The 41 most popular TV shows of the last year, according to Nielsen ratings
Travis Clark
- The most watched shows of the 2019-2020 TV season, according to Nielsen ratings, are largely an assortment of familiar network dramas and sitcoms.
- But ESPN's acclaimed docuseries "The Last Dance" also snagged a spot and was especially popular among adults aged 18 to 49.
- Business Insider broke down the 41 most popular TV shows of the season.
Nielsen's most watched TV shows of the 2019-2020 season — from the fall until now — is largely a collection of familiar network procedurals and sitcoms, from "The Conners" to "NCIS."
But ESPN's hit Chicago Bulls docuseries, "The Last Dance," stands out. The series was watched by more than 6 million viewers, according to Nielsen, and cracked the top five in the ratings for adults aged 18-49.
ESPN said earlier this month that "The Last Dance" was its most watched documentary of all time. The first two episodes were the two most watched original broadcasts across ESPN's networks since 2004.
The rest of the list is dominated by CBS, with shows like "Yong Sheldon" and "Bull," followed by NBC, particularly with its fan-favorite "Chicago" franchise.
Fox was the biggest loser on the list of most watched shows, with just two programs: "9-1-1" and its spinoff, "Lone Star."
We ranked the top shows by total viewers according to Nielsen and excluded reality competition series and live sporting events. The list only includes linear TV programming in the US, not streaming shows on services like Netflix.
Below are the 41 most watched shows of the 2019-2020 TV season, according to Nielsen:
Read the original article on Business Insider41. "The Last Dance" (ESPN)
Viewers: 6.71 million
Description: "The 10 part documentary chronicles the untold story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' dynasty."
40. "Madam Secretary" (CBS)
Viewers: 6.74 million
Description: "Madam Secretary stars Téa Leoni as Elizabeth McCord, the shrewd, determined, newly elected president of the United States. After successfully serving as secretary of state for five years, Elizabeth now holds the highest office in the land with the help of her team."
39. "The Blacklist" (NBC)
Viewers: 6.91 million
Description: "After being abducted by Katarina Rostova, Raymond 'Red' Reddington (James Spader) finds himself alone in hostile territory, unsure of who, if anyone, he can trust."
38. "Broke" (CBS)
Viewers: 6.92 million
Description: "Broke is a comedy about Jackie, a single suburban mother who's shocked when her estranged sister, Elizabeth; her sister's outrageously wealthy, big-hearted, Latin husband, Javier; and Javier's fiercely loyal assistant/driver/friend land on her doorstep in need of a place to live after the couple's money dries up."
37. "The Unicorn" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.095 million
Description: "The Unicorn is a single-camera comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who help Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his 'new normal' in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago."
36. "Modern Family" (ABC)
Viewers: 7.099 million
Description: "The blended Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan gives us an honest, hilarious look into the warm, twisted modern family."
35. "S.W.A.T." (CBS)
Viewers: 7.25 million
Description: "Inspired by the television series and the feature film, S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant, tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles."
34. "A Million Little Things" (ABC)
Viewers: 7.26 million
Description: "A group of friends struggling in life get a wake-up call to finally start living after one of them dies unexpectedly."
33. "Man with a Plan" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.47 million
Description: "Man With A Plan stars Golden Globe winner Matt LeBlanc in a comedy about an old-school guy confronting the modern challenges of parenting, marriage, and family."
32. "MacGyver" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.5 million
Description: "MacGyver, a reimagining of the classic series, is an action-adventure drama about 20-something Angus 'Mac' MacGyver, who creates a clandestine organization within the U.S. government where he uses his extraordinary talent for unconventional problem solving and vast scientific knowledge to save lives."
31. "Bob Hearts Abishola" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.54 million
Description: "From award-winning creator, executive producer and writer Chuck Lorre, Bob Hearts Abishola is a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman from Detroit who unexpectedly falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and sets his sights on winning her over."
30. "God Friended Me" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.61 million
Description: "God Friended Me is an uplifting drama about an outspoken atheist whose life is turned upside-down when he receives a friend request on social media from 'God' and unwittingly becomes an agent of change in the lives and destinies of others around him."
29. "All Rise" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.64 million
Description: "All Rise is a courthouse drama that follows the chaotic, hopeful, and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors, and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks, and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process."
28. "Tommy" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.685 million
Description: "Multiple Emmy Award winner Edie Falco stars in Tommy as a former high-ranking NYPD officer who becomes the first female chief of police for Los Angeles."
27. "The Neighborhood" (CBS)
Viewers: 7.694 million
Description: "The Neighborhood stars Cedric the Entertainer in a comedy about what happens when the friendliest guy in the Midwest moves his family to a neighborhood in Los Angeles where not everyone looks like him or appreciates his extreme neighborliness."
26. "Manifest" (NBC)
Viewers: 7.698 million
Description: "When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely after a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. Yet in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years and their friends, families and colleagues, after mourning their loss, had given up hope and moved on."
25. "The Conners" (ABC)
Viewers: 7.73 million
Description: "The Conners grapple with parenthood, dating, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America."
24. "Criminal Minds" (CBS)
Viewers: 8 million
Description: "Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again."
23. "SEAL Team" (CBS)
Viewers: 8.02 million
Description: "SEAL Team is a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan, and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them."
22. "The Rookie" (ABC)
Viewers: 8.18 million
Description: "Six months into his career as a cop, John Nolan will be put to the test as he looks to figure out what kind of cop he ultimately wants to be."
21. "Mom" (CBS)
Viewers: 8.52 million
Description: "Anna Faris and Emmy and Academy Award winner Allison Janney star in this funny and often heart-wrenching comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre. After years of questionable choices, Christy is now sober and has her life mostly back on track, although she's continually tested by her mother, Bonnie. Together, mother and daughter work to overcome their mistakes and build a better future for their family."
20. "Station 19" (ABC)
Viewers: 8.55 million
Description: "A group of heroic Seattle firefighters risk their lives and hearts both in the line of duty and off the clock."
19. "NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
Viewers: 8.913 million
Description: "NCIS: Los Angeles is a drama about the high-stakes world of a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals, who pose a threat to the nation's security."
18. "Magnum P.I." (CBS)
Viewers: 8.914 million
Description: "Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centering on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator."
17. "9-1-1: Lone Star" (Fox)
Viewers: 9.08 million
Description: "Nearly 20 years ago, Owen Strand was the lone survivor of his Manhattan firehouse on 9/11. In the wake of the attack, Owen had the unenviable task of rebuilding his station. After a similar tragedy happens to a firehouse in Austin, Owen, along with his troubled firefighter son, T.K., takes his progressive philosophies of life and firefighting down to Texas, where he helps them start anew."
16. "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
Viewers: 9.39 million
Description: "The medical drama follows the personal and professional lives of the doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital."
15. "NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
Viewers: 9.58 million
Description: "NCIS: New Orleans is a drama about the local field office that investigates criminal cases involving military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment, and decadence."
14. "Hawai'i Five-0" (CBS)
Viewers: 9.68 million
Description: "Hawaii Five-0 is a contemporary take on the classic series about an elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the islands' sun-drenched beaches."
13. "New Amsterdam" (NBC)
Viewers: 9.7 million
Description: "Medical director Dr. Max Goodwin grieves the death of his wife, Georgia, and learns the difficulties of being a single parent - all the while continuing his commitment to solve systemic health care issues at the hospital."
12. "FBI: Most Wanted" (CBS)
Viewers: 10.2 million
Description: "From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind FBI and the Law & Order franchise, FBI: Most Wanted is a high-stakes drama that focuses on the Fugitive Task Force, which relentlessly tracks and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau's Most Wanted list."
11. "9-1-1" (Fox)
Viewers: 10.42 million
Description: "Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear reimagine the procedural drama with '9-1-1.' The series explores the high-pressure experiences of first responders -- including police officers, firefighters and dispatchers -- who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations."
10. "Bull" (CBS)
Viewers: 10.6 million
Description: "Bull stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial-consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash, and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition, and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses, and the accused tick."
9. "The Good Doctor" (ABC)
Viewers: 10.8 million
Description: "A young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome uses his extraordinary gifts to save lives and challenge skepticism."
8. "Chicago Med" (NBC)
Viewers: 11.22 million
Description: "From Emmy Award-winning executive producer Dick Wolf (the 'Law & Order' and 'Chicago' franchises), 'Chicago Med' is an emotional thrill ride through the day-to-day chaos of the city's newest state-of-the-art trauma center and into the lives of the courageous doctors, nurses and staff who hold it all together."
7. "Chicago PD" (NBC)
Viewers: 11.23 million
Description: "From multiple Emmy Award-winning executive producer Dick Wolf and the team behind the hit series 'Chicago Fire,' 'Chicago P.D.' is a riveting police drama about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department's elite Intelligence Unit, combatting the city's most heinous offenses - organized crime, drug trafficking, high-profile murders and beyond."
6. "Young Sheldon" (CBS)
Viewers: 11.45 million
Description: "For young Sheldon Cooper, it isn't easy growing up in East Texas. Being a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science isn't always helpful in a land where church and football are king. And while the vulnerable, gifted and somewhat naïve Sheldon deals with the world, his very normal family must find a way to deal with him."
5. "This Is Us" (NBC)
Viewers: 11.55 million
Description: "Everyone has a family. And every family has a story. 'This Is Us' chronicles the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) as young parents in the 1980s to their 37-year-old kids, Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) searching for love and fulfillment in the present day."
4. "Chicago Fire" (NBC)
Viewers: 11.7 million
Description: "An edge-of-your-seat view into the lives of everyday heroes committed to one of America's noblest professions. The firefighters, rescue squad and paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51 risk their lives week in and week out to save and protect the citizens of their incredible city."
3. "Blue Bloods" (CBS)
Viewers: 11.96 million
Description: "Blue Bloods is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner, and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood."
2. "FBI" (CBS)
Viewers: 12.55 million
Description: "From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the Law & Order franchise, FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
1. "NCIS" (CBS)
Viewers: 15.3 million
Description: "NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it's a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a former Marine gunnery sergeant whose skills as an investigator are unmatched, leads this troupe of colorful personalities."
READ MORE ARTICLES ON
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement