One of the most important aspects of television is the ratings each show receives on a weekly basis. As I have stated in years past, many can argue that the Nielson ratings are flawed and in desperate need of an overhaul; yet the industry still greatly relies on these tallies every day. And while the industry continues to believe that the only numbers that matter are for the 18 to 49 year-old adults, I hold firm to the belief that the overall millions of viewers are what truly make a difference.
With that thought in mind, and as I have done for years, I conducted my own ratings research, covering dramatic programming on the major and cable networks from January to mid-December. Please note these numbers are the overall average of viewers for each show based on early overnight numbers divided by the number of episodes aired within the time frame, as referenced below. Please remember that I cover only dramatic programming on the major and cable networks.
First of all, the following is a list (from highest to lowest) of all the dramas from the major networks that aired during the last half of the 2011-2012 TV season, covering January through May 2012 (mainly from mid-season to the season finales in May):
NCIS (CBS) – 18.8 million
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 14.3 million
Person of Interest (CBS) – 14 million
The Mentalist (CBS) – 13.1 million
Criminal Minds (CBS) – 11.4 million
CSI (CBS) – 11.3 million
Blue Bloods (CBS) – 11 million
Unforgettable (CBS) – 10.8 million *
Castle (ABC) – 10.6 million
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – 10.2 million
The Good Wife (CBS) – 10.1 million
CSI: Miami (CBS) – 9.7 million *
CSI: NY (CBS) and Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) [TIE] – 9.6 million
Once Upon a Time (ABC) – 9.3 million
A Gifted Man (CBS) – 9 million *
Desperate Housewives (ABC) – 8.6 million *
Body of Proof (ABC) – 8 million
Harry’s Law (NBC) – 7.7 million *
Missing (ABC) – 7.5 million *
Revenge (ABC) and Bones (FOX) – 7.4 million
Scandal (ABC) – 7.2 million
Private Practice (ABC) – 7 million
Touch (FOX) – 6.9 million
Smash (NBC) – 6.8 million
House (FOX) * and Glee (FOX) – 6.5 million
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – 6.2 million
GCB (ABC) – 6 million *
Alcatraz (FOX) – 5.9 million *
The Finder (FOX) – 5.5 million *
Grimm (NBC) – 4.9 million
Parenthood (NBC) – 4.8 million
NYC 22 (CBS) – 4.6 million *
The River (ABC) – 4.2 million *
Prime Suspect (NBC) – 4 million *
Chuck (NBC) – 3.8 million *
Pan Am (ABC) – 3.7 million *
Awake (NBC) – 3.3 million *
Fringe (FOX) – 3.1 million
The Vampire Diaries (The CW) and The Firm (NBC) * [TIE] – 2.6 million
Supernatural (The CW) – 1.7 million
The Secret Circle (The CW) – 1.6 million *
Nikita (The CW) and One Tree Hill (The CW) * – 1.5 million
Hart of Dixie (The CW) – 1.4 million
90210 (The CW) – 1.3 million
Gossip Girl (The CW) and Ringer (The CW) * – 1.2 million
The L.A. Complex (The CW) * – 590,000 viewers
* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
NOTE: Unforgettable was cancelled by CBS only to be brought back after the fact with plans to have new episodes airing sometime in 2013.
During that same approximate time period – January to roughly mid-June 2011 – a large number of cable dramas aired new episodes – and they are listed in order of their overall viewership (highest to lowest):
The Walking Dead (AMC) – 7.5 million
Game of Thrones (HBO) – 3.8 million
Royal Pains (USA) – 3.4 million
In Plain Sight (USA) – 3.3 million *
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family), Fairly Legal (USA) * and White Collar (USA) [TIE] – 2.8 million
Army Wives (Lifetime) – 2.7 million
Psych (USA) – 2.6 million
Hell on Wheels (AMC) and The Client List (Lifetime) [TIE] – 2.5 million
Justified (FX) and Leverage (TNT) * [TIE] – 2.4 million
Mad Men (AMC) – 2.3 million
Southland (TNT) – 1.9 million
Switched at Birth (ABC Family) and Merlin (Syfy) [TIE] – 1.7 million
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family) and Eureka (Syfy) * [TIE] – 1.6 million
Being Human (Syfy) – 1.5 million
Spartacus: Vengeance (Starz), Breakout Kings (A&E) *, The Killing (AMC) * and The Lying Game (ABC Family) [TIE] – 1.4 million
Lost Girl (Syfy), Make It or Break It (ABC Family) * and Jane By Design (ABC Family) * [TIE] – 1.2 million
The Borgias (Showtime) – 574,000 viewers
Luck (HBO) * – 564,000 viewers
Magic City (Starz) – 416,000 viewers
* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
NOTE: The Killing was cancelled by AMC only to be brought back after the fact with plans to have a new season airing sometime in 2013.
As we move into the summer months, the following list shows all the dramas from both the major and cable networks that aired from approximately late May to mid-October in order of their overall viewership (highest to lowest):
The Closer (TNT) – 6.5 million *
Rookie Blue (ABC) – 5.7 million
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT) – 5.4 million
Major Crimes (TNT) and True Blood (HBO) – 4.7 million
Burn Notice (USA) – 4.4 million
Perception (TNT) – 4.2 million
Longmire (A&E) – 4 million
Royal Pains (USA) – 3.9 million
Suits (USA) – 3.8 million
Dallas (TNT) – 3.7 million
Covert Affairs (USA) – 3.4 million
White Collar (USA) and Falling Skies (TNT) [TIE] – 3.3 million
Army Wives (Lifetime) – 3.2 million
Saving Hope (NBC) * and The Glades (A&E) [TIE] – 3 million
Franklin & Bash (TNT) – 2.9 million
Necessary Roughness (USA) – 2.7 million
Leverage (TNT) * and Breaking Bad (AMC) – 2.6 million
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) – 2.5 million
Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime) – 2.3 million
Common Law (USA) * – 2.1 million
The Newsroom (HBO) – 2 million
Warehouse 13 (Syfy) – 1.7 million
Teen Wolf (MTV) – 1.6 million
The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Bunheads (both on ABC Family) and Alphas (Syfy) [TIE] – 1.4 million
Jane By Design (ABC Family) * – 1.3 million
Lost Girl (Syfy) – 1.2 million
The L.A. Complex (The CW) * – 572,000 viewers
* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
Next, we have the ratings results for all of the dramas that aired on the major networks for the first part of the 2012-2013 TV season, covering September to approximately mid-December (highest to lowest):
NCIS (CBS) – 18.2 million
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 15.5 million
Person of Interest (CBS) – 14.3 million
Criminal Minds (CBS) – 11.8 million
Vegas and Elementary (both on CBS) [TIE] – 11 million
Blue Bloods (CBS) – 10.7 million
CSI (CBS) – 10.6 million
Castle (ABC) – 10.5 million
The Mentalist (CBS) – 9.6 million
CSI: NY (CBS), Once Upon a Time (ABC) and The Good Wife (CBS) [TIE] – 9.5 million
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 9.4 million
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – 8.8 million
Revolution (NBC) – 8.5 million
Revenge (ABC) – 8.2 million
Bones (FOX) – 7.3 million
Scandal (ABC) – 6.7 million
Last Resort (ABC) – 6.6 million * (the remaining 3 episodes will air in early 2013)
Nashville (ABC) – 6.5 million
Glee (FOX) and Chicago Fire (NBC) [TIE] – 6.1 million
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – 5.5 million
Grimm (NBC) – 5.2 million
Parenthood (NBC) – 4.9 million
666 Park Avenue (ABC) – 4.8 million * (the remaining 4 episodes may air in summer 2013)
Private Practice (ABC) – 4.7 million
The Mob Doctor (FOX) – 3.7 million * (2 more episodes will air on December 29 and 31)
Arrow (The CW) – 3.6 million
The Vampire Diaries (The CW) – 2.9 million
Fringe (FOX) – 2.8 million * (the show will air its 2-hour series finale on January 18)
Supernatural (The CW) – 2.2 million
Beauty And the Beast (The CW) – 2.1 million
Hart of Dixie (The CW) – 1.4 million
Emily Owens, M.D. (The CW) – 1.3 million * (the remaining 6 episodes will air in early 2013)
90210 (The CW) and Nikita (The CW) [TIE] – 1 million
Gossip Girl (The CW) – 785,000 viewers *
* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR THE 2012-2013 TV SEASON:
1. The CBS drama Made In Jersey aired only two episodes this fall before it was cancelled; however, the episodes that were filmed prior to the cancellation aired as burn-off on Saturdays during the fall. The ratings for that series were not included above simply because of its quick cancellation;
2. A special airing of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, the much buzzed about internet series created by Joss Whedon, finally aired on The CW on October 9; but it earned a disappointing 570,000 viewers;
3. A special airing of Mockingbird Lane, the reboot of the classic TV comedy The Munsters from the mind of Bryan Fuller (that did not receive a series pick-up by the network) aired on NBC on October 2, earning a respectful 5.4 million viewers;
4. Pretty Little Liars aired another Halloween episode on October 23 on ABC Family, earning 2.8 million viewers;
5. A special two-hour special episode of Royal Pains, focusing on the wedding of Evan and Paige, aired on December 16, earning 3.2 million viewers;
6. The annual Doctor Who Christmas special aired on BBC America on Christmas Day, earning 1.4 million viewers; and,
7. A holiday special of Call the Midwife will air on PBS on December 31, making it impossible to include the ratings due to the fact this report had to be posted before the airdate.
Lastly, the cable networks aired a number of their summer shows during the fall as well as debuting one new show, competing against the major network shows. The following is a list of how those shows performed in the overall ratings over the course of mid-August to mid-December (highest to lowest):
The Walking Dead (AMC) – 10.1 million
Sons of Anarchy (FX) – 4.4 million
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT) – 4 million
American Horror Story: Asylum (FX) – 2.7 million
Covert Affairs (USA Network) – 2.5 million
Burn Notice (USA Network) – 2.4 million
Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Dexter (Showtime) and Leverage * (TNT) [TIE] – 2.3 million
Hell on Wheels (AMC) – 2.1 million
Homeland (Showtime) – 2 million
Switched at Birth (ABC Family) and Haven (Syfy) – 1.6 million
Copper (BBC America) – 692,000 viewers
Treme (HBO) – 533,000 viewers
Boss (Starz) – 363,000 viewers *
Strike Back (Cinemax) – 255,000 viewers
Hunted (Cinemax) – 157,000 viewers *
* denotes those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR THE FALL CABLE SERIES:
1. The overall rating for Strike Back is an approximated average, as not all of the ratings for the current season could be tracked down; and,
2. The final two episodes of the current season of Haven will actually air on January 17.
It should be noted that the following cable series aired throughout 2012, but their overall ratings were difficult, if not impossible, to track down:
Bedlam – BBC America
Being Human – BBC America
Doctor Who – BBC America
Inside Men – BBC America
The Fades – BBC America
The Hour – BBC America
White Heat – BBC America
Whitechapel – BBC America
Damages – DirecTV
XIII The Series – Reelz Channel
The final analyses of all these ratings for both the major and cable networks for the entire year are as follows:
1. CBS is still the number one most watched network with NCIS and its spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles, once again, being the highest rated dramas for the entire year of 2012 and CBS has the most dramas in the top 20 over all the other networks;
2. The top new drama of the fall season goes to CBS with both Vegas and Elementary winning as highest rated new series; but the new drama Arrow on The CW broke records for that network and Revolution on NBC helped launch the network into top place for the first time in years;
3. Castle has, once again, won the year as the top drama on ABC with Last Resort being the top rated new fall drama for the network; but sadly, that series will end after its initial 13-episode first season order;
4. NBC saw a marked improvement in their ratings in the 2012-2013 TV season actually winning the ratings race over the first three weeks of the season and winning November sweeps for the first time in 9 years;
5. FOX had a lackluster year to say the least with Touch behind the highest rated series during the early part of the year and Bones winning for the fall season; sadly, very little else has succeeded on FOX for the entire year;
6. For the past few seasons, The Vampire Diaries has been the top rated show for the network, which was the case for the earlier part of the year, but this fall the new series Arrow has taken its place; and the real competition will be to see which of the following shows will survive the 2012-2013 season: Beauty And the Beast, Hart of Dixie or 90210; and
7. It is apparent that The Walking Dead on AMC has far-outdistanced all other cable shows, becoming the first cable series to beat every other show of the fall season in adults from 18 to 49 years of age and Major Crimes on TNT being the highest rated new show of the summer; it should also be noted that TNT was the most watched network for the entire year, even beating out the USA Network for that accolade.
And, for the first time in all the years of my putting together these year-end reports, I am including a list of the majority of the made-for-TV movies and/or mini-series that aired during 2012, ranked highest to lowest for overall ratings. They are as follows (based on those for which ratings could be tracked down):
Hatfield & McCoys (History) [3-part] – 13.8 million
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (CBS) – 12.8 million
Firelight and Christmas with Holly (both on ABC) [TIE] – 7.7 million
Smile As Big As the Moon (ABC) – 6.9 million
Steel Magnolias (Lifetime) – 6.5 million
Drew Peterson: Untouchable (Lifetime) – 5.8 million
Let It Shine (Disney) – 5.7 million
Girl vs. Monster (Disney) – 4.9 million
Downton Abbey (PBS) [7-part] – 4.6 million (approximate average)
Radio Rebel (Disney) – 4.3 million
Frenemies (Disney) 4.2 million
Abducted: The Carlina White Story (Lifetime) – 4.1 million
Help for the Holidays (Hallmark) – 3.6 million
Liz & Dick (Lifetime) – 3.5 million
A Bride for Christmas, The Christmas Heart and Matchmaker Santa (all on Hallmark) [TIE] – 3.3 million
The Mistle-Tones (ABC Family) and Baby’s First Christmas (Hallmark) [TIE] – 3.2 million
Come Dance with Me (Hallmark) – 3.1 million
A Golden Christmas 3 (ION) – 3 million
Hitched for the Holidays (Hallmark) – 2.8 million
Seal Team Six: The Hunt for Osama bin Laden (National Geographic) and Chasing Leprechauns (Hallmark) [TIE] – 2.7 million
A Taste of Romance and Naughty or Nice (both on Hallmark) and Home Alone: Holiday Heist (ABC Family [TIE] – 2.6 million
A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (ABC Family); Notes from the Heart Healer and The Wishing Tree (both on Hallmark) [TIE] – 2.5 million
Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island (Syfy), Undercover Bridesmaid (Hallmark) and An Officer and a Murderer (Lifetime) [TIE] – 2.4 million
Love at the Thanksgiving Parade and It’s Christmas, Carol (both on Hallmark) [TIE] – 2.3 million
Swamp Volcano (Syfy), Kiss at Pine Lake and Christmas Song (both on Hallmark) [TIE] – 2.2 million
Game Change (HBO), Political Animals (USA) [6-parts], The Good Witch’s Charm (Hallmark), The Merry In-Laws (Lifetime) and 12 Disasters of Christmas (Syfy) [TIE] – 2.1 million
Love at the Christmas Table, Fatal Honeymoon, The Real St. Nick and Killer Among Us (all on Lifetime) [TIE] – 2 million
The Philadelphia Experiment (Syfy) and The Eleventh Victim (Lifetime) 1.9 million
Puppy Love (Hallmark); Coma (A&E) [2-parts] and Finding Mrs. Claus (Lifetime) [TIE] – 1.7 million
The Christmas Consultant (Lifetime) – 1.6 million
Boogeyman (Syfy) and Last Hours in Suburbia and All About Christmas Eve (both on Lifetime) [TIE] – 1.5 million
Ghost Storm (Syfy), Fixing Pete and How to Fall in Love (both on Hallmark); The March Sisters at Christmas and Holiday High School Reunion (both on Lifetime) [TIE] – 1.4 million
Rise of Zombies (Syfy) – 1.3 million
Haunted High and Pegasus vs. Chimera (both on Syfy) and Left to Die (Lifetime) [TIE] – 1.2 million
Aladdin & the Death Lamp (Syfy) and Holiday Spin (Lifetime) [TIE] – 1.1 million
Smart Cookies (Hallmark) – 1 million
The Girl (HBO) – 722,000 viewers
The Music Teacher (Hallmark) – 688,000 viewers
Hemingway & Gelhorn (HBO) – 548,000 viewers
Crimson Petal & the White (Encore) [2-parts] – 214,000 viewers
What shows, made-for-TV movies and/or mini-series have you enjoyed the most throughout the year? Please share.
FINAL NOTE: Please note that I do not include DVR ratings, online viewership (etc.) because those numbers – while helpful for the networks to know just how many people are actually watching their shows (and in essence making the advertisers happy) – are not seen as essential because none of these viewing options provide advertising money to the networks.
NOTE: I apologize in advance for any omissions, spelling errors or oversights I may have made, but I don’t apologize for any of the choices I made.
TOMORROW: Faces of 2012
Rueben's Ramblings 
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