Top-rated Programs
This table lists all the TV shows with the highest average household Nielsen rating for each television season.
The program with the all-time highest average rating is in bold text
Sports programs have italicized rating numbers
Two or more programs tie for highest average Nielsen rating in the same season
| Season | Program | Network | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950–1951 | Texaco Star Theater | NBC | 61.6 |
| 1951–1952 | Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts | CBS | 53.8 |
| 1952–1953 | I Love Lucy | 67.3 | |
| 1953–1954 | 58.8 | ||
| 1954–1955 | 49.3 | ||
| 1955–1956 | The $64,000 Question | 47.5 | |
| 1956–1957 | I Love Lucy | 43.7 | |
| 1957–1958 | Gunsmoke | 43.1 | |
| 1958–1959 | 39.6 | ||
| 1959–1960 | 40.3 | ||
| 1960–1961 | 37.3 | ||
| 1961–1962 | Wagon Train | NBC | 32.1 |
| 1962–1963 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 36.0 |
| 1963–1964 | 39.1 | ||
| 1964–1965 | Bonanza | NBC | 36.3 |
| 1965–1966 | 31.8 | ||
| 1966–1967 | 29.1 | ||
| 1967–1968 | The Andy Griffith Show | CBS | 27.6 |
| 1968–1969 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC | 31.8 |
| 1969–1970 | 26.3 | ||
| 1970–1971 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | 29.6 |
| 1971–1972 | All in the Family | CBS | 34.0 |
| 1972–1973 | 33.3 | ||
| 1973–1974 | 31.2 | ||
| 1974–1975 | 30.2 | ||
| 1975–1976 | 30.1 | ||
| 1976–1977 | Happy Days | ABC | 31.5 |
| 1977–1978 | Laverne & Shirley | 31.6 | |
| 1978–1979 | 30.5 | ||
| 1979–1980 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 28.4 |
| 1980–1981 | Dallas | 34.5 | |
| 1981–1982 | 28.4 | ||
| 1982–1983 | 60 Minutes | 25.5 | |
| 1983–1984 | Dallas | 25.7 | |
| 1984–1985 | Dynasty | ABC | 25.0 |
| 1985–1986 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 33.7 |
| 1986–1987 | 34.9 | ||
| 1987–1988 | 27.8 | ||
| 1988–1989 | 25.6 | ||
| 1989–1990 | The Cosby Show Roseanne |
NBC ABC |
23.1 |
| 1990–1991 | Cheers | NBC | 21.3 |
| 1991–1992 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 21.9 |
| 1992–1993 | |||
| 1993–1994 | 20.9 | ||
| 1994–1995 | Seinfeld | NBC | 20.6 |
| 1995–1996 | ER | 22.0 | |
| 1996–1997 | 21.2 | ||
| 1997–1998 | Seinfeld | 21.7 | |
| 1998–1999 | ER | 17.8 | |
| 1999–2000 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — Tuesday | ABC | 18.6 |
| 2000–2001 | Survivor: The Australian Outback | CBS | 17.4 |
| 2001–2002 | Friends | NBC | 15.0 |
| 2002–2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 16.3 |
| 2003–2004 | American Idol — Tuesday | FOX | 15.9 |
| 2004–2005 | 16.5 | ||
| 2005–2006 | 17.6 | ||
| 2006–2007 | American Idol — Wednesday | 17.3 | |
| 2007–2008 | American Idol — Tuesday | 16.1 | |
| 2008–2009 | American Idol — Wednesday | 15.1 | |
| 2009–2010 | American Idol — Tuesday | 13.7 | |
| 2010–2011 | American Idol — Wednesday | 14.4 | |
| 2011–2012 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 12.9 |
Read more about this topic: Nielsen Ratings, Measuring Ratings
Famous quotes containing the word programs:
“Will TV kill the theater? If the programs I have seen, save for “Kukla, Fran and Ollie,” the ball games and the fights, are any criterion, the theater need not wake up in a cold sweat.”
—Tallulah Bankhead (1903–1968)