Rankings are out for the 2016-17 TV season and the NFL still rules
Despite all the attention that streaming services and premium cable channels attract with their critically-beloved shows, broadcast television still manages to attract the most viewers in the ever-growing TV universe. Say what you will about the genius of a 13 Reasons Why or a Game of Thrones, but the ultimate demonstration of a show’s overall impact is how many people watch it.
So what shows kept you tuning in to the Big Four networks during the traditional September-to-May season that ends Wednesday night? As the chart below shows, you’re still digging the Caltech nerds while This is Us kept you engaged (and weepy) on a weekly basis.
1. NFL Football (NBC) — 20.1 million
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) — 18.8 million
3. NCIS (CBS) — 18.0 million
4. NFL Thursday Night Football (NBC) — 17.1 million
5. NFL Sunday Night Pre-Kick (NBC) — 15.2 million
6. Bull (CBS) — 15.1 million
7. NFL Thursday Night Football (CBS) — 14.7 million
8. This Is Us (NBC) — 14.7 million
9. Blue Bloods (CBS) — 14 million
10. OT (Fox) — 13.6 million
11. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) — 13.0 million
12. NCIS: LA (CBS) — 12.4 million
13. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) — 12.4 million
14. The Voice (NBC) — 12.4 million
15. 60 Minutes (CBS) — 12.3 million
16. Hawaii Five-O (CBS) — 12 million
17. The Voice Tuesday (NBC) — 11.8 million
18. Designated Survivor (ABC) — 11.5 million
19. Football Night in America (NBC) — 10.9 million
20. Madam Secretary (CBS) — 10.8 million
21. Criminal Minds (CBS) — 10.7 million
22. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) — 10.6 million
23. Scorpion (CBS) — 10.4 million
24. Survivor (CBS) — 10.35 million
25. Empire (Fox) — 10.31 million
26. Little Big Shots (NBC) — 10.24 million
27. NCIS encore (CBS) — 9.81 million
28. MacGyver (CBS) — 9.8 million
29. Chicago Fire (NBC) — 9.6 million
30. The Big Bang Theory encore (CBS) — 9.3 million
31. Chicago Med (NBC) — 9.36 million
32. Mom (CBS) — 9.35 million
33. Code Black (CBS) — 9.23 million
34. Kevin Can Wait (CBS) — 9.19 million
35. The Bachelor (ABC) — 8.98 million
36. The Blacklist (NBC) — 8.97 million
37. Lethal Weapon (Fox) — 8.63 million
38. Modern Family (ABC) — 8.62 million
39. The Great Indoors (CBS) — 8.39 million
40. Chicago PD (NBC) — 8.29 million
41. Chicago Justice — (8.23 million)
42. Life in Pieces (CBS) — 8.05 million
43. Last Man Standing (ABC) — 8.05 million
44. Timeless (NBC) — 7.98 million
45. Pure Genius (CBS) — 7.93 million
46. How to Get Away with Murder (ABC) — 7.98 million
47. Big Brother Wednesday (CBS) — 7.87 million
48. Bull encore (CBS) — 7.76 million
49. Scandal (ABC) — 7.73 million
50. Man with a Plan (CBS) — 7.34 million