decision.

From 11:35 p.m. to midnight, Fallon drew 1.175 million viewers, beating Comics Unleashed’s 1.073 million. But from midnight to 12:30 a.m., Comics Unleashed came out ahead, drawing 873,000 viewers to Fallon’s 848,000.

Among adults 18-49, there’s no such caveat: Comics Unleashed beat Fallon across the board.

The first Comics Unleashed drew 161,000 viewers in the demo, and the second drew 160,000. Fallon attracted 128,000 in his first half-hour and 129,000 in his second.

All told, Tuesday marked Comics Unleashed’s best hour-long performance in households, total viewers, and adults 18-49 since its May 22 premiere.

The sudden surge appears to have a fairly obvious explanation: NCIS. Tuesday marked the first time Comics Unleashed had followed new episodes of CBS’ NCIS franchise since taking over the 11:35 p.m. slot, giving Allen’s show a very strong lead-in.

Compared to Monday night, the difference was dramatic. The first Comics Unleashed jumped 33% in total viewers and 173% among adults 18-49, while the 12:05 a.m. repeat climbed 42% and 272%, respectively.

Neither CBS nor NBC, however, came particularly close to Tuesday night’s late-night leader.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 2.286 million total viewers and 234,000 adults 18-49 across its hour. Its first half-hour drew 2.787 million viewers and 266,000 in the demo, while its second drew 1.718 million viewers and 198,000 in the demo—comfortably ahead of both competitors in every measurement.

Kimmel’s guests Tuesday night were Kerry Washington, Kyle MacLachlan, and Sophia James, while Fallon welcomed John Cena, Emma D’Arcy, Sam Smith, and Meredith Hayden.

Allen’s 11:35 p.m. episode featured Chaunté Wayans, Hugh Fink, Heath Harmison, and Austin Kress. The 12:05 a.m. episode was a repeat from 2025 featuring Matt Knudsen, Ben Morrison, and Mary Lynn Rajskub.

A reminder that linear ratings represent only one slice of the viewing audience, with additional viewing taking place on streaming services, YouTube, and other social media platforms.

Complete Nielsen Live+Same Day ratings for Tuesday October 6, 2026, follow below.

Live+SD Ratings — All Viewers (P2+)

Live+SD Ratings — In the Demo (P18–49)

Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.