“Chicago Fire” did not crash and burn Tuesday, but it absolutely suffered from the absence of a full-fledged “The Voice” lead-in.
Supported by a “Best of the Blinds” special rather than a truly-new edition of “The Voice,” “Fire” slipped by 15% to a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating with 7.58 million viewers.
While the fall proves “Chicago Fire”‘s hot start to the season was fueled by “The Voice,” it was not an alarming decline. Fifteen percent is not insignificant, but compared to the 36% drop suffered by its lead-in, it is the epitome of small potatoes.
NBC’s “Voice” special averaged a 2.9 with 10.03 million. Though well below the show’s usual levels, the special still managed to outperform everything else on broadcast.