Hello, and welcome to a new television season! Television ratings in general took a massive hit last season. Will network programs be able to bounce back this year? It's important to keep in mind that some ratings attrition is normal year over year, losing a tenth or two from the previous season is expected. Losing more than that, and veteran shows could be in danger. Are you ready? Let's go!
ABC premiered its rebooted version of The Wonder Year as part of its Wednesday comedy block last week. The show opened well, but time will tell if viewers will continue to tune in. The Goldbergs opened its new season up a tenth over where it ended last season. The Conners and Home Economics were even. A Million Little Things opened as the lowest-rated drama for the network. It's past the magic third season, so this could be a do or die year for the show.
| Program | Rating | Millions of Viewers | Renew/Cancel |
| College Football | 1.0 | 4.0 | |
| Dancing with the Stars (premiere) | 0.9 | 5.5 | |
| The Bachelor in Paradise | 0.9 | 3.2 | |
| The Goldbergs (premiere) | 0.7 | 3.4 | |
| The Wonder Years (premiere) | 0.7 | 3.2 | |
| The Conners (premiere) | 0.6 | 3.5 | |
| America's Funniest Home Videos (rerun) | 0.5 | 4.5 | |
| Celebrity Family Feud (finale) | 0.5 | 4.1 | |
| Holey Moley (finale) | 0.4 | 2.5 | |
| Home Economics (premiere) | 0.4 | 2.2 | |
| The Chase (finale) | 0.3 | 3.2 | |
| The Wonder Years (rerun) | 0.3 | 2.6 | |
| To Tell The Truth | 0.3 | 2.4 | |
| 20/20 (rerun) | 0.3 | 2.3 | |
| A Million Little Things (premiere) | 0.3 | 2.1 | |
| The Hustler | 0.3 | 1.8 | |
| Time 100 | 0.3 | 1.7 | |
| The Hustler (finale) | 0.3 | 1.7 | |
| Home Economics (rerun) | 0.3 | 1.7 | |
| The Ultimate Surfer (finale) | 0.2 | 1.1 |
CBS saw a nice rebound for the Primetime Emmy Awards this year. After a year of every awards show showing massive declines, The Emmys bounced back from its lowest-ever ratings, pulling in almost eight million viewers. As for the rest of the CBS lineup, get ready for a season of spinoffs as three versions of FBI and NCIS now block out two nights of the schedule, and yet another CSI will premiere later in the year. NCIS opened its nineteenth season down three tenths from where it was last season. Moving to a new night after more than a decade anchoring the Tuesday night lineup probably didn't help, however, it is still the highest-rated drama for the network. NCIS: Hawai'i opened to middling numbers, about even with how NCIS: New Orleans ended its last season. CBS execs like the idea of franchises, so unless the show completely implodes, it will probably be renewed. FBI and its spinoffs, Most Wanted and International all started well, and none are likely in any danger at this point.
| Program | Rating | Millions of Viewers | Renew/Cancel |
| NFL Overrun | 6.7 | 24.3 | |
| 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards | 1.8 | 7.8 | |
| Survivor (premiere) | 1.1 | 6.2 | |
| Big Brother | 0.8 | 3.6 | |
| NCIS (premiere) | 0.7 | 8.4 | |
| FBI (premiere) | 0.7 | 7.1 | |
| FBI: Most Wanted (premiere) | 0.7 | 7.1 | |
| FBI: International (premiere) | 0.6 | 6.4 | |
| The Neighborhood (premiere) | 0.6 | 5.3 | |
| Big Brother | 0.6 | 2.9 | |
| NCIS Hawai'i (premiere) | 0.5 | 6.6 | |
| Bob (Hearts) Abishola (premiere) | 0.5 | 5.4 | |
| Big Brother | 0.5 | 2.6 | |
| 48 Hours | 0.4 | 3.2 | |
| Kenny Rogers: All In for the Gambler | 0.3 | 3.0 | |
| NCIS: Hawai'i (rerun) | 0.3 | 2.4 | |
| NCIS: Los Angeles (rerun) | 0.3 | 2.3 | |
| Blue Bloods (rerun) | 0.2 | 2.3 | |
| Bull (rerun) | 0.2 | 2.1 | |
| Secret Celebrity Renovation (finale) | 0.2 | 1.7 |
NBC premiered Ordinary Joe to only ordinary numbers. It can't afford to lose much if it wants to get a back order of episodes, and NBC has two more dramas yet to premiere. The Chicago shows all opened about where they ended last season. New Amsterdam was even with where it ended last season but it was also the lowest-rated drama for the network. NBC execs may be regretting that long-term renewal.
| Program | Rating | Millions of Viewers | Renew/Cancel |
| Sunday Night Football | 5.9 | 19.8 | |
| Football Night In America | 3.1 | 10.3 | |
| The Voice (Tuesday) | 1.1 | 7.3 | |
| The Voice (Monday) (premiere) | 1.1 | 7.2 | |
| Chicago Fire (premiere) | 0.9 | 7.3 | Renewed (through 2023) |
| Chicago PD (premiere) | 0.9 | 6.5 | Renewed (through 2023) |
| Chicago Med (premiere) | 0.8 | 6.8 | Renewed (through 2023) |
| Law & Order: SVU (premiere) | 0.8 | 5.6 | Renewed (through 2023) |
| Law & Order: Organised Crime (premiere) | 0.6 | 4.2 | |
| Ordinary Joe (premiere) | 0.5 | 3.8 | |
| New Amsterdam (premiere) | 0.5 | 3.7 | Renewed (through 2023) |
| Dateline (Friday) (premiere) | 0.4 | 3.0 | |
| Ordinary Joe (rerun) | 0.2 | 2.1 | |
| The Voice (Saturday) | 0.2 | 1.4 | |
| Ordinary Joe (rerun) | 0.1 | 1.2 |
FOX had three freshman shows premiere last week. Alter Ego, another reality competition show, opened with okay numbers. The fact that it has The Masked Singer for a lead-in and lost a good chunk of that audience both nights it aired could be worrying. Our Kind of People and The Big Leap, two new scripted programs, opened low and may not survive past the Christmas holidays. 9-1-1 lost a couple of tenths off where it ended last season but should be fine. The Resident opened even with the end of last season.
| Program | Rating | Millions of Viewers | Renew/Cancel |
| The Masked Singer (Wednesday) (premiere) | 1.1 | 4.7 | |
| The Masked Singer (Thursday) | 1.0 | 4.6 | |
| 9-1-1 (premiere) | 0.8 | 5.1 | |
| Alter Ego (Wednesday) (premiere) | 0.6 | 2.9 | |
| The Resident (premiere) | 0.5 | 3.0 | |
| WWE: Friday Night Smackdown | 0.5 | 2.1 | |
| The Simpsons (rerun) | 0.5 | 1.4 | |
| Alter Ego (Thursday) | 0.4 | 2.3 | |
| Fantasy Island (finale) | 0.3 | 1.7 | |
| Our Kind Of People (premiere) | 0.3 | 1.6 | |
| The Big Leap (premiere) | 0.3 | 1.5 | |
| The Masked Singer/Alter Ego Sneak Peek (rerun) | 0.2 | 1.0 | |
| Major League Baseball | 0.2 | 1.0 | |
| The Masked Singer/Alter Ego Sneak Peek | 0.2 | 0.8 | |
| Family Guy (rerun) | 0.2 | 0.7 | Renewed (through 2023) |
The CW is still wrapping up its summer fare and will premiere its fall season in mid-October. Dynasty fans can enjoy the fact their show is currently at the top of the network ratings grid. Supergirl is limping off into the sunset with only a fraction of the audience it had when it premiered in 2016 (on the CW).
| Program | Rating | Millions of Viewers | Renew/Cancel |
| Dynasty | 0.1 | 0.7 | |
| DC's Stargirl | 0.1 | 0.6 | |
| Coroner | 0.1 | 0.6 | Import |
| Roswell, New Mexico | 0.1 | 0.5 | |
| Supergirl | 0.1 | 0.5 | |
| Dynasty | 0.1 | 0.5 | |
| Penn & Teller Fool Us (rerun) | 0.1 | 0.4 | |
| Penn & Teller Fool Us (rerun) | 0.1 | 0.3 | |
| Riverdale | 0.1 | 0.3 | |
| In The Dark | 0.0 | 0.3 | |
| The Outpost | 0.0 | 0.3 | |
| Wellington Paranormal (rerun) | 0.0 | 0.2 | Import |
| Wellington Paranormal (rerun) | 0.0 | 0.2 |
And that wraps up premiere week. So far it looks like network numbers have found a new normal with few shows rating over a one, and of those, none are scripted programs. So what new shows are you watching this season?
Written by LadyShelley on Sep 27, 2021
That's one I enjoy watching. I thought they did a nice tribute to George Segal in the premiere.
I do find if I watch network TV most of it is CBS content, not sure why. Haven't heard much commentary about FBI International. I did read more than a few reviews from NCIS fans that Hawai'i (hey at least they spell it correctly!) that so far there isn't much there other than pretty scenery. Hopefully, that's just due to the need to stand up a new show and cast.
CBS got me again. It's not the first time that the only new shows I start watching are from the same network.
FBI International has a great cast I just hope it will manage to differentiate somewhat from the rest of the franchise.
NCIS Hawai'i using the same formula with great scenery on top.
Oh trust me, I was around for the 80s :) Still not much of a sitcom fan these days.
Goldbergs are pretty fun, espiecially for those who were around in the 80s.
So far I'm not that interested in any of the new shows. Don't need yet another NCIS spinoff (and some of the comments I've heard from NCIS fans are not complimentary). I stopped watching the half-hour comedies probably ten years ago or more as so many were just dull. La Brea is my personal bet for the first new show to get yanked from the schedule. Nothing about that one looks good.
I'm giving FBI: International and the Wonder Years a try, they seem to have the potential to be good so far. I might give Ghosts a shot when it premieres after Young Sheldon. Other than those 3 new ones, I've got my usual ones I watch.