2019-20 Ratings History

Look down at the chart and see a sad, boring story.  TVRG possesses 70 years of ratings data as of now, and the ongoing trend is the ratings keep shrinking though someone has their televisions on who has Nielsen tracking measures.  Yes, viewers have found their own ways to watch television without being glued to their screens live.  Yes, this season saw more disasters worldwide than any among said 70 years.  But the glaring culprit is broadcast networks remain stubbornly outdated, expecting somehow people will drop what they are doing just to watch their shows.  They even leave episodes strewn across the entire year, thinking viewers will not notice that somehow the network will expect them to enjoy repeats/leftovers and then rush back to their screens during February sweeps.  To add insult to illness, all in recent years seem to be playing it safe vs innovating when delivering new shows.


The trouble is, where are the "hits" in this list?  9-1-1 still lights up the switchboard, Grey's always delivers strong as long as America is ailing and Reality TV has come back swinging thanks to FOX and ABC's The Bachelor.  Beyond that, these are aging franchises strewn across the chart.  Check for the purple flags under Renew/Cancel index, and see 11 shows of the 133 which bowed out at veteran status, 5 of which were once megahits for their respective flagships.  One of which even set a record in 2015 as it continually grew with every episode inside its first season.  What is left is a group of cattle, all herded into large Nielsen pens as there's fewer places/numbers to go to.  Only 5 short seasons ago, it was dramatic to see shows which tied, neck to neck.  Peek down below the Top 30, and the ranks resemble holding cells waiting to arraign shows for pitifully low ratings.  Regardless, at least the networks are committed to keeping shows on the air for viewers to enjoy.

The traditional format for these passages always profile what's trending hot, tepid and cold.  But what is "hot" in 2020?  Save for The Masked Singer and some aging franchises, NOTHING STICKS OUT.  Instead, how about the highlights from the Best and Worst of the 2019-20 Season?  Below is a list, and stay tuned to TVRG as the Best and Worst will be evaluated.

To check out other years' ratings, visit the Ratings History Library.


The Best and Worst of 2020 -- A List of Upcoming Entries

1. Best Freshman Scripted Series -- Bob Hearts Abishola, CBS

2. Worst Freshman Scripted Series -- Almost Family, FOX

3. The Freshman Scripted Series You're Not Watching -- Prodigal Son, FOX

4. Best Reality TV Franchise -- The Bachelor, ABC

5. Most Entertaining Reality TV Franchise -- The Masked Singer, FOX

6. Best New Reality TV Franchise -- Lego Masters, FOX

7. Worst New Reality TV Franchise -- Flirty Dancing, FOX

8. Best Spinoff -- Young Sheldon, CBS

9. Most Pointless Spinoff -- Mixedish, ABC

10. Best Revival -- The Conners, ABC

11. Worst Revival -- Will & Grace, NBC

12. Best Series Finale -- Modern Family, ABC

13. Worst Series Finale -- Empire, FOX

14. Most Innovative Trend of 2020 -- Animating Shows So Audiences Can Enjoy Episodes During COVID-19

15. Best Trend of 2020 -- Making Slight Modifications to Schedules, ABC and CBS

16. Worst Trend of 2020 -- Burying Shows Late Into The Season to Cancel Them, CBS

17. Most Rejuvenated Returning Series -- Station 19, ABC

18. Most Durable Veteran Franchise -- Chicago Wednesdays, NBC

19. Most Battered Show -- American Housewife, ABC

20. Most Ruined Show -- The Goldbergs, ABC

21. The Cancellation That Saddened Us -- Schooled, ABC.

22. The Cancellations We All Saw Coming -- Any NBC Freshman Sitcom

23. The Cancellation That Shocked Us -- Hawaii Five-0, CBS

24. A Cancellation That Would Shock Us -- Any CW Show

25. A Show We Were Waiting for a Cancellation -- Fresh Off The Boat, ABC

26. Most Shocking Renewals -- Duncanville and Bless The Harts, FOX

27. The Show That Never Stood a Chance -- Broke, CBS

28. The Show That Overstayed Its Welcome -- The Simpsons, FOX

29. Most Durable Veterans -- ABC' Grey's Anatomy, CBS' NCIS and NBC's Law and Order: SVU

30. Biggest Waste of Scheduling Opportunities -- Friday Nights

31. Most Independent Network -- CW

32. Most Sophisticated Network -- NBC

33. Most Improved Network -- ABC

34. Most Disappointing Network -- CBS

35. Best Network -- FOX

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