Recaps

Closing Out the 2013-2014 TV Season

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Last week was the official end of the 2013-2014 TV season for the major networks and with that closure came the typical overkill of season (or series, where applicable) finales. And the end of the season also brings out the lists of how all of the network shows performed over the TV year. With that thought in mind, it’s time to look at just how well (or not) the major networks performed from September 2013 through May 2014.

First of all, NBC actually became the most-watched network – at least in terms of the desirable 18 to 49 year old viewers – for the first time in 10 years, beating out last year’s winner CBS. NBC averaged a rating of 2.7, which is a 13% increase over last year. FOX came in second place within that demographic only with a 2.5 rating, which is actually even with their percentage rate from last season. CBS followed in third with a 2.4 rating, a drop of 17 percent and ABC coming in fourth place with a 2.1 rating, which is down 5 percent. The CW, as usual, came in last with only a 0.8 rating, but that is a 14 percent increase.

In terms of overall viewers, though, [which are the only numbers for which I personally judge each TV season on] CBS is, of course, still the most-watched network, earning an average of 10.73 million viewers. That is an adequate average, but is a drop for the network of 9 percent. NBC, surprisingly, ended up in second place with an average of 9.28 million viewers, which is a 33% increase. Third place goes to ABC, which was down by 3%, but earned an average of 7.59 million viewers. Fourth and fifth place went to FOX and The CW respectively with the former seeing an increase of 4% and an average of 7.35 million viewers while the latter earned an average of 1.91 million viewers and a 5% increase.

All of those numbers are great for the networks, but what the viewers’ want to know most are how their favorite programs performed. Thanks to the folks over at Deadline, here is the rundown of the entire 2013-2014 TV season:

1. Sunday Night Football (NBC) – 21.5 million
2. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – 20 million
3. NCIS (CBS) – 19.8 million
4. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 16 million
5. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) – 15.2 million
6. The Blacklist (NBC) – 15 million
7. The Voice (NBC) – 14.6 million
8. Person of Interest (CBS) – 14 million
9. The Voice [Tuesdays] (NBC) – 13.8 million
10. Blue Bloods (CBS) – 13.6 million
11. Resurrection (ABC) – 13 million
12. Criminal Minds (CBS) – 12.7 million
13. Castle (ABC) – 12.6 million
14. 60 Minutes (CBS) – 12.2 million
15. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 12.1 million
16. Scandal (ABC) – 12 million
17. American Idol [Wednesdays] (FOX) – 11.9 million
18. CSI (CBS) – 11.8 million
19. Modern Family (ABC) – 11.7 million
20. Elementary (CBS) – 11.74 million
21. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – 11.6 million
22. American Idol [Thursdays] (FOX) – 11.43 million
23. The Good Wife (CBS) – 11.42 million
24. The Millers (CBS) – 11.37 million
25. Survivor (CBS) – 11.30 million
26. The Mentalist (CBS) – 11.2 million
27. Two and a Half Men (CBS) – 10.7 million
28. How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – 10.5 million
29. Intelligence (CBS) – 10.2 million
30. The Crazy Ones (CBS) – 9.8 million
31. Chicago Fire (NBC) – 9.7 million
32. The Bachelor (ABC) – 9.6 million
33. Mike & Molly (CBS) – 9.57 million
34. Amazing Race (CBS) – 9.49 million
35. Once Upon a Time (ABC) – 9.38 million
36. Unforgettable (CBS) – 9.1 million
37. 2 Broke Girls (CBS) – 8.99 million
38. Sleepy Hollow (FOX) – 8.6 million
39. Revenge (ABC) – 8.438 million
40. Bones (FOX) – 8.437 million
41. Undercover Boss (CBS) – 8.38 million
42. Mom (CBS) – 8.34 million
43. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) – 8.31 million
44. The Middle (ABC) – 8.24 million
45. The Following (FOX) – 8.2 million
46. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – 8.18 million
47. Almost Human (FOX) – 8.129 million
48. About a Boy (NBC) – 8.120 million
49. 60 Minutes Presents (CBS) – 8.09 million
50. Chicago P.D. (NBC) – 8.03 million
51. Shark Tank (ABC) – 8.02 million
52. Grimm (NBC) – 7.96 million
53. Hostages (CBS) – 7.61 million
54. Believe (NBC) – 7.368 million
55. Biggest Loser (NBC) – 7.362 million
56. Growing Up Fisher (NBC) – 7.29 million
57. The Bachelorette (ABC) – 7.174 million
58. Last Man Standing (ABC) – 7.171 million
59. Back in the Game (ABC) – 7.16 million
60. 24: Live Another Day (FOX) – 7.09 million
61. The X-Factor [Wednesdays] (NBC) – 7.01 million
62. Nashville (ABC) – 6.99 million
63. Revolution (NBC) – 6.96 million
64. 20/20 [Fridays] (ABC) – 6.945 million
65. Ironside (NBC) – 6.942 million
66. Dateline [Fridays] (NBC) – 6.93 million
67. Bad Teacher (CBS) – 6.87 million
68. Two and a Half Men Encore (CBS) – 6.78 million
69. We Are Men (CBS) – 6.724 million
70. Crisis (NBC) – 6.721 million
71. Parenthood (NBC) – 6.36 million
72. The X-Factor [Thursdays] (NBC) – 6.32 million
73. Black Box (ABC) – 6.30 million
74. Friends with Better Lives (CBS) – 6.27 million
75. America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC) – 6.24 million
76. The Goldberg’s (ABC) – 6.20 million
77. Bones [Fridays] (FOX) – 6.16 million
78. Family Guy (FOX) – 6.11 million
79. Super Fun Night (ABC) – 6.04 million
80. Hell’s Kitchen (FOX) – 5.93 million
81. The Simpsons (FOX) – 5.67 million
82. Saturday Night Football (ABC) – 5.63 million
83. Masterchef Junior (FOX) – 5.56 million
84. Suburgatory (ABC) – 5.51 million
85. Cosmos (FOX) – 5.42 million
86. Dateline Sunday [7 PM] (NBC) – 5.41 million
87. 20/20 Friday (ABC) – 5.33 million
88. 48 Hours (CBS) – 5.25 million
89. American Dad (FOX) – 5.13 million
90. The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC) – 5.10 million
91. Dateline Mystery (NBC) – 5.079 million
92. Surviving Jack (FOX) – 5.048 million
93. Dracula (NBC) – 5.00 million
94. Hollywood Game Night [Mondays] (NBC) – 4.98 million
95. Killer Women (ABC) – 4.97 million
96. Bob’s Burgers (FOX) – 4.93 million
97. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC) – 4.82 million
98. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX) – 4.80 million
99. The Neighbors (ABC) – 4.74 million
100. Rake (FOX) – 4.70 million
101. Betrayal (ABC) – 4.67 million
102. Mixology (ABC) – 4.66 million
103. New Girl (FOX) – 4.615 million
104. The Assets (ABC) – 4.611 million
105. Glee (FOX) – 4.56 million
106. Motive (ABC) – 4.31 million
107. Lucky 7 (ABC) – 4.30 million
108. Trophy Wife (ABC) – 4.21 million
109. The Taste (ABC) – 4.18 million
110. Sean Saves the World (NBC) – 4.11 million
111. Dads (FOX) – 4.018 million
112. Shark Tank [Thursdays] (ABC) – 4.012 million
113. Castle [Sundays] (ABC) – 3.867 million
114. Grey’s Anatomy [Thursdays at 8 PM] (ABC) – 3.866 million
115. Parks and Recreation (NBC) – 3.76 million
116. Community (NBC) – 3.73 million
117. The Michael J. Fox Show [Fridays] (NBC) – 3.63 million
118. Crimetime Saturday (CBS) – 3.57 million
119. Hannibal (NBC) – 3.56 million
120. Dateline Classic (NBC) – 3.525 million
121. 20/20 Saturday (ABC) – 3.521 million
122. Mind Games (ABC) – 3.50 million
123. Hollywood Game Night (NBC) – 3.48 million
124. 48 Hours Presents (CBS) – 3.42 million
125. The Mindy Project (FOX) – 3.40 million
126. The Simpsons Encore (FOX) – 3.38 million
127. Celebrity Wife Swap (ABC) – 3.31 million
128. Arrow (The CW) – 3.28 million
129. Kitchen Nightmares (FOX) – 3.26 million
130. Family Guy Encore (FOX) – 3.25 million
131. Kitchen Nightmares [8 PM] (FOX) – 3.24 million
132. What Would I Do? (ABC) – 3.21 million
133. American Dad (7:30 PM) (FOX) – 3.116 million
134. Welcome to the Family (NBC) – 3.110 million
135. Scandal [Tuesdays] (ABC) – 3.09 million
136. UFC Saturday (FOX) – 2.94 million
137. Nightline Prime (ABC) – 2.90 million
138. Comedytime Saturday 1 (CBS) – 2.87 million
139. American Home Builders (NBC) – 2.84 million
140. Saturday Night Live Prime [Saturdays] (NBC) – 2.83 million
141. Supernatural (The CW) – 2.81 million
142. Comedytime Saturday 2 (NBC) – 2.71 million
143. Enlisted (FOX) – 2.70 million
144. Raising Hope (FOX) – 2.69 million
145. The Blacklist [Saturdays] (NBC) – 2.68 million
145. Raising Hope [Fridays at 9:30 PM] (FOX) – 2.689 million
147. The Vampire Diaries (The CW) – 2.683 million
148. Bob’s Burgers [7 PM] (FOX) – 2.64 million
149. The Originals (The CW) – 2.61 million
150. The Hundred (The CW) – 2.59 million
151. Bob’s Burgers Encore (FOX) – 2.52 million
152. Chicago Fire [Saturdays] (NBC) – 2.44 million
153. American Dad Encore (FOX) – 2.43 million
154. Sleepy Hollow [Fridays] (FOX) – 2.35 million
155. American Dad [Sundays at 7:30 PM] (FOX) – 2.28 million
156. Bones [Saturdays] (FOX) – 2.18 million
157. Bob’s Burgers [Sundays at 7 PM] (FOX) – 2.00 million
158. Reign (The CW) – 1.94 million
159. Almost Human [Saturdays] (FOX) – 1.93 million
160. I Wanna Marry Harry (FOX) – 1.90 million
161. The Tomorrow People (The CW) – 1.86 million
162. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (The CW) – 1.78 million
163. American’s Top Model (The CW) – 1.66 million
164. 24: Live Another Day [Fridays] (FOX) – 1.47 million
165. Whose Line Is It Anyway? 2 (The CW) – 1.38 million
166. Hart of Dixie (The CW) – 1.36 million
167. Whose Line Is It Anyway? Encore (The CW) – 1.342 million
168. Riot (FOX) – 1.340 million
169. Whose Line Is It Anyway? 1 (The CW) – 1.31 million
170. Star-Crossed (The CW) – 1.26 million
171. Beauty And the Beast (The CW) – 1.24 million
172. The Carrie Diaries (The CW) – 1.12 million
173. Rake [Saturdays] (FOX) – 1.10 million
174. Nikita (The CW) – 1.07 million
175. The Following [Saturdays] (FOX) – 1.06 million
176. Capture (The CW) – 800,000 viewers
177. Supernatural [Fridays] (The CW) – 734,000 viewers
178. Perfect Score (The CW) – 672,000 viewers
179. America’s Top Model Encore (The CW) – 635,000 viewers
180. Perfect Score Encore (The CW) – 508,000 viewers
181. The Originals [Fridays] (The CW) – 465,000 viewers

What have been your favorite shows this past season? Please share your thoughts.

Using her favorite online handle, Rueben is an East Coast-bred gal who is now a permanent Californian and a lifelong tv-oholic. She watches at least 25 TV shows a week, goes to the movies as often as possible, listens to music every waking moment, reads every day and “plays” on the internet every chance she can. Some of her current favorite TV shows are Outlander, Sweet Magnolias, Wednesday, The Mandalorian, The Equalizer, Fire Country, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, The Rookie, Cobra Kai, Virgin River, The Witcher, Leverage: Redemption and School Spirits.  She is looking forward to the season premieres of Hudson & Rex on UPtv and Skymed on Paramount+ as well as the return of fall TV albeit starting in February. Follow her at @ruebenrambling or contact her at rueben@nicegirlstv.com.