2:45pm PT by Rick Porter
2018-19 TV Season Ratings: 90 Percent of Veteran Broadcast Shows Fall

It's a widely accepted piece of TV ratings dogma that same-day numbers represent a starting point, not the complete picture for a given show.
What's also true, however, is that in 2018-19, the starting point for nearly every returning broadcast series retreated from the previous season.
In fact, only 10 percent (10 of 102) of veteran series increased or held steady with their same-day adults 18-49 rating from the 2017-18 season. The Hollywood Reporter's comparison includes same-day ratings for all original episodes of series that aired more than one episode in the 2018-19 season, including those coded as specials.
Only episodes that aired within the boundaries of the Nielsen-measured season (Sept. 24, 2018-May 22, 2019) are counted, which leaves out a handful of early-September football games and the odd early premiere.
That leaves 92 shows— just over 90 percent — that declined year to year in the key ad demographic. The declines range from minuscule (four hundredths of a point for top-rated Sunday Night Football) to huge (a 0.75-point drop for Will & Grace, which was off by half vs. its first revival season). A heavy majority of those declined by more than 10 percent.
A few more veteran shows, 18 in all, were able to increase their total audiences over 2017-18. Chicago Fire posted the biggest gains, growing by 2.12 million viewers while surrounded by its franchise mates on NBC. CBS' Bull (-3.91 million viewers) suffered the largest fall after moving to Mondays from the safe harbor of Tuesdays following NCIS (yet still improved its time period year to year). ABC's The Good Doctor also bled more than 3 million viewers.
Fox's The Masked Singer was the top-rated new show in adults 18-49 with a 2.59 rating. NBC's America's Got Talent: The Champions led newcomers in total viewers with 10.12 million, ahead of the 9.07 million for CBS' FBI.
The season-long charts are below. Complete live-plus-7 ratings for the season will be available in June.
Key: *Average includes post-Super Bowl episode. **Vs. summer 2018 average. ***Aired on Fox in 2017-18. ^Vs. 2016-17 average. ^^Moved to Friday from higher-traffic night.
Adults 18-49
Rank | Show | Network | 18-49 rating | Plus/minus vs. 2017-18 |
1 | Sunday Night Football | NBC | 5.79 | -0.04 (-0.7%) |
2 | Thursday Night Football | Fox | 4.33 | +0.09 (+2.1%) |
3 | The OT | Fox | 3.3 | -0.4 (-10.8%) |
4 | Football Night in America Pt 3 | NBC | 2.7 | -0.4 (-12.9%) |
5 | The Masked Singer | Fox | 2.59 | n/a |
6 | The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 2.24 | -0.51 (-18.5%) |
7 | This Is Us | NBC | 2.01 | -1.06 (-34.5%)* |
8 | The Bachelor | ABC | 1.88 | +0.16 (+9.3%) |
9 | Young Sheldon | CBS | 1.71 | -0.5 (-22.6%) |
10 | America's Got Talent: The Champions | NBC | 1.7 | n/a |
11 | The Voice - Monday | NBC | 1.61 | -0.42 (-20.7%) |
12 | The World's Best | CBS | 1.59* | n/a |
13 | The Conners | ABC | 1.55 | n/a |
Grey's Anatomy | ABC | 1.55 | -0.36 (-18.8%) | |
15 | Survivor | CBS | 1.49 | -0.17 (-10.2%) |
16 | The Voice - Tuesday | NBC | 1.46 | -0.43 (-22.8%) |
17 | Ellen's Game of Games | NBC | 1.43 | -0.58 (-28.9%) |
18 | Saturday Night Football | ABC | 1.39 | -0.03 (-2.1%) |
19 | Empire | Fox | 1.34 | -0.5 (-27.2%) |
20 | American Idol - Sunday | ABC | 1.32 | -0.35 (-21%) |
21 | Football Night in America Pt 2 | NBC | 1.3 | -0.4 (-23.5%) |
22 | 911 | Fox | 1.29 | -0.35 (-21.3%) |
23 | Modern Family | ABC | 1.25 | -0.34 (-21.4) |
The Bachelorette | ABC | 1.25 | -0.2 (-13.8%)** | |
Manifest | NBC | 1.25 | n/a | |
26 | The Titan Games | NBC | 1.23 | n/a |
60 Minutes | CBS | 1.23 | -0.17 (-12.1%) | |
NCIS | CBS | 1.23 | -0.17 (-12.1%) | |
29 | American Idol - Monday | ABC | 1.22 | -0.34 (-21.8%) |
Chicago Fire | NBC | 1.22 | +0.15 (+14%) | |
31 | Mom | CBS | 1.2 | -0.26 (-17.8%) |
Chicago Med | NBC | 1.2 | -0.03 (-2.4%) | |
33 | The Simpsons | Fox | 1.19 | -0.23 (-16.2%) |
34 | The Goldbergs | ABC | 1.18 | -0.28 (-19.2%) |
35 | The Good Doctor | ABC | 1.11 | -0.68 (-38%) |
The Neighborhood | CBS | 1.11 | n/a | |
37 | Last Man Standing | Fox | 1.1 | -0.05 (-4.4%)^ |
Chicago PD | NBC | 1.1 | -0.11 (-9.1%) | |
39 | New Amsterdam | NBC | 1.07 | n/a |
40 | NBA Saturday Primetime | ABC | 1.06 | even |
Star | Fox | 1.06 | -0.26 (-19.7%) | |
42 | Celebrity Big Brother | CBS | 1.05 | -0.2 (-16%) |
43 | 24 Hours to Hell and Back | Fox | 1.04 | +0.05 (+5.1%) |
Bob's Burgers | Fox | 1.04 | +0.05 (+5.1%) | |
45 | Family Guy | Fox | 1.02 | -0.11 (-9.7%) |
46 | The Amazing Race | CBS | 0.98 | -0.26 (-21%) |
47 | FBI | CBS | 0.97 | n/a |
48 | Schooled | ABC | 0.96 | n/a |
Station 19 | ABC | 0.96 | -0.06 (-5.9%) | |
50 | The Resident | Fox | 0.94 | -0.07 (-6.9%) |
51 | Dancing With the Stars | ABC | 0.93 | -0.33 (-26.2%) |
52 | American Housewife | ABC | 0.91 | -0.31 (-25.4%) |
A Million Little Things | ABC | 0.91 | n/a | |
The Passage | Fox | 0.91 | n/a | |
55 | America's Funniest Home Videos | ABC | 0.9 | -0.12 (-11.8%) |
Magnum P.I. | CBS | 0.9 | n/a | |
57 | God Friended Me | CBS | 0.89 | n/a |
58 | Fam | CBS | 0.88 | n/a |
59 | Man With a Plan | CBS | 0.86 | -0.14 (-14%) |
60 | Happy Together | CBS | 0.85 | n/a |
Murphy Brown | CBS | 0.85 | n/a | |
62 | Single Parents | ABC | 0.84 | n/a |
World of Dance | NBC | 0.84 | -0.4 (-32.3%)** | |
Life in Pieces | CBS | 0.84 | -0.17 (-16.8%) | |
65 | The Great Christmas Light Fight | ABC | 0.83 | -0.1 (-10.8%) |
The Cool Kids | Fox | 0.83 | n/a | |
The Good Place | NBC | 0.83 | -0.28 (-25.2%) | |
Law & Order: SVU | NBC | 0.83 | -0.42 (-33.6%) | |
69 | The Kids Are Alright | ABC | 0.82 | n/a |
NCIS: Los Angeles | CBS | 0.82 | -0.09 (-9.9%) | |
Superstore | NBC | 0.82 | -0.19 (-18.8%) | |
72 | Shark Tank | ABC | 0.81 | -0.18 (-18.2%) |
73 | Black-ish | ABC | 0.79 | -0.41 (-34.2%) |
NCIS: New Orleans | CBS | 0.79 | -0.16 (-16.8%) | |
Blue Bloods | CBS | 0.79 | -0.11 (-12.2%) | |
76 | SWAT | CBS | 0.78 | -0.16 (-17%) |
Hawaii Five-0 | CBS | 0.78 | -0.17 (-17.9%) | |
78 | Hell's Kitchen | Fox | 0.77 | -0.09 (-10.5%) |
SEAL Team | CBS | 0.76 | -0.25 (-24.8%) | |
80 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 0.76 | -0.23 (-23.2%) |
81 | Bull | CBS | 0.75 | -0.43 (-36.4%) |
82 | Masterchef Junior | Fox | 0.74 | -0.07 (-8.6%) |
The Orville | Fox | 0.74 | -0.25 (-25.3%) | |
The Enemy Within | NBC | 0.74 | n/a | |
Will & Grace | NBC | 0.74 | -0.75 (-50.3%) | |
86 | The Rookie | ABC | 0.71 | n/a |
Lethal Weapon | Fox | 0.71 | -0.28 (-28.3%) | |
88 | MacGyver | CBS | 0.7 | -0.13 (-15.7%) |
89 | How to Get Away With Murder | ABC | 0.69 | -0.26 (-27.4%) |
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | NBC | 0.69 | -0.04 (-5.5%)*** | |
91 | Dancing With the Stars: Juniors | ABC | 0.68 | n/a |
92 | Splitting Up Together | ABC | 0.67 | -0.56 (-45.5%) |
Bless This Mess | ABC | 0.67 | n/a | |
The Great American Baking Show | ABC | 0.67 | n/a | |
95 | The Village | NBC | 0.66 | n/a |
96 | Rel | Fox | 0.65 | n/a |
97 | Gotham | Fox | 0.63 | -0.14 (-18.2%) |
98 | Fresh Off the Boat | ABC | 0.62 | -0.41 (-39.8%)^^ |
The Flash | CW | 0.62 | -0.17 (-21.5%) | |
100 | The Gifted | Fox | 0.61 | -0.4 (-39.6%) |
101 | 20/20 | ABC | 0.6 | even |
Dateline - Sunday | NBC | 0.6 | even | |
103 | The Code | CBS | 0.59 | n/a |
104 | The Blacklist | NBC | 0.58 | -0.34 (-37%)^^ |
105 | Madam Secretary | CBS | 0.57 | -0.06 (-9.5%) |
Whiskey Cavalier | ABC | 0.57 | n/a | |
107 | Dateline - Friday | NBC | 0.56 | -0.24 (-30%) |
Good Girls | NBC | 0.56 | -0.47 (-45.6%) | |
109 | Million Dollar Mile | CBS | 0.55 | n/a |
110 | Fox College Football | Fox | 0.54 | -0.09 (-14.3%) |
111 | Mental Samurai | Fox | 0.53 | n/a |
112 | Match Game | ABC | 0.52 | -0.17 (-24.6%) |
113 | 48 Hours | CBS | 0.5 | even |
114 | The Fix | ABC | 0.49 | n/a |
For the People | ABC | 0.49 | -0.14 (-22.2%) | |
Speechless | ABC | 0.49 | -0.64 (-56.6%)^^ | |
Dateline Saturday Mystery | NBC | 0.49 | -0.01 (-2%) | |
AP Bio | NBC | 0.49 | -0.24 (-32.9%) | |
I Feel Bad | NBC | 0.49 | n/a | |
120 | Blindspot | NBC | 0.47 | -0.15 (-24.2%) |
121 | Child Support | ABC | 0.42 | -0.28 (-40%) |
122 | Abby's | NBC | 0.41 | n/a |
123 | Agents of SHIELD | ABC | 0.4 | -0.13 (-24.5%) |
Proven Innocent | Fox | 0.4 | n/a | |
Supernatural | CW | 0.4 | -0.16 (-28.6%) | |
126 | Midnight, Texas | NBC | 0.39 | -0.35 (-47.3%)^ |
Paradise Hotel | Fox | 0.39 | n/a | |
128 | 1969 | ABC | 0.36 | n/a |
129 | The Red Line | CBS | 0.35 | n/a |
Riverdale | CW | 0.35 | -0.14 (-28.6%) | |
Supergirl | CW | 0.35 | -0.18 (-34%) | |
132 | Arrow | CW | 0.34 | -0.09 (-20.9%) |
133 | Legacies | CW | 0.31 | n/a |
134 | Black Lightning | CW | 0.3 | -0.26 (-46.4%) |
135 | Legends of Tomorrow | CW | 0.29 | -0.19 (-39.6%) |
136 | Roswell, New Mexico | CW | 0.28 | n/a |
The 100 | CW | 0.28 | -0.08 (-22.2%) | |
138 | Ransom | CBS | 0.27 | +0.01 (+3.8%) |
139 | Charmed | CW | 0.26 | n/a |
140 | The Alec Baldwin Show | ABC | 0.24 | n/a |
141 | All American | CW | 0.23 | n/a |
Jane the Virgin | CW | 0.23 | -0.01 (-4.2%) | |
143 | iZombie | CW | 0.2 | -0.04 (-16.7%) |
144 | In the Dark | CW | 0.17 | n/a |
145 | Dynasty | CW | 0.15 | -0.04 (-21.1%) |
146 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | CW | 0.12 | -0.08 (-40%) |
Total Viewers
Rank | Show | Network | Viewers (millions) | Plus/minus vs. 2017-18 (millions) |
1 | Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18.7 | +1.16 (+6.6%) |
2 | Thursday Night Football | Fox | 14.15 | +0.37 (+2.7%) |
3 | The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 13.0 | -1.04 (-7.4%) |
4 | NCIS | CBS | 12.11 | -0.94 (-7.2%) |
5 | Young Sheldon | CBS | 11.14 | -1.38 (-11%) |
6 | The OT | Fox | 10.6 | -1.02 (-8.8%) |
7 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 10.18 | -0.72 (-6.6%) |
8 | America's Got Talent: The Champions | NBC | 10.12 | n/a |
9 | Football Night in America Pt 3 | NBC | 9.15 | -0.42 (-4.4%) |
10 | FBI | CBS | 9.07 | n/a |
11 | The Voice - Monday | NBC | 8.96 | -1.08 (-10.8%) |
12 | The Voice - Tuesday | NBC | 8.45 | -1.3 (-13.3%) |
13 | Blue Bloods | CBS | 8.43 | -0.65 (-7.2%) |
14 | This Is Us | NBC | 8.33 | -2.81 (25.2%)* |
15 | Chicago Med | NBC | 8.24 | +1.63 (+24.6%) |
16 | The Masked Singer | Fox | 8.17 | n/a |
17 | Chicago Fire | NBC | 8.1 | +2.12 (+35.5%) |
18 | Mom | CBS | 7.99 | -0.77 (-8.8%) |
19 | God Friended Me | CBS | 7.78 | n/a |
20 | American Idol - Sunday | ABC | 7.56 | -0.47 (-5.9%) |
21 | The Conners | ABC | 7.46 | n/a |
22 | Survivor | CBS | 7.45 | -0.76 (-9.3%) |
23 | NCIS: New Orleans | CBS | 7.29 | -1.57 (-17.7%) |
24 | Hawaii Five-0 | CBS | 7.21 | -1.08 (-13%) |
25 | Dancing With the Stars | ABC | 7.12 | -1.93 (-21.3%) |
26 | NCIS: Los Angeles | CBS | 7.11 | -0.79 (-10%) |
27 | Chicago PD | NBC | 7.05 | +0.65 (+10.2%) |
28 | Grey's Anatomy | ABC | 6.78 | -0.78 (-10.3%) |
29 | Bull | CBS | 6.71 | -3.91 (-36.8%) |
30 | American Idol - Monday | ABC | 6.7 | -1.05 (-13.5%) |
31 | The Good Doctor | ABC | 6.69 | -3.08 (-31.5%) |
32 | The World's Best | CBS | 6.63* | n/a |
33 | The Bachelor | ABC | 6.59 | +0.1 (+1.5%) |
34 | The Neighborhood | CBS | 6.48 | n/a |
35 | Manifest | NBC | 6.48 | n/a |
36 | Ellen's Game of Games | NBC | 6.21 | -1.74 (-21.9%) |
37 | MacGyver | CBS | 6.11 | -0.75 (-10.9%) |
38 | Murphy Brown | CBS | 6.06 | n/a |
39 | Magnum P.I. | CBS | 5.99 | n/a |
40 | New Amsterdam | NBC | 5.92 | n/a |
41 | 911 | Fox | 5.87 | -0.45 (-7.1%) |
42 | Life in Pieces | CBS | 5.72 | -0.75 (-11.6%) |
43 | Last Man Standing | Fox | 5.71 | -0.7 (-10.9%)^ |
44 | Fam | CBS | 5.58 | n/a |
45 | America's Funniest Home Videos | ABC | 5.45 | +0.25 (+4.8%) |
46 | Madam Secretary | CBS | 5.41 | -0.75 (-12.2%) |
47 | Man With a Plan | CBS | 5.33 | -0.44 (-7.6%) |
48 | SWAT | CBS | 5.3 | -0.59 (-10%) |
49 | Station 19 | ABC | 5.28 | +0.01 (+0.2%) |
50 | The Code | CBS | 5.17 | n/a |
51 | Saturday Night Football | ABC | 5.15 | +0.23 (+4.7%) |
52 | SEAL Team | CBS | 5.03 | -1.63 (-24.5%) |
53 | The Resident | Fox | 5.02 | +0.48 (+10.6%) |
54 | The Goldbergs | ABC | 4.9 | -0.69 (-12.3%) |
55 | The Titan Games | NBC | 4.85 | n/a |
56 | Modern Family | ABC | 4.83 | -0.86 (-15.1%) |
The Amazing Race | CBS | 4.83 | -0.77 (-13.8%) | |
58 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 4.67 | -1.06 (-18.5%) |
59 | The Bachelorette | ABC | 4.65 | -1.14 (-19.7%)** |
60 | Happy Together | CBS | 4.63 | n/a |
61 | Football Night in America Pt 2 | NBC | 4.58 | -0.93 (-16.9%) |
62 | Empire | Fox | 4.52 | -1.14 (-20.1%) |
63 | The Enemy Within | NBC | 4.42 | n/a |
64 | Celebrity Big Brother | CBS | 4.4 | -0.65 (-12.9%) |
65 | Dancing With the Stars: Juniors | ABC | 4.32 | n/a |
66 | A Million Little Things | ABC | 4.27 | n/a |
67 | The Cool Kids | Fox | 4.23 | n/a |
68 | The Great Christmas Light Fight | ABC | 4.22 | -0.36 (-7.9%) |
69 | The Rookie | ABC | 4.14 | n/a |
American Housewife | ABC | 4.14 | -0.44 (-9.6%) | |
71 | Law & Order: SVU | NBC | 4.13 | -1.82 (-30.6%) |
72 | The Village | NBC | 4.12 | n/a |
73 | The Blacklist | NBC | 3.97 | -1.68 (-29.7%)^^ |
74 | Schooled | ABC | 3.94 | n/a |
75 | The Kids Are Alright | ABC | 3.9 | n/a |
76 | The Red Line | CBS | 3.85 | n/a |
77 | The Passage | Fox | 3.73 | n/a |
78 | Shark Tank | ABC | 3.69 | -0.36 (-8.9%) |
World of Dance | NBC | 3.69 | -1.94 (-34.5%)** | |
80 | 48 Hours | CBS | 3.66 | -0.27 (-6.9%) |
81 | Dateline - Sunday | NBC | 3.63 | -0.31 (-7.9%) |
82 | 20/20 | ABC | 3.55 | +0.61 (+20.7%) |
83 | Star | Fox | 3.54 | -0.58 (-14.1%) |
84 | 24 Hours to Hell and Back | Fox | 3.47 | +0.17 (+5.2%)** |
85 | The Great American Baking Show | ABC | 3.44 | n/a |
86 | NBA Saturday Primetime | ABC | 3.41 | +0.03 (+0.9%) |
87 | Bless This Mess | ABC | 3.35 | n/a |
Dateline - Friday | NBC | 3.35 | -1.2 (-26.4%) | |
89 | Single Parents | ABC | 3.3 | n/a |
90 | Black-ish | ABC | 3.29 | -0.98 (-23%) |
Whiskey Cavalier | ABC | 3.29 | n/a | |
92 | Dateline Saturday Mystery | NBC | 3.21 | +0.21 (+7%) |
93 | The Orville | Fox | 3.16 | -0.48 (-13.2%) |
94 | The Simpsons | Fox | 3.11 | -0.34 (-9.9%) |
95 | The Fix | ABC | 3.09 | n/a |
96 | Lethal Weapon | Fox | 3.06 | -1.05 (-25.5%) |
Superstore | NBC | 3.06 | -0.64 (-17.3%) | |
98 | Fresh Off the Boat | ABC | 3.03 | -0.8 (-20.9%)^^ |
99 | Will & Grace | NBC | 3.02 | -2.48 (-45.1%) |
100 | For the People | ABC | 2.87 | +0.33 (+13%) |
101 | How to Get Away With Murder | ABC | 2.84 | -0.86 (-23.2%) |
Blindspot | NBC | 2.84 | -0.42 (-12.9%) | |
103 | Masterchef Junior | Fox | 2.78 | -0.41 (-12.9%) |
104 | Splitting Up Together | ABC | 2.76 | -1.56 (-36.1%) |
105 | Hell's Kitchen | Fox | 2.75 | -0.38 (-12.1%) |
106 | The Good Place | NBC | 2.71 | -1.17 (-30.2%) |
107 | Million Dollar Mile | CBS | 2.59 | n/a |
108 | Bob's Burgers | Fox | 2.45 | +0.21 (+9.4%) |
109 | Family Guy | Fox | 2.4 | -0.1 (-4%) |
110 | Ransom | CBS | 2.37 | -0.08 (-3.3%) |
111 | Speechless | ABC | 2.36 | -1.97 (-45.5%)^^ |
Match Game | ABC | 2.36 | -0.53 (-18.3%) | |
113 | 1969 | ABC | 2.33 | n/a |
114 | Good Girls | NBC | 2.32 | -2.12 (-47.7%) |
115 | Agents of SHIELD | ABC | 2.25 | +0.17 (+8.2%) |
Gotham | Fox | 2.25 | -0.28 (-11.1%) | |
117 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | NBC | 2.24 |
+0.48 (+27.3%)***
|
118 | Child Support | ABC | 2.23 | -1.82 (-44.9%) |
119 | Fox College Football | Fox | 2.13 | -0.1 (-4.5%) |
120 | Midnight, Texas | NBC | 2.1 | -0.89 (-29.8%)^ |
121 | I Feel Bad | NBC | 2.09 | n/a |
122 | Proven Innocent | Fox | 2.01 | n/a |
123 | AP Bio | NBC | 1.96 | -0.7 (-26.3%) |
124 | The Gifted | Fox | 1.95 | -1.36 (-41.1%) |
125 | Mental Samurai | Fox | 1.77 | n/a |
126 | Abby's | NBC | 1.74 | n/a |
127 | Rel | Fox | 1.71 | n/a |
128 | The Flash | CW | 1.7 | -0.51 (-23.1%) |
129 | Supernatural | CW | 1.44 | -0.25 (-14.8%) |
130 | The Alec Baldwin Show | ABC | 1.41 | n/a |
131 | Supergirl | CW | 1.21 | -0.63 (-34.2%) |
132 | Paradise Hotel | Fox | 1.2 | n/a |
133 | Arrow | CW | 1.09 | -0.18 (-14.2%) |
134 | Roswell, New Mexico | CW | 1.06 | n/a |
135 | Riverdale | CW | 1.05 | -0.32 (-23.4%) |
136 | Legacies | CW | 1.01 | n/a |
137 | Black Lightning | CW | 0.96 | -0.77 (-44.5%) |
138 | Legends of Tomorrow | CW | 0.95 | -0.56 (-37.1%) |
139 | Charmed | CW | 0.85 | n/a |
140 | The 100 | CW | 0.81 | -0.3 (-27%) |
141 | All American | CW | 0.67 | n/a |
142 | Jane the Virgin | CW | 0.65 | +0.01 (+1.6%) |
143 | In the Dark | CW | 0.64 | n/a |
144 | iZombie | CW | 0.63 | -0.13 (-17.1%) |
145 | Dynasty | CW | 0.56 | -0.12 (-17.6%) |
146 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | CW | 0.41 | -0.22 (-34.9%) |
Sources: Nielsen, THR research
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