TV Ratings: 7-Day Season Averages for Every 2019-20 Broadcast Series

The 2019-20 TV season was good for football in primetime. Most everything else suffered losses. 

Live-plus-7 ratings for the recently completed September-to-May season show that only 13 of 133 ongoing primetime shows on the broadcast networks increased their audience year over year. Three of those were football broadcasts: NBC’s and Fox’s weekly NFL showcases and Fox’s Saturday night college football games.

In the key ad-sales demographic of adults 18-49, only 11 shows managed to match or beat their numbers from the 2018-19 season; again, three of those were the aforementioned football telecasts. (ABC’s primetime college football slate was down slightly year to year.)

NBC’s Sunday Night Football was once again the top-rated show in both adults 18-49 with a 5.9 rating, even with last season, and total viewers, with 20.09 million (up about 6 percent year to year). SNF widened its total-viewer lead over last year, drawing some 4.75 million more viewers than the second-place show, CBS’ NCIS.

Fox’s The Masked Singer repeated as the top non-sports series among adults 18-49 with a 3.2 (down from 3.8 last season). It was the only entertainment program in primetime to top a 3.0 rating in the demo. 

Seven-day ratings give a decent picture of where shows stand for 2019-20, albeit not the whole picture. Viewing on digital platforms, which Nielsen doesn’t include in its delayed-viewing numbers, can account for half or more of a show’s audience over the course of the season; shows like Fox’s animated comedies and NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Good Girls get huge chunks of their audiences from nonlinear viewing.

The charts below are seven-day ratings for original episodes of all primetime shows on the English-language networks from Sept. 23, 2019, to May 20, 2020. They do not include short-run events like ABC’s Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time — which would rank in the top five in both adults 18-49 and total viewers — or NBC’s Making It; episodes of shows that aired outside the regular season (such as Sunday Night Football games from early September); summer series that aired one or two episodes in the regular season; and sports pre- and post-game shows.

Adults 18-49

				Vs. 2018-19
Rank	Show	Network	18-49 rating	Gain/loss	% Gain/loss
1	Sunday Night Football	NBC	5.9	even
2	Thursday Night Football	Fox	4.5	0.1	2.3%
3	The Masked Singer	Fox	3.2	-0.6	-15.8%
4	This Is Us	NBC	2.9	-0.9	-23.7%
5	The Bachelor	ABC	2.4	even
6	911	Fox	2.3	-0.1	-4.2%
	Grey’s Anatomy	ABC	2.3	-0.6	-20.7%
8	Chicago PD	NBC	2.0	-0.1	-4.8%
9	Survivor	CBS	1.9	-0.3	-13.6%
10	Chicago Fire	NBC	1.9	-0.2	-9.5%
11	Lego Masters	Fox	1.9	n/a
	Modern Family	ABC	1.9	-0.5	-20.8%
13	911: Lone Star	Fox	1.8	n/a
	The Good Doctor	ABC	1.8	-0.7	-28%
15	The Voice – Monday	NBC	1.7	-0.3	-15%
	American Idol – Monday	ABC	1.7	0.2	13.3%
	Chicago Med	NBC	1.7	-0.2	-10.5%
	NCIS	CBS	1.7	-0.2	-10.5%
	New Amsterdam	NBC	1.7	-0.5	-22.7%
20	The Conners	ABC	1.6	-0.7	-30.4%
	Young Sheldon	CBS	1.6	-1.0	-38.5%
	A Million Little Things	ABC	1.6	-0.4	-20%
23	American Idol – Sunday	ABC	1.5	-0.2	-11.8%
	The Voice – Tuesday	NBC	1.5	-0.3	-16.7%
	Station 19	ABC	1.5	-0.1	-6.3%
	Manifest	NBC	1.5	-1.3	-46.4%
27	The Masked Singer: After the Mask	Fox	1.4	n/a
	America’s Got Talent: Champions	NBC	1.4	-0.8	-36.4%
	FBI	CBS	1.4	-0.2	-12.5%
	Criminal Minds	CBS	1.4	-0.3	-17.6%
	Prodigal Son	Fox	1.4	n/a
	Law & Order: SVU	NBC	1.4	-0.4	-22.2%
33	Saturday Night College Football	ABC	1.3	-0.1	-7.1%
	The Goldbergs	ABC	1.3	-0.4	-23.5%
	The Neighborhood	CBS	1.3	-0.2	-13.3%
	Mom	CBS	1.3	-0.5	-27.8%
	The Resident	Fox	1.3	-0.3	-18.8%
	The Rookie	ABC	1.3	-0.2	-13.3%
39	60 Minutes	CBS	1.2	-0.1	-7.7%
	Ellen’s Game of Games	NBC	1.2	-0.5	-29.4%
	FBI: Most Wanted	CBS	1.2	n/a
	SEAL Team	CBS	1.2	-0.2	-14.3%
	Empire	Fox	1.2	-0.8	-40%
	Last Man Standing	Fox	1.2	-0.5	-29.4%
	Blue Bloods	CBS	1.2	-0.2	-14.3%
	Bull	CBS	1.2	-0.3	-20%
	SWAT	CBS	1.2	-0.3	-20%
	The Good Place	NBC	1.2	-0.4	-25%
49	The Simpsons	Fox	1.1	-0.3	-21.4%
	Dancing With the Stars	ABC	1.1	-0.1	-8.3%
	Hawaii Five-0	CBS	1.1	-0.2	-15.4%
	NCIS: Los Angeles	CBS	1.1	-0.2	-15.4%
	NCIS: New Orleans	CBS	1.1	-0.3	-21.4%
	Family Guy	Fox	1.1	-0.4	-26.7%
	Superstore	NBC	1.1	-0.3	-21.4%
	For Life	ABC	1.1	n/a
	How to Get Away With Murder	ABC	1.1	-0.4	-26.7%
	Stumptown	ABC	1.1	n/a
	Evil	CBS	1.1	n/a
	The Blacklist	NBC	1.1	-0.1	-8.3%
61	Who Wants to Be a Millionaire	ABC	1.0	n/a
	Bob Hearts Abishola	CBS	1.0	n/a
	Shark Tank	ABC	1.0	-0.1	-9.1%
	MacGyver	CBS	1.0	even
	Magnum P.I.	CBS	1.0	-0.3	-23.1%
	Man With a Plan	CBS	1.0	-0.1	-9.1%
	The Unicorn	CBS	1.0	n/a
	Bob’s Burgers	Fox	1.0	-0.4	-28.6%
	Songland	NBC	1.0	even
	American Housewife	ABC	1.0	-0.4	-28.6%
	Single Parents	ABC	1.0	-0.4	-28.6%
	Deputy	Fox	1.0	n/a
	Emergence	ABC	1.0	n/a
	Will & Grace	NBC	1.0	-0.5	-33.3%
75	Fox College Football	Fox	0.9	0.3	50%
	Bless the Harts	Fox	0.9	n/a
	America’s Funniest Home Videos	ABC	0.9	-0.1	-10%
	Bless This Mess	ABC	0.9	-0.2	-18.2%
	Schooled	ABC	0.9	-0.5	-35.7%
	Broke	CBS	0.9	n/a
	WWE Smackdown	Fox	0.9	n/a; on USA in 2018-19
	Black-ish	ABC	0.9	-0.3	-25%
	Mixed-ish	ABC	0.9	n/a
	All Rise	CBS	0.9	n/a
	Carol’s Second Act	CBS	0.9	n/a
	24 Hours to Hell and Back	Fox	0.9	-0.5	-35.7%
	Bluff City Law	NBC	0.9	n/a
	Brooklyn Nine-Nine	NBC	0.9	-0.3	-25%
	Good Girls	NBC	0.9	-0.2	-18.2%
90	Undercover Boss	CBS	0.8	n/a; last aired in 2016-17
	20/20	ABC	0.8	-0.1	-11.1%
	The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart	ABC	0.8	n/a
	God Friended Me	CBS	0.8	-0.4	-33.3%
	Outmatched	Fox	0.8	n/a
	Dateline – Friday	NBC	0.8	-0.1	-11.1%
	Lincoln Rhyme	NBC	0.8	n/a
	The Flash	CW	0.8	-0.4	-33.3%
98	NBA Saturday Primetime	ABC	0.7	-0.4	-36.4%
	The Baker and the Beauty	ABC	0.7	n/a
	The Great American Baking Show	ABC	0.7	-0.2	-22.2%
	Tommy	CBS	0.7	n/a
	Almost Family	Fox	0.7	n/a
	Fresh Off the Boat	ABC	0.7	-0.2	-22.2%
	Madam Secretary	CBS	0.7	-0.2	-22.2%
	Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist	NBC	0.7	n/a
106	Kids Say the Darndest Things	ABC	0.6	n/a
	Flirty Dancing	Fox	0.6	n/a
	The Wall	NBC	0.6	n/a; last aired in 2017-18
	Council of Dads	NBC	0.6	n/a
	Perfect Harmony	NBC	0.6	n/a
	Arrow	CW	0.6	even
	Supernatural	CW	0.6	-0.1	-14.3%
113	48 Hours	CBS	0.5	-0.1	-16.7%
	Duncanville	Fox	0.5	n/a
	Dateline Saturday Mystery	NBC	0.5	even
	Indebted	NBC	0.5	n/a
	Sunnyside	NBC	0.5	n/a
	Batwoman	CW	0.5	n/a
	Legacies	CW	0.5	-0.1	-16.7%
	Riverdale	CW	0.5	-0.2	-28.6%
	Supergirl	CW	0.5	-0.1	-16.7%
122	Little Big Shots	NBC	0.4	n/a; last aired summer 2018
	PBC Fight Night	Fox	0.4	n/a
	All American	CW	0.4	even
	Black Lightning	CW	0.4	-0.2	-33.3%
	Legends of Tomorrow	CW	0.4	-0.2	-33.3%
127	Charmed	CW	0.3	-0.3	-50%
	Whose Line Is It Anyway	CW	0.3	even
	Nancy Drew	CW	0.3	n/a
	Roswell, New Mexico	CW	0.3	-0.2	-40%
131	Dynasty	CW	0.2	even
	Katy Keene	CW	0.2	n/a
133	In the Dark	CW	0.1	-0.1	-50%

 

Total Viewers

				Vs. 2018-19
Rank	Show	Network	Viewers (millions)	Gain/loss	% Gain/loss
1	Sunday Night Football	NBC	20.09	1.15	6.1%
2	NCIS	CBS	15.34	-0.55	-3.5%
3	Thursday Night Football	Fox	15.05	0.62	4.3%
4	FBI	CBS	12.55	-0.13	-1%
5	Blue Bloods	CBS	11.96	-0.87	-6.8%
6	Chicago Fire	NBC	11.7	0.04	0.3%
7	This Is Us	NBC	11.55	-2.25	-16.3%
8	Young Sheldon	CBS	11.45	-3.27	-22.2%
9	Chicago PD	NBC	11.23	0.09	0.8%
10	Chicago Med	NBC	11.22	-0.04	-0.4%
11	The Good Doctor	ABC	10.82	-1.82	-14.4%
12	The Masked Singer	Fox	10.73	-0.84	-7.3%
13	Bull	CBS	10.61	-0.73	-6.4%
14	60 Minutes	CBS	10.46	-0.31	-2.9%
15	911	Fox	10.42	0.35	3.5%
16	The Voice – Monday	NBC	10.23	-0.52	-4.8%
17	FBI: Most Wanted	CBS	10.2	n/a
18	New Amsterdam	NBC	9.7	-1.35	-12.2%
19	Hawaii Five-0	CBS	9.68	-0.45	-4.4%
20	NCIS: New Orleans	CBS	9.58	-1.25	-11.5%
21	The Voice – Tuesday	NBC	9.53	-0.56	-5.6%
22	Grey’s Anatomy	ABC	9.39	-0.73	-7.2%
23	Survivor	CBS	9.3	-0.39	-4%
24	911: Lone Star	Fox	9.09	n/a
25	America’s Got Talent: Champions	NBC	8.92	-3.47	-28%
26	Magnum P.I.	CBS	8.91	0.55	6.6%
	NCIS: Los Angeles	CBS	8.91	-0.94	-9.5%
28	American Idol – Monday	ABC	8.54	0.54	6.7%
29	Mom	CBS	8.52	-1.8	-17.4%
	Station 19	ABC	8.52	0.86	11.2%
31	American Idol – Sunday	ABC	8.34	-0.76	-8.4%
32	The Rookie	ABC	8.19	-0.12	-1.4%
33	SEAL Team	CBS	8.02	-0.41	-4.9%
34	Criminal Minds	CBS	8.01	-0.21	-2.6%
35	The Bachelor	ABC	7.93	0.01	0.1%
36	Dancing With the Stars	ABC	7.84	-0.84	-9.7%
37	The Conners	ABC	7.73	-2.23	-22.4%
38	Manifest	NBC	7.7	-4.91	-38.9%
39	The Neighborhood	CBS	7.69	-0.3	-3.8%
	Tommy	CBS	7.69	n/a
41	All Rise	CBS	7.64	n/a
42	God Friended Me	CBS	7.62	-2.0	-20.8%
43	Bob Hearts Abishola	CBS	7.54	n/a
44	MacGyver	CBS	7.5	-0.2	-2.6%
45	Man With a Plan	CBS	7.37	0.95	14.8%
46	SWAT	CBS	7.27	-1.34	-15.6%
47	A Million Little Things	ABC	7.26	-0.52	-6.7%
48	Modern Family	ABC	7.1	-0.73	-9.3%
	The Unicorn	CBS	7.1	n/a
50	The Blacklist	NBC	6.88	-0.3	-4.2%
51	Broke	CBS	6.76	n/a
52	Madam Secretary	CBS	6.74	-1.38	-17%
53	The Resident	Fox	6.7	-1.04	-13.4%
54	Carol’s Second Act	CBS	6.59	n/a
55	Law & Order: SVU	NBC	6.46	-0.93	-12.6%
56	Who Wants to Be a Millionaire	ABC	6.41	n/a
57	Last Man Standing	Fox	6.4	-1.93	-23.2%
58	Deputy	Fox	6.34	n/a
59	Evil	CBS	6.29	n/a
60	Bluff City Law	NBC	6.24	n/a
61	Stumptown	ABC	5.96	n/a
62	Prodigal Son	Fox	5.83	n/a
63	Emergence	ABC	5.67	n/a
64	America’s Funniest Home Videos	ABC	5.65	-0.23	-3.9%
65	Lego Masters	Fox	5.6	n/a
66	Lincoln Rhyme	NBC	5.57	n/a
67	The Goldbergs	ABC	5.31	-1.07	-16.8%
68	The Masked Singer: After the Mask	Fox	5.29	n/a
69	Ellen’s Game of Games	NBC	5.26	-1.71	-24.5%
70	Shark Tank	ABC	4.95	0.1	2.1%
71	Saturday Night College Football	ABC	4.94	-0.28	-5.4%
72	Undercover Boss	CBS	4.92	n/a; last aired in 2016-17
73	Dateline – Friday	NBC	4.87	0.13	2.7%
74	Songland	NBC	4.82	-0.03	-0.6%
75	Bless This Mess	ABC	4.72	-0.57	-10.8%
76	American Housewife	ABC	4.48	-0.98	-17.9%
77	For Life	ABC	4.36	n/a
	20/20	ABC	4.36	-0.4	-8.4%
79	How to Get Away With Murder	ABC	4.27	-0.88	-17.1%
80	Empire	Fox	4.04	-2.33	-36.6%
	48 Hours	CBS	4.04	-0.41	-9.2%
82	Will & Grace	NBC	4.01	-1.3	-24.5%
83	Kids Say the Darndest Things	ABC	3.97	n/a
84	Schooled	ABC	3.93	-1.12	-22.2%
85	Council of Dads	NBC	3.9	n/a
86	The Great American Baking Show	ABC	3.88	-0.4	-9.3%
87	Mixed-ish	ABC	3.82	n/a
	Superstore	NBC	3.82	-0.48	-11.2%
89	The Baker and the Beauty	ABC	3.81	n/a
90	Black-ish	ABC	3.72	-0.8	-17.7%
91	Single Parents	ABC	3.63	-1.04	-22.3%
92	The Good Place	NBC	3.56	-1.01	-22.1%
93	Good Girls	NBC	3.42	-0.61	-15.1%
	The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart	ABC	3.42	n/a
95	The Wall	NBC	3.39	n/a; last aired in 2017-18
96	Dateline Saturday Mystery	NBC	3.32	-0.23	-6.5%
97	Outmatched	Fox	3.25	n/a
98	Fox College Football	Fox	3.21	1.04	47.9%
99	24 Hours to Hell and Back	Fox	3.14	-1.36	-30.2%
100	Fresh Off the Boat	ABC	3.12	-0.74	-19.2%
101	Little Big Shots	NBC	3.11	n/a; last aired summer 2018
102	Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist	NBC	3.06	n/a
103	The Simpsons	Fox	3.02	-0.65	-17.7%
104	Perfect Harmony	NBC	2.9	n/a
105	Brooklyn Nine-Nine	NBC	2.69	-0.52	-16.2%
106	WWE Smackdown	Fox	2.83	n/a; aired on USA in 2018-19
107	Family Guy	Fox	2.65	-0.73	-21.6%
108	Almost Family	Fox	2.51	n/a
109	Bless the Harts	Fox	2.44	n/a
110	Bob’s Burgers	Fox	2.43	-0.75	-23.6%
111	NBA Saturday Primetime	ABC	2.39	-1.08	-31.1%
112	Flirty Dancing	Fox	2.31	n/a
113	The Flash	CW	2.23	-0.89	-28.5%
114	Indebted	NBC	2.09	n/a
115	Sunnyside	NBC	1.93	n/a
116	Supernatural	CW	1.86	-0.45	-19.5%
117	Batwoman	CW	1.61	n/a
118	Supergirl	CW	1.58	-0.5	-24%
119	PBC Fight Night	Fox	1.54	n/a
120	Arrow	CW	1.52	-0.34	-18.3%
121	Legacies	CW	1.41	-0.28	-16.6%
122	Riverdale	CW	1.35	-0.61	-31.1%
	Legends of Tomorrow	CW	1.35	-0.33	-19.6%
124	Duncanville	Fox	1.3	n/a
125	Roswell, New Mexico	CW	1.29	-0.56	-30.3%
126	Nancy Drew	CW	1.25	n/a
127	All American	CW	1.18	0.12	11.3%
128	Whose Line Is It Anyway	CW	1.15	0.05	4.5%
129	Charmed	CW	1.1	-0.52	-32.1%
130	Black Lightning	CW	1.09	-0.53	-32.7%
131	In the Dark	CW	0.64	-0.32	-33.3%
	Katy Keene	CW	0.64	n/a
133	Dynasty	CW	0.59	-0.21	-26.3%

Source: Nielsen.