Friday TV Ratings 12/5/25: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Tops College Football to Lead the Night, Fire Country Hits Another Series Low [+ Analysis]

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (0.46) remained a force on NBC, and its ratings prowess gave Happy's Place (0.26, +0.04) a little boost, but Stumble (0.15, -0.03) regressed. ABC's football broadcast (0.39) placed second in the key demo, while football on Fox (0.24) was a notch below. On CBS, Sheriff Country (0.19, -0.09) collapsed, Fire Country (0.15, -0.02) dipped, and Boston Blue (0.15, 0.00) held steady. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.03, -0.01) and Masters of Illusion (0.03, -0.01) lost a hundredth apiece on the CW.

Friday TV Ratings 11/21/25: Fire Country Slides to Another Series Low, Stumble Ticks Up as Happy’s Place Declines, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Repeat Tops Broadcast [+ Analysis]

Sheriff Country (0.28, -0.02) was down slightly on CBS, while Fire Country (0.17, -0.06) and Boston Blue (0.15, -0.06) dealt with more sizable declines. NBC's Happy's Place (0.22, -0.02) and Dateline (0.16, -0.03) were both down, but Stumble (0.18, +0.01) was up in the middle. 20/20 (0.23, +0.11) surged on ABC, with the help of a shockingly strong Celebrity Wheel rerun (0.31). Fox aired college basketball (0.15). Penn & Teller (0.04, -0.01) lost a hundredth on the CW, while Masters of Illusion (0.04, +0.01) gained one. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 10/17/25: Boston Blue and Sheriff Country Have Uneventful Debuts, Fire Country Returns Down, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon Slips [+ Analysis]

CBS drama Fire Country (0.30) returned down from its April finale, but it was still several ticks above the disappointing series debut of Sheriff Country (0.22). At ten, Boston Blue (0.23) grew from there for its launch. Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (0.27, 0.00) tied its last episode on ABC, and 20/20 (0.21, +0.05) bounced back. On Brand (0.15, -0.02) and Dateline (0.17, -0.03) dipped on NBC. College football on Fox (0.49) was ahead of the other broadcast network offerings. Penn & Teller (0.04, -0.01) declined on the CW, but Masters of Illusion (0.05, +0.02) jumped. Key: (P) = premiere. 

Friday TV Ratings 10/10/25: MLB Playoffs Dominate, WNBA Finals Rise for Final Game, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon Slips Again [+ Analysis]

Fox's MLB broadcast (1.74) was the clear winner on Friday night, easily surpassing its competitors in Adults 18-49 ratings and total viewers. On NBC, On Brand with Jimmy Fallon (0.15, -0.02) continued to slip, while Dateline (0.20, +0.05) bounced back. ABC's 20/20 (0.16, -0.04) lost some ground. CBS aired repeats of Fire Country (0.12/0.09) and one last Blue Bloods encore (0.10). The CW aired Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.05) and Masters of Illusion (0.03). Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 3/28/25: World Figure Skating Championships Rise from 2024, March Madness Also Rises, RuPaul’s Drag Race Drops [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: A 0.15 rating was all that NBC's airing of the World Figure Skating Championships could manage, but that still served as a 25% improvement on last year's broadcast (0.12). On CBS, coverage of March Madness (1.59/1.85) was up noticeably from Thursday (1.37/1.60). ABC's reruns of Shark Tank (0.17) and 20/20 (0.21) trumped Fox's UFL broadcast (0.15) in the key demo. Penn & Teller (0.07, +0.03) and Masters of Illusion (0.05, +0.01) were on the rise on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

CW Renew Cancel Part 3: All American Is the Last Survivor of a Bygone CW Era. Can It Survive? + CW Renew/Cancel March Madness Championship

We have another new CW Renew/Cancel this week, as the focus shifts to the network's longest-running original scripted series, as well as an unscripted show that may be on the way out. Keep reading for my predictions on all of the network's shows, plus the championship match in the CW Renew/Cancel March Madness!

CW Renew Cancel Part 2: Good Cop/Bad Cop/Worse Ratings + CW Renew/Cancel March Madness Begins!

The CW Renew/Cancel is back, with several new entries, including two of the networks only remaining scripted series, and several unscripted programs. Plus, the first-ever CW Renew/Cancel March Madness kicks off!

Friday TV Ratings 4/26/24: CBS Dramas Decline, NFL Draft Narrowly Tops WWE SmackDown To Lead the Night, 100 Days to Indy Has Dismal Premiere (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: ABC's NFL Draft broadcast (0.61) was four-tenths lower than yesterday's but managed to cling to its lead in the Adults 18-49 demographic nevertheless. Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.58, -0.05) came within striking distance of the NFL Draft but had to settle for a second-place finish. On CBS, dramas SWAT (0.29, -0.07), Fire Country (0.33, -0.02), and Blue Bloods (0.29, -0.02) all slipped. NBC's Dateline (0.29, +0.05) climbed higher. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.07, +0.01) inched up for its CW finale, but 100 Days to Indy (0.03) underwhelmed in its premiere.

Friday TV Ratings 4/19/24: Shark Tank and WWE SmackDown Decline, SWAT Stable, Billy Joel Repeat Decent (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.63, -0.13) declined dramatically in the key demo but held onto its lead nonetheless. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.31, -0.01) and 20/20 (0.24, -0.07) dropped from their week-ago episodes. CBS's SWAT (0.36, 0.00) was even with last week's installment and led into a solid encore of Billy Joel: The 100th (0.26). That encore ended up beating NBC's Password rerun (0.18) and Dateline original (0.24, -0.02). Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.06, 0.00) tied its last original on the CW.

Friday TV Ratings 4/5/24: WWE SmackDown Jumps, SWAT and Shark Tank Slip (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: With March Madness out of the way, Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.77, +0.17) returned to Friday night dominance. The wrestling series was up dramatically, almost rising by two full tenths, and more than doubled its nearest competitor in the Adults 18-49 demographic. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.29, -0.03) and 20/20 (0.23, -0.07) were down from their last originals. SWAT (0.33, -0.03), Fire Country (0.38, -0.01), and Blue Bloods (0.32, -0.04) also dropped on CBS. Dateline (0.27, +0.06), on the other hand, was up markedly on NBC. Penn & Teller (0.06, -0.01) shed a hundredth on the CW and was followed by a pilot encore of Sight Unseen (0.03). 

Friday TV Ratings 3/29/24: March Madness and WWE SmackDown Slip, Totally Funny Animals Up (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: On CBS, March Madness coverage (1.42/1.90) was down from Thursday's broadcast (1.54/2.06) but up from last Friday (1.09/1.52). Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.60, -0.01) shed a hundredth and remained in second. NBC's Dateline rerun (0.26) was a tier above ABC's 20/20 encore (0.20). The dynamic was flipped in the 8 p.m. hour as ABC's Shark Tank repeat (0.25) trumped the peacock network's Deal or No Deal Island encore (0.16). Totally Funny Animals (0.05, +0.02) and Totally Funny Kids (0.04, +0.01) grew on the CW, while Penn & Teller held flat at 0.07.

Friday TV Ratings 3/22/24: March Madness Slightly Down from Thursday, WWE SmackDown Drops (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: CBS's second night of March Madness coverage (1.09/1.52) was down from the first night (1.50/1.26), but the numbers were still high enough to keep them in the lead. WWE Smackdown (0.61, -0.07) declined on Fox and had to settle for second place for once. ABC's Shark Tank (0.27) was in repeat-mode, but that didn't stop 20/20 (0.30, +0.08) from surging. Dateline (0.21, +0.02) inched up on NBC and built significantly on the Deal or No Deal Island rerun (0.12) that led into it. On the CW, Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.07, +0.01) grew, Totally Funny Animals (0.03, -0.01) dropped, and Totally Funny Kids (0.03, 0.00) held steady.

Friday TV Ratings 3/15/24: Fire Country and Blue Bloods Slip After Week Off, WWE SmackDown Also Slightly Down, Shark Tank Ticks Up (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: CBS's SWAT (0.36, +0.03) was up from the second-half of last week's double-pump, but Fire Country (0.39, -0.05) and Blue Bloods (0.36, -0.02) were down after being off the air for a week. ABC's Shark Tank (0.32, +0.01) ticked up, but 20/20 (0.22, -0.02) went in the other direction. On NBC, Dateline (0.19, -0.15) completely collapsed but at least built on the Deal or No Deal Island rerun (0.15) that led into it. WWE Smackdown (0.68, -0.01) declined slightly on Fox. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.06, -0.01) and Totally Funny Animals (0.04, -0.01) dipped on the CW, but it was Totally Funny Kids (0.03, -0.04) that dealt with the largest decline of the three.

Friday TV Ratings 3/1/24: Shark Tank Nears Series Low, Blue Bloods, Fire Country and SWAT Jump, WWE SmackDown Leads (Final Ratings w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: Shark Tank (0.31, -0.05) and 20/20 (0.20, -0.09) collapsed on ABC after posting small gains just last week. On CBS, SWAT (0.44, +0.06), Fire Country (0.44, +0.06), and Blue Bloods (0.38, +0.06) picked up six-hundredths apiece. Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.64, +0.02) inched up and remained unbeatable. NBC's Dateline (0.31, +0.03) also grew a bit. Penn & Teller (0.07, 0.00) held flat on the CW, while Totally Funny Animals (0.07, +0.02) and Totally Funny Kids (0.06, +0.01) perked up.

Friday TV Ratings 2/2/24: The Price Is Right At Night and Shark Tank Slide, WWE SmackDown Leads (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: The Price Is Right At Night (0.34, -0.16) was down significantly from Wednesday night's episode but remained a respectable option by Friday standards. CBS followed the prime time version of The Price Is Right with repeats of Fire Country (0.20) and Blue Bloods (0.17). ABC's Shark Tank (0.39, -0.04) dropped by four-hundredths, while 20/20 (0.33, -0.09) nearly shed a full tenth. Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.74, +0.03) got even stronger on the Fox network. Transplant (0.15, -0.02) and Dateline (0.21, -0.06) both declined on NBC, with this duo proving to be an even weaker option than last week's Figure Skating (0.23). Penn & Teller (0.08, +0.02) was up on the CW.

Finals Update: Shark Tank (+0.1) and the repeat of Blue Bloods (+0.1) adjusted up.

Friday TV Ratings 1/19/24: Shark Tank Hits Another Season High, 20/20 Also Rises, WWE SmackDown and Transplant Drop (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: ABC's Shark Tank (0.48, +0.03) set another season high on Friday night, besting the one it posted last week. 20/20 (0.36, +0.04) grew alongside its lead-in and trumped a sinking edition of NBC's Dateline (0.27, -0.07). The peacock network was also down earlier in the night with Transplant (0.17, -0.03). Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.62, -0.02) slipped but remained dominant. CBS aired more repeats of S.W.A.T. (0.22), Fire Country (0.20), and Blue Bloods (0.18). Over on the CW, Penn & Teller (0.07, +0.01) was slightly up, World's Funniest Animals (0.05, -0.01) was slightly down, and Masters of Illusion (0.05, 0.00) was stable in the middle. 

Finals Update: 20/20 (+0.1) and Dateline NBC (+0.1) adjusted up.

Friday TV Ratings 1/12/24: Shark Tank Returns with Season High, WWE SmackDown Leads, Transplant Slips in New Time Slot (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: ABC staple Shark Tank (0.45, +0.11) soared to a new season high for its first episode in nearly a month but still fell short of Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.64, -0.03) in the key demo. 20/20 (0.32, +0.09) also picked up the pace after having a rotten lead-in from Impact X Nightline (0.17) last week. On NBC, Transplant (0.20, -0.08) slipped in its Friday night debut, but that did not stop Dateline (0.34, +0.08) from surging in the 9 p.m. time slot. CBS went with reruns of S.W.A.T. (0.25), Fire Country (0.23), and Blue Bloods (0.17). The CW went with original episodes of Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.06), Masters of Illusion (0.05), and World's Funniest Animals (0.06) 

Finals Update: All shows held their preliminary rounded ratings.

Friday TV Ratings 12/22/23: A Home for the Holidays Weak, Santa Claus is Comin to Town Encore Solid, WWE SmackDown Steady (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: A Home for the Holidays (0.18) did not impress on CBS and settled for a fourth-place finish in the 8 p.m. time slot. Fit for Christmas (0.16) went even lower in the 9 p.m. hour. ABC had a strong showing of Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (0.35) and a solid 20/20 repeat (0.28). On Fox, WWE Smackdown (0.55, 0.00) matched last week's installment. NBC re-ran Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors (0.24) and Dateline (0.19). The CW aired Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.06) and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (0.08).

Finals Update: Repeats of 20/20 (+0.1) and Fit for Christmas (+0.1) adjusted up.

Friday TV Ratings 12/8/23: Norman Lear Special Low, Shark Tank Rises After Break, WWE SmackDown Also Up (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: CBS honored legendary sitcom producer Norman Lear with the special Norman Lear: A Life on Television (0.21), but its performance in the Adults 18-49 demographic left much to be desired. Raid the Cage (0.20, -0.04) declined in the 9 p.m. time slot and was followed by the usual Blue Bloods rerun (0.17). Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.63, +0.04) grew a bit and returned to its position as Friday night champion. Shark Tank (0.36, +0.02) and 20/20 (0.33, +0.07) were both up on ABC after taking a few weeks off. NBC's broadcast of 2017 film Despicable Me 3 (0.19) did not impress and dragged down Dateline (0.21, -0.06). FBoy Island (0.04, 0.00) held flat for its CW finale, but Penn & Teller (0.07, -0.01) shed a hundredth. 

Finals Update: Shark Tank (+0.1) adjusted up.

Friday TV Ratings 12/1/23: Pac-12 Championship College Football Game Dominates, The Wall Slides, WWE SmackDown Below Most Recent Fox Airing (UPDATED w/Analysis)

Ratings Analysis: The Pac-12 Championship game (2.33) dominated in the Adults 18-49 demographic and led ABC to a rare Friday-night victory. Fox's WWE Smackdown (0.59, -0.03) seemed rather meek in comparison as it is usually tops the night with ease. Raid the Cage (0.24, +0.05) climbed higher on CBS but still trailed the rerun of The Price Is Right At Night (0.30) that aired before it. An encore of Blue Bloods (0.18) held down the 10 p.m. hour. NBC's The Wall (0.18) underwhelmed in the 8 p.m. slot, but Dateline (0.27, -0.02) built on it from there. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.08, 0.00) and FBoy Island (0.04, 0.00) were stable on the CW.

Finals Update: College Football: OR v. WA (+0.6) and WWE SmackDown (+0.1) adjusted up.