CBS had the most shows in this week’s overall top twenty with eleven, followed by ABC with seven. Fox and NBC had but one each. Both Fox and NBC fared much better among 18-49 year olds than the overall population. NBC landed four shows in the 18-49 top twenty that did not make the overall top twenty: Heroes (#7), The Office (#8), The SNL Weekend Update special (#9), and Gorman favorite, Law & Order: SVU (#18). Additionally, ER was the #21 show among 18-49 year olds.
Fox placed three shows in the 18-49 top twenty that were not in the overall top twenty: Family Guy (#6) Fringe (#12), and The Simpsons (#15). Additionally Fox placed King of the Hill (#22) and American Dad (#27) among the top twenty-seven shows among 18-49 year olds (that’s all we saw ranked data for this week).
Though CBS dominated the list below, four of its eleven shows listed did not rank among the top twenty-seven shows among 18-49 year olds. But to give credit where it’s due, it placed two shows on the 18-49 list that were not in the list below: How I Met Your Mother (#14), and The Big Bang Theory (#20). The disparity between the overall top twenty and the 18-49 top twenty is growing as the season progresses. You can see the full 18-49 year old top twenty here.
Why the focus on 18-49 year olds? That’s what seems to pay the bills at most of the networks, plus we get the ranked data. While we’re pretty sure that the shows in the overall top 20 are all safe for now, from the point of view of the networks, the overall top twenty seems more about bragging rights than anything else. But here they are anyway!
Nielsen Top Twenty Shows by viewers for the week ending 10/19/08:
| Rank | Shows | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH RATING (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) | # OF HOMES (LIVE+SD) (000) | 18-49 Rank |
| 1 | CSI | CBS | 19,275 | 11.8 | 18 | 13,566 | 5 |
| 2 | NCIS | CBS | 18,038 | 11.2 | 17 | 12,839 | 17 |
| 3 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 17,765 | 11.7 | 17 | 13,370 | 11 |
| 4 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 15,485 | 9.7 | 14 | 11,126 | 2 |
| 5 | MENTALIST, THE | CBS | 14,935 | 9.4 | 14 | 10,759 | 23 |
| 6 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 14,816 | 9.6 | 14 | 11,014 | 26 |
| 7 | GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 14,803 | 9.6 | 14 | 11,001 | 1 |
| 8 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 14,719 | 9.0 | 13 | 10,294 | 3 |
| 9 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 14,533 | 9.4 | 15 | 10,720 | 25 |
| 10 | HOUSE | FOX | 13,269 | 8.2 | 13 | 9,412 | 4 |
| 11 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 13,217 | 8.7 | 14 | 9,913 | 13 |
| 12 | SURVIVOR: GABON | CBS | 12,807 | 7.8 | 13 | 8,935 | 10 |
| 13 | ELEVENTH HOUR | CBS | 11,907 | 7.8 | 13 | 8,876 | |
| 14 | SAMANTHA WHO? | ABC | 11,446 | 7.7 | 11 | 8,831 | |
| 15 | COLD CASE | CBS | 11,288 | 7.4 | 11 | 8,506 | |
| 16 | WITHOUT A TRACE | CBS | 11,051 | 7.3 | 12 | 8,395 | |
| 17 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P | ABC | 10,912 | 6.5 | 10 | 7,392 | 19 |
| 18 | AMAZING RACE 13 | CBS | 10,294 | 6.4 | 10 | 7,356 | |
| 19 | NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | 10,014 | 6.3 | 10 | 7,170 | 16 |
| 20 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 9,818 | 6.6 | 11 | 7,523 | 24 |
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved
All numbers above based on live plus same day DVR viewing.
October 21st, 2008 at 3:48 pm
How would the big Satruday Night Live show on Saturday have compared to this list if it were ranked in the prrime time? (and explain to me one more time why it isn’t?)
October 21st, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Brooke Burke is the only reason to watch DWTS
October 21st, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Phil, it’s hard to say exactly because I didn’t see full details of the SNL numbers but from what I could tell it would’ve ranked fourth on this list in terms of household rating.
SNL is not on this list because this list only measures broadcast shows airing in primetime
October 21st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Phil, These are broadcast prime time shows. Saturday Night LIve is a late night show.
We don’t get late night ratings from Nielsen, but we regularly see them in press releases.
The 10/18 SNL averaged a 10.7 household rating, so it did better than all but 3 prime time shows.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Excellent! Thanks, guys. I guess I’ve always been a bit surprised over all thes yeasrs that these ratings don’t count “Prime Time Type” entertainment that happens outside of 8-11 PM. But….what do I know.
October 21st, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Hi, where is the most recent Renew Cancel Index? I’ve been anxious all week! Thanks.
October 21st, 2008 at 9:26 pm
is this NCIS most watched episode ever???????????????
I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY IT GETS SO MANY VIEWERS!!!!!!! I THINK IT’S SUCH A BORING SHOW
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
At least someone is beating Circus With The Stars…
I score Circus With The Stars a 0.0
CSI – great season so far and its been only 2 episodes!!!!
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Hmmm – I’m also noticing with the trend of viewership falling-
Sarah Connor Chronicles can’t be far below the TOP 20 shows –
About only a little over 1 million viewers short…curious!
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Brooke Burke on Dancing with the Stars has a body to die for.
I’m amazed by her body and whole being. It’s not human.
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Just for the sake of trivia, Phil, the original cast of SNL billed themselves as “The Not Ready for Prime Time Players.”
October 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Dianne, that’s amazing. I don’t watch any of these shows. I hope they all burn.