Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 16: Final Calls on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Match Game, Bachelor in Paradise, The 1% Club & More, as the Sun Sets on Summer

After months of bare schedules across broadcast, with few originals to be found, a new TV season is finally upon us. With that, it's time to wrap up another season of the Summer Renew/Cancel, and give my final calls on all of the shows that aired across ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC this summer!

Wednesday TV Ratings 9/10/25: Match Game Rises for Finale at Special Time, Big Brother Drops, Downton Abbey Special Abysmal [+ Analysis]

ABC game show Match Game (0.27, +0.06) was bumped up an hour for its finale and rose as a result, coming only a hundredth behind NBC's America's Got Talent (0.28, +0.01). After Talent, a Downton Abbey-themed special (0.10) received minimal attention. On CBS, Big Brother (0.65, -0.09) dropped markedly from last week. Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service (0.18, -0.02) was down for its Fox finale, and MasterChef (0.19, -0.01) also dipped. Family Law (0.03, -0.01) shed a hundredth on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.

Wednesday TV Ratings 9/3/25: Beavis and Butt-Head Returns Solidly, Big Brother Easily Leads, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Falls [+ Analysis]

Though South Park (0.25) was down from its last airing on Comedy Central, it helped boost the season premiere of Beavis and Butt-Head (0.15) to a respectable rating. On CBS, Big Brother (0.74, -0.03) dipped but remained on top. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.25, -0.13) plummeted on ABC, but Match Game (0.21, -0.01) only lost a hundredth. America's Got Talent (0.27, 0.00) matched last week's episode on NBC. MasterChef (0.20, -0.01) ticked down on Fox, while the CW's Family Law (0.04, +0.02) doubled. Key: (R) = repeat.

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 15: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Is Keeping ABC Rich This Summer

Summer is beginning to wind down, and with just a few weeks until the 2025-26 TV season kicks off, I'm beginning to finalize my predictions for the summer TV season! Keep reading to see my final thoughts on one show that recently wrapped up its debut season, plus an upgrade for another series!

Wednesday TV Ratings 8/27/25: Big Brother Jumps, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Also Rises, Digman! and Match Game Decline [+ Analysis]

Big Brother (0.77, +0.15) barreled past last week's rating on CBS, soaring to its highest-rated Wednesday installment of the season. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.38, +0.03) was also up on ABC, but Match Game (0.22, -0.04) dropped to a new season low. America's Got Talent (0.27, -0.06) was down significantly from last week's episode on NBC. MasterChef (0.21, 0.00) and Secret Service (0.20, 0.00) were both steady on Fox. Family Law (0.02, +0.01) picked up a hundredth on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 14: NBC Can’t Sing the Praises of Songs and Stories with Kelly Clarkson

The last week saw the final two premieres of the 2025 summer season, as Fox and NBC both debuted new series that'll run for just a month. Keep reading to see the initial predictions for both series!

Wednesday TV Ratings 8/20/25: Epic Universe Special Low, America’s Got Talent Rises for Results Show, Big Brother Dominates [+ Analysis]

NBC's America's Got Talent (0.33) was up from Tuesday night for its results show, but Inside the Worlds of Epic Universe (0.18) dropped off markedly from there. On ABC, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.35, +0.07) surged, while Match Game (0.26, +0.01) grew slightly. CBS's Big Brother (0.62, +0.01) was also up a bit from last week. MasterChef (0.21, -0.01) lost a hundredth on Fox, but Secret Service (0.20, +0.03) bounced back. Family Law (0.01, -0.02) slipped on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 13: The Quiz with Balls Still Has Balls

Summer is beginning to wind down, with roughly a month to go until the regular TV season kicks off once again. That doesn't mean there aren't still predictions to change, as one show moves into the red this week, while I discuss another that has flown under my radar this summer.

Wednesday TV Ratings 8/13/25: Big Brother Ticks Up and Leads the Night, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Match Game Slip, Digman! Sinks [+ Analysis]

Big Brother (0.61, +0.01) picked up a hundredth on CBS, but ABC game shows Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.28, -0.05) and Match Game (0.25, -0.03) slipped. NBC aired Chicago drama reruns (0.12/0.11/0.12) once more. MasterChef (0.22, +0.03) gained some momentum on Fox, but Secret Service (0.17, -0.01) inched down. Family Law (0.03, +0.01) rose on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 12: America’s Got Talent Is Down, but It’s Still Got Talent

This week on the Summer Renew/Cancel, a show that's gone without any discussion finally gets its time in the spotlight, while I take another look at one of this summer's most recent premieres.

Wednesday TV Ratings 8/6/25: South Park Nearly Doubles, Big Brother Leads, Match Game Steady [+ Analysis]

Back after a week off, Comedy Central staple South Park (0.34, +0.16) nearly doubled its July premiere rating (0.18) and was the top-rated cable program on Wednesday night. CBS's Big Brother (0.60, +0.02) was up slightly from last week, outpacing its competitors once again in the Adults 18-49 demographic. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.33, -0.05) declined on ABC, while Match Game (0.28, 0.00) stabilized. NBC aired more encores of Chicago Med (0.13), Fire (0.12), and PD (0.14). MasterChef (0.19, 0.00) was steady on Fox, but Secret Service (0.18, -0.01) lost a tick. Family Law (0.02, 0.00) made no movement on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 11: Match Game will Probably Match with a Renewal

Two ABC game shows take the spotlight on this week of the Summer Renew/Cancel, as I give my first take on Match Game and update the renewal odds of one of their other summer game shows. Keep reading to see what's on the move this week!

Wednesday TV Ratings 7/30/25: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Stable as Match Game Tumbles, Big Brother Leads, Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service Ties Low [+ Analysis]

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.38, 0.00) was steady with its week-ago start on ABC, but Match Game (0.28, -0.09) lost nearly a quarter of its premiere rating. Big Brother (0.58, -0.05) was two-tenths above its closest competitor on CBS, even as it declined from last Wednesday. NBC re-aired episodes of Chicago Med (0.15), Fire (0.17), and PD (0.17). MasterChef (0.19, -0.03) and Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service (0.19, -0.06) tumbled on Fox. Family Law (0.02, +0.01) ticked up on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. 

Summer Broadcast Renew/Cancel Week 10: The Fixer is Beyond Fixing

It was a busy week on TV, as some of the final premieres of the summer season have arrived. Keep reading to see the initial predictions for The Fixer, Match Game, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Wednesday TV Ratings 7/23/25: Match Game and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Premiere Solidly, South Park and Digman! Return Up from Finales, Big Brother Rises [+ Analysis]

Game show staple Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (0.38) had a very successful return on ABC, down just 14% from last summer's premiere (0.44) in the Adults 18-49 demographic. At nine, Match Game (0.37) held onto nearly all of its Millionaire lead-in for its first original in nearly four years, with new host Martin Short taking over for Alec Baldwin. Ultimately, this rating was actually higher than the last episode from the Baldwin era (0.29). But despite ABC's best efforts, it was CBS mainstay Big Brother (0.63, +0.03) that topped the night in the key demo. NBC aired repeats of Chicago Fire (0.17), Chicago Med (0.17), and Chicago PD (0.19). MasterChef (0.22, -0.04) slipped on Fox. Family Law (0.01) completely bombed in its CW return. Key: (P) = premiere. (R) = repeat.

Wednesday TV Ratings 7/28/21: Big Brother and Love Island Rise, Summer Olympics Tie Low, Pyramid and Match Game Slip (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: The 'Tokyo Summer Olympics' (2.7) lost five-tenths from Tuesday's broadcast on NBC and fell below a 3.0 rating for the first time in a few days. CBS was on the rise as both 'Big Brother' (0.9) and 'Love Island' (0.5) gained a tenth, with 'Island' eyeing a season high. A 'SWAT' rerun (0.2) rounded out their night. In contrast, ABC saw 'The $100,000 Pyramid' (0.4) lose two-tenths and 'Match Game' (0.3) shed one for its season finale. 'Press Your Luck' (0.4) was in repeat-mode in the 8pm slot. Fox offered up a pair of 'MasterChef' encores (0.3/0.2) that handily outrated The CW's  reruns of 'World's Funniest Animals' (0.1/0.1) and 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' (0.1/0.1). 

Finals Update: 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics (+0.1), Big Brother (+0.1) and the repeat of Press Your Luck (+0.1) adjusted up. 

Summer Renew/Cancel Week 8: Match Game Returns in Trouble

There have been a few premieres in the past week, leading to multiple new entries in this week's Summer Renew/Cancel! Stay tuned for initial predictions for Match Game, Secret Celebrity Renovation, Dead Pixels and The Outpost, plus an update on one show that recently had its schedule shifted!

Wednesday TV Ratings 7/21/21: Match Game Has Solid Return, Crime Scene Kitchen Ends on New Low, Kung Fu Finale Steady, Big Brother Leads (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: CBS was steady across the board with 'Big Brother' (0.8), 'Love Island' (0.3), and a repeat of 'SWAT' (0.2). 'Big Brother' topped the night altogether and nearly doubled its closet competitor. Over on ABC, 'Match Game' (0.4) returned in decent shape, down just a few hundredths from its previous episode (0.45 in October 2020). Earlier in the evening, 'Press Your Luck' (0.5) and 'The $100,000 Pyramid' (0.5) tied their last originals. Fox's 'Crime Scene Kitchen' (0.3) dropped to a new series low for its season finale, a trend that has become fairly common in recent years. 'Kitchen' had a little less help than usual since its 'MasterChef' lead-in (0.5) lost a tenth. NBC aired an 'Olympic Dreams' special (0.3) that couldn't quite improve on the typical rerun of 'Chicago Med'. Encores of 'Chicago Fire' (0.2) and 'PD' (0.2) followed suit. The season finale of 'Kung Fu' (0.1) and a new 'In the Dark' (0.1) were both flat on the CW. 

Finals Update: Press Your Luck (+0.1), Olympic Dreams featuring Jonas Brothers (+0.1), The $100,000 Pyramid (+0.1), Love Island (+0.1) and Crime Scene Kitchen (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 10/29/20: Superstore Premieres Down, Celebrity Family Feud Steady for Finale, NFL Thursday Night Football Rises (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: After a lengthy, six-month hiatus, NBC's 'Superstore' (0.6) was back for its sixth season in a relatively disappointing manner. The long-running sitcom could only match its series low and was two-tenths behind its 2019 debut (0.8). Comedy lead-out 'Connecting...' (0.2) wasn't able to benefit one bit from the more compatible lead-in, the struggling newbie merely tied the miserable number it garnered two weeks ago. A steady 'Dateline' (0.4) managed to double the failed sitcom at 10pm. ABC's 'Celebrity Family Feud' (0.7) and 'Match Game' (0.4) both held even while 'Press Your Luck' (0.6) rose a tenth in the middle for its finale. Fox's 'Falcons v Panthers' NFL game (2.2) was the top program of the night by far, pulling ahead of every other network. CBS had another dismal night that started with comedy repeats (0.4/0.4) and ended with a poorly-rated voting special (0.2) and a declining 'Star Trek: Discovery' (0.2). The CW's 'Supernatural' (0.2) lost a tenth while 'The Outpost' (0.1) was frozen at last week's rating.

Finals Update: NFL: Falcons v. Panthers (+0.6), Match Game (+0.1), the repeat of Young Sheldon (+0.1) and Connecting (+0.1) adjusted up.

Thursday TV Ratings 10/8/20: Connecting... Starts Very Low, Supernatural Returns Strong, Thursday Night Football Drops from 2019 Fox Debut (UPDATED)

Preliminary Analysis: An incredibly rough year for new scripted programming didn't get any better last night as the series debut of new comedy 'Connecting...' (0.3) began in anemic territory. This goes a tenth below last year's 'Sunnyside' (0.4) and spring's 'Indebted' (0.4). This may be a sign that viewers are growing increasingly tired of Zoom-based and Covid-themed programming but NBC has also had very little luck in the comedy department in recent years. After the premiere came an even weaker 'Closer Look Thursday' (0.2) and a steady 'Dateline' (0.4). On ABC, 'Celebrity Family Feud' (0.7), 'Press Your Luck' (0.5), and 'Match Game' (0.3) all shed a tenth from last week. This marks a new low for the latter. 

Fox finally had some relief from low ratings as they swapped out repeats for 'Thursday Night Football' (3.0). The Buccaneers v Bears game trailed the preliminary 3.9 rating that football posted for its 2019 Thursday debut but was still in the same vicinity. At the very least, the decline was far from the levels that the NBA has fallen this year. CBS's 'Big Brother' (0.9) and 'Star Trek: Discovery' (0.2) were both on the decline when compared to last week. Sandwiched in-between were repeats of 'Young Sheldon' (0.3) and 'Mom' (0.2). The CW finally managed to garner a competitive number for once as they hosted the final season premiere of 'Supernatural' (0.4). It was on-par with its October 2019 premiere and led into a much weaker 'The Outpost' (0.1).