2021-22 Drama Scorecard (9/21-1/5): This Is Us Shatters a Seasonal Ratings Record for Scripted Series

2021-22 Season-To-Date Report (9/1-1/5): NBC and CBS Network Averages Get Shucked Midseason

 

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2021-22 Sitcom Scorecard (9/21-1/4) -- American Auto Has Perhaps Lubed Its Way Into The Next Year Schedule for NBC

21 sitcoms are new registered in the broadcast networks, indicating the genre is now niche viewing.  The newly added "Broadcast Season Rank" column shows where the series ranks in the Season To Date report, showing only The Simpsons (a show inflated by NFL) is the only sitcom which cracked the top 20.  And only an additional 5 entries cracked the top 50.  There is still plenty of time and room for sitcoms on broadcast network's schedule, with CBS delivering the strongest products from their Monday night block, plus the tentpoles from Thursday night.  ABC's lineup is in tatters with behind the scenes turmoil plaguing an aged Goldbergs, The Conners shedding ground with each passing season and only Abbott Elementary showing promise from the newer entries.

CBS Renew/Cancel (9/21-1/6) -- The Network Seems to Have a Red-Ass for SWAT By Moving It To Their Worst Timeslot

SWAT experienced a mediocre, albeit anemic existence its last 4 seasons spread over the 10:00 timeslots on Thursdays and Wednesdays its first 4 seasons.  And then, CBS moved it to Fridays leading the procedural timeslot, and the ratings surged!  It helped power up Friday night, even besting prior showpiece Magnum PI.  So how does CBS repay the show for improving?  It ships it to the desolate desert on Sunday evenings at 10pm.

2021-22 Drama Scorecard (9/21-12/7): Are Oldest Veterans Like Greys Anatomy and NCIS A Safe Bet?

 

The 2021-22 season has not been kind to scripted series in the Nielsen arena.  Not only are all fractional, but the highest-rated scripted series barely cracks the 0.80 mark.  Where this season delivered shocks in the drama department are prior heavyweights the networks touted lost massive ground this season, particularly aged veterans Grey's Anatomy and NCIS.  Both 18 and 19 seasons in respectively, both are down 30-40% from the prior season's sturdy entry.  NCIS suffered from shocks to the system of not only losing Mark Harmon as its lead, but being ousted off its plum Tuesday timeslot it knew for 18 years.  The same cannot be said for Grey's, who is firmly planted in a familiar timeslot and still has its star lead intact.