Broadcast Rankings: Most and Least-Watched Scripted TV Series of 2021-2022 Season

Jennifer Maas
·2 min read

While measuring the success of broadcast series has largely been a job for the TV ratings among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic, that total viewer tally is still powerful and not to be ignored.

With the end of the 2021-2022 season fast approaching, Variety has looked at 33 weeks of complete Nielsen data from September to May to assess what the most and least-watched primetime scripted series have been across NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox.

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The below total viewer averages are season-long for each show and include persons over the age of 2, which is what Nielsen counts as a viewer. The totals are based on Nielsen’s “most current” data stream through May 8, which includes a week’s worth of delayed viewing where available.

For the “most” list, it is ranked beginning with the top show. For the “least” list, it starts with the weakest in the top slot and goes up from there.

Most:

1. “NCIS,” CBS — 10.97 million

2. “FBI,” CBS — 10.35 million

3. “Chicago Fire,” NBC — 9.92 million

4. “Blue Bloods,” CBS — 9.60 million

5. “The Equalizer,” CBS — 9.30 million

6. “Chicago PD,” NBC — 9.25 million

7. “Young Sheldon,” CBS — 9.22 million

8. “Chicago Med,” NBC — 9.20 million

9. “FBI: Most Wanted,” CBS — 8.85 million

10. “Ghosts,” CBS — 8.41 million

11. “FBI: International,” CBS — 8.31 million

12. “NCIS: Hawai’i,” CBS — 8.31 million

13. “This Is Us,” NBC — 7.57 million

14. “Bull,” CBS — 7.45 million

15. “La Brea,” NBC — 7.43 million

16. “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS — 7.24 million

17. “Magnum P.I.,” CBS — 7.24 million

18. “9-1-1,” Fox — 7.18 million

19. “9-1-1: Lone Star,” Fox — 6.83 milion

20. “The Good Doctor,” ABC — 6.82 million

Least:

1. “Welcome to Flatch,” Fox — 1.07 million

2. “The Great North,” Fox — 1.34 million

3. “Bob’s Burgers,” Fox — 1.61 million

4. “Grand Crew,” NBC — 1.81 million

5. “Pivoting,” Fox — 1.85 million

6. “Queens,” ABC — 1.86 million

7. “Family Guy,” Fox — 1.90 million

8. “The Big Leap,” Fox — 2.03 million

9. “Our Kind of People,” Fox — 2.06 million

10. “Transplant,” NBC — 2.32 million

11. “The Simpsons,” Fox — 2.33 million

12. “Mr. Mayor,” NBC — 2.34 million

13. “Kenan,” NBC — 2.35 million

14. “Home Economics,” ABC — 2.46 million

15. “American Auto,” NBC — 2.55 million

16. “The Wonder Years,” ABC — 2.62 million

17. “Young Rock,” NBC — 2.63 million

18. “The Promised Land,” ABC — 2.69 million

19. “Black-ish,” ABC — 2.73 million

20. “Call Me Kat,” Fox — 2.93 million

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