Touchdown! NBC’s Sunday Night Football and Fox’s Thursday Night Football placed No. 1 and No. 2 for the 2018-19 TV season, with average ratings of 5.9 and 4.4 in the coveted 18-49 demo (including Live+7 DVR playback data).
NBC’s This Is Us, CBS’ The Big Bang Theory and Fox’s The Masked Singer rounded out the Top 5, each averaging a 3.8 rating.
In the demo, The Big Bang Theory (which was down 14 percent year over year) led the comedy pack with its farewell run, with spinoff Young Sheldon placing second (at 2.6, down 21 percent from its freshman run). On the drama side, This Is Us (down 30 percent from Season 2) was trailed by ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (2.9, down 12 percent) and NBC’s freshman hit Manifest (2.8).
Of the Top 20 non-sports entertainment programs, NBC boasted seven, followed by ABC’s six, CBS’ four and Fox’s three.
In total audience, The Big Bang Theory (averaging 18.1 million viewers) repeated as the season’s most watched comedy, while CBS’ NCIS (15.9 million) reclaimed the top drama spot from This Is Us (13.8 million). All told, CBS delivered 10 of the Top 20 most watched entertainment programs, NBC had eight, and ABC and Fox each had just one.
Here are my hand-curated rankings for the broadcast networks’ assorted offerings; last season’s can be found here. Hit Comments to share what surprises, delights or depresses you.
TOP COMEDY | 18-49 DEMO
1 | The Big Bang Theory, CBS (3.8 rating, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | Young Sheldon, CBS (2.6)
3 | Modern Family, ABC (2.4)
4 | Mom, CBS (1.8)
5 | The Goldbergs, ABC (1.7)
In Total Viewers | The Big Bang Theory (18.1 million)
TOP NEW (OR ‘NEW’) COMEDY | 18-49 DEMO
1 | The Conners, ABC (2.3, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | Last Man Standing, Fox (1.7)
3 | Single Parents, ABC (1.4)
3 | Schooled, ABC (1.4)
4 | Murphy Brown, CBS (1.3, cancelled)
In Total Viewers | The Conners (10 million)
TOP RETURNING DRAMA | 18-49 DEMO
1 | This Is Us, NBC (3.8, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (2.9)
3 | The Good Doctor, ABC (2.5)
4 | 9-1-1, Fox (2.4)
5 | Chicago P.D., NBC (2.1)
In Total Viewers | NCIS (15.9 million)
TOP NEW DRAMA | 18-49 DEMO
1 | Manifest, NBC (2.8, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | New Amsterdam, NBC (2.2)
3 | A Million Little Things, ABC (2.0)
4 | The Passage, Fox (1.7, cancelled)
5 | FBI, CBS (1.6)
In Total Viewers | FBI (12.7 million)
TOP UNSCRIPTED SHOW | 18-49 DEMO
1 |The Masked Singer, Fox (3.8, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | The Bachelor, ABC (2.4)
3 | Big Brother (Wednesday), CBS (2.3)
4 | Survivor, CBS (2.2)
4 | America’s Got Talent: Champions, NBC (2.2)
In Total Viewers | AGT: Champions (12.4 million)
TOP-RATED CANCELLED/ENDED SHOWS | 18-49 DEMO
1 | The Big Bang Theory, CBS (3.8, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
2 | The Passage, Fox (1.7)
3 | Star, Fox (1.5)
4 | The Enemy Within, NBC (1.3)
4 | Murphy Brown, CBS (1.3)
In Total Viewers | Big Bang (18.1 million) and Murphy Brown (8.5 million)
LOWEST-RATED RENEWED SHOWS (SCRIPTED) | 18-49 DEMO
1 | The Outpost, The CW (0.2, including any available Live+7 DVR playback)
1 | In the Dark, The CW (0.2)
1 | Dynasty, The CW (0.2)
1 | Burden of Truth, The CW (0.2)
NON-CW | Madam Secretary, CBS (0.9)
NON-CW | Fresh Off the Boat, ABC (0.9)
NON-CW | Blindspot, NBC (0.9)
NON-CW | Agents of SHIELD, ABC (0.9)
In Total Viewers | Dynasty (797,000)
TOP 10 OVERALL BY DEMO
NBC Sunday Night Football, NBC (5.9, no change)
Thursday Night Football, Fox (4.4, +3% vs. CBS/NBC avg.)
This Is Us, NBC (3.8, -30%)
The Big Bang Theory, CBS (3.8, -14%)
The Masked Singer, Fox (3.8, NA)
The OT, Fox (3.3, -11%)
Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (2.9, -12%)
Manifest, NBC (2.8, NA)
Young Sheldon, CBS (2.6, -21%)
The Good Doctor, ABC (2.5, -26%)
DROPPED OUT OF LAST YEAR’S TOP 10: None
TOP 10 OVERALL BY TOTAL VIEWERS
Sunday Night Football, NBC (18.9 million, +7% year over year)
The Big Bang Theory, CBS (18.1 million, -4%)
NCIS, CBS (15.9 million, -5%)
Young Sheldon, CBS (14.7 million, -11%)
Thursday Night Football, Fox (14.4 million, +4% vs. CBS/NBC avg.)
This Is Us, NBC (13.8 million, -21%)
Blue Bloods, CBS (12.8 million)
FBI, CBS (12.7 million, NA)
The Good Doctor, ABC (12.6 million, -19%)
Manifest, NBC (12.6 million, NA)
DROPPED OUT OF LAST YEAR’S TOP 10: Bull
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