How Did the 2012-2013 TV Season Perform

It is time to take a look at how the 2012-2013 TV season performed for the major networks, taking into account the top 20 shows overall among all five major channels as well as the top performers for each of the top five networks.

First, let’s take a look at the top 20 shows, in terms of overall million viewers, according to a ratings report posted at The Futon Critic:

1. NCIS (CBS) – 21.3 million
2. Sunday Night Football (NBC) – 21 million
3. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – 18.7 million
4. NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 17.3 million
5. Person of Interest (CBS) – 16.1 million
6. American Idol (Competition Night) (FOX) – 15 million
7. Dancing with the Stars (Competition Night) (ABC) – 14.9 million
8. American Idol (Results Night) (FOX) – 14.6 million
9. The Voice (Competition Night) (NBC) -14.2 million
10. Two & a Half Men (CBS) – 13.8 million
11. Dancing with the Stars (Result Night) (ABC) – 13.7 million
12. The Voice (Results Night) (NBC) – 13.2 million
13. Blue Bloods (CBS) – 13.1 million
14. Elementary (CBS) – 12.7 million
15. 60 Minutes (CBS) – 12.4 million
16. Modern Family (ABC) – 12.3 million
17. Castle (ABC) – 12.2 million
18. Criminal Minds (CBS) – 12.1 million
19. Vegas (CBS) – 12 million
20. The Following (FOX) – 11.9 million

As the above chart clearly shows, CBS is the top network once again, landing 10 shows – dramas, comedies and news – in the top 20, including the number one drama, NCIS, which has been on the air for 10 seasons; the top comedy, The Big Bang Theory, which is going into its 7th season, the top new drama of the season, Elementary, which has averaged 127 million viewers and the number one news program 60 Minutes, which has been on the air for an unprecedented 45 seasons.

Coming in a distance second is ABC with four series in the top 20. The network’s top comedy is Modern Family, which will be going into its 5th season this fall and its top drama is Castle, which just completed its 5th season. The network can also boast having the top reality series in the form of Dancing with the Stars.

Meanwhile, NBC and FOX are tied for third place with The Following being FOX’s highest ranking drama (new or otherwise) while NBC can boost Sunday Night Football and The Voice as its top programming.

The one network that, of course, is not included in the top 20 is The CW simply because the network doesn’t reach as many markets across the United States the way that its major network competitors does. That being said, though, the network’s new drama Arrow was its top rated show easily beating out the network’s former top-rated series The Vampire Diaries by a clear margin of 3.7 million viewers versus 3 million viewers.

Here are a few other key points for the major networks:

1. Revolution is the top new drama for NBC, but it ranked at 31 out of an overall 152 TV shows, earning an average of 10.5 million viewers;

2. Despite ranking in the top 35 overall shows, ABC cancelled Body of Proof even though it averaged 10.4 million viewers every week and CBS pulled the plug on its new drama Golden Boy even though it averaged 9.7 million viewers a week; and

3. Besides The X-Factor (competition and results shows), the other top programming for FOX [at least in the top 40 anyway] is the network’s long-running series Bones, averaging 9.5 million viewers weekly.

Needless to say, the 2012-2013 TV season has been interesting and, slightly, predictable – especially where the success of CBS is concerned – but every year we look forward to a new TV season and the one to come this fall isn’t going to be any different.