The Most-Watched Shows Of The 2016-2017 Season

Now that the 2016-2017 TV season has wrapped up, we can now reflect on what shows drew the biggest audiences week-after-week.

This season had several numerous high-rated and highly discussed scripted shows such as The Big Bang Theory, NCIS and Empire. There was also a competitive reality show crop with Dancing With the Stars, The Voice, Survivor and more causing a lot of chatter on social media.

TV Guide has compiled the final rating averages for all of TV, and ranked the top shows. While some at the top are no-brainers, but there are a few surprises alongside the established favorites.

Mixed in with the already mentioned favorites are broadcast staples, like 60 Minutes and Sunday Night Football, and newcomers, like Bull and This Is Us.

Sunday Night Football

Football broadcasts dominated the ratings charts during the 2016-2017 season, which isn’t much of shock.

Sunday Night Football on NBC dominated all shows with an average of 19.6 million people tuning in for games each week.

But that’s not where the NFL domination stops. Thursday Night Football on NBC took home second place with 16.9 million viewers, and it’s CBS equivalent wasn’t far behind in 4th place with 14.5 million.

Furthermore, pre- and post-game shows also ranked in the top 10, with Fox’s The OT coming sixth with a 13.6 rating and NBC’s Football Night in America coming in ninth with a 10.8 rating.

Despite a heavy sports presence, scripted dramas and reality shows held their own for the rest of the list.

NCIS

The procedural ratings juggernaut that is NCIS ranked as the third most-watched program on TV.

An average of 14.6 million people watched the show, which just wrapped its 14th season, every week. However, the show ran into some problems in the coveted 18-49 demographic. 

In that demo, the show only averaged a 1.7 rating. That dropped it to 17th overall, tying with ABC sitcom The Goldbergs.

For comparison, other high-ranking shows like Sunday Night Football, This Is Us and The Voice all stayed in the top 10 when adjusted.

Despite that downfall, it’s still a dominant force when it comes to ratings, so it will surely be around for years to come.

The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is officially America’s favorite sitcom.

The show pulled in a 14.0 rating, which was good enough for a fifth overall ranking.

The beloved CBS show, which focuses on a group of nerdy friends and their love interests, also pulls high 18-49 ratings. It has a 3.1 rating, which only trails the aforementioned football programs in the demographic.

The show’s season 10 finale drew especially high ratings and made it one of the most-talked about episodes in TV this year.

Rounding out the top ten list, which you can see in full below, are 60 Minutes (11.9), Bull (11.4) and The Voice (10.6).

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Most-Watch Shows of the 2016-2017 Season
(Numbers are in millions of viewers)

1. Sunday Night Football (NBC) – 19.6
2. Thursday Night Football (NBC) – 16.9
3. NCIS (CBS) – 14.6
4. Thursday Night Football (CBS) – 14.5
5. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – 14.0
6. The OT (Fox) – 13.6
7. 60 Minutes (CBS) – 11.9
8. Bull (CBS) – 11.4
9. Football Night in America Pt. 3 (NBC) – 10.8
10. The Voice – Monday (NBC) – 10.6
11. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) – 10.4
12. The Voice – Tuesday (NBC) – 10.3
13. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 10.1
14. Blue Bloods (CBS) – 9.9
15. This Is Us (NBC) – 9.8
16. NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) – 9.6
17. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – 9.2
18. Little Big Shots (NBC) – 9.1
19. Survivor (CBS) – 8.4
20. Madam Secretary (CBS) – 8.3

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Highest-Rated Shows of the 2016-2017 Season
(Numbers are ratings in the 18-49 demographic)

1. Sunday Night Football (NBC) – 6.7
2. Thursday Night Football (NBC) – 5.2
3. Thursday Night Football (CBS) – 4.8
4. The OT (Fox) – 4.6
5. Football Night in America Pt. 3 (NBC) – 3.6
6. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – 3.1
7. Empire (Fox) – 2.8
8. This Is Us (NBC) – 2.7
9 (tie). The Voice – Monday (NBC) – 2.4
9 (tie). The Bachelor (ABC) – 2.4
11. The Voice – Tuesday (NBC) – 2.2
12. (tie) Modern Family (ABC) – 2.1
12. (tie) Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 2.1
14. Saturday Night College Football (ABC) – 1.9
15. (tie) Survivor (CBS) – 1.8
15. (tie) The Simpsons (Fox) – 1.8
17. (tie) The Goldbergs (ABC) 1.7
17. (tie) NCIS (CBS) – 1.7
19. (tie) Hunted (CBS) – 1.6
19. (tie) Dancing with the Stars (ABC) – 1.6
19. (tie) 60 Minutes (CBS) – 1.6
19. (tie) Kevin Can Wait (CBS) – 1.6
19. (tie) Football Night in America Pt. 2 (NBC) – 1.6
19. (tie) Lethal Weapon (Fox) – 1.6
19. (tie) Speechless (ABC) – 1.6

[h/t TV Guide , Photo Credit: CBS]