Friday TV Ratings 5/16/25: Shark Tank Rises for Mark Cuban’s Final Episode, SWAT Slightly Rebounds but Stays Low for Series Finale, Real Time with Bill Maher Hits Series Low [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: On the night of Mark Cuban's final episode, ABC's Shark Tank (0.28, +0.03) climbed higher, but 20/20 (0.17) dropped noticeably from there. On NBC, Grosse Pointe Garden Society (0.15, +0.03) was up for its finale. CBS's SWAT (0.19, +0.04) was also up for its series finale, but the drama fell behind The Greatest @Home Videos (0.24). Fox was up from last week with UFL (0.12). Encores of Penn & Teller (0.04) and Masters of Illusion (0.03/0.03) aired on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale. 

Friday TV Ratings 5/9/25: SWAT and Hollywood Squares Collapse to New Lows, Shark Tank and Grosse Pointe Garden Society Also Decline, Pope Leo XIV Special Solid [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: Hollywood Squares (0.13, -0.05) and SWAT (0.15, -0.09) collapsed on CBS, and a 10 p.m. rerun of Fire Country (0.12) almost matched the Squares original in the key demographic. Shark Tank (0.25, -0.02) also dropped on ABC. Tank was followed by a special about Pope Leo XIV (0.24) and Bad Romance (0.15). Grosse Pointe (0.12, -0.02) slipped on NBC, but Dateline (0.19, 0.00) tied its week-ago installment. Fox's UFL broadcast (0.09) did not impress. The CW aired repeats of Penn & Teller (0.05) and Masters of Illusion (0.04/0.03). Key: (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.

Friday TV Ratings 5/2/25: Hollywood Squares Drops to New Low in Time Slot Debut, Grosse Pointe Garden Society Hits Friday High, Shark Tank and SWAT Slip [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: Hollywood Squares (0.18) dropped from its last installment (0.21) in its CBS return and appeared to negatively affect SWAT (0.24, -0.06). Grosse Pointe Garden Society (0.14, +0.04) and Dateline (0.19, +0.04) bounced back on NBC. Shark Tank (0.27, -0.05) and 20/20 (0.23, -0.10) both dropped on ABC, with 20/20 losing a full tenth. UFL (0.12) improved a bit from last week on Fox. The CW went with reruns of Penn & Teller (0.04) and Masters of Illusion (0.03/0.02). Key: (R) = repeat. 

Friday TV Ratings 4/18/25: RuPaul’s Drag Race Rises for Finale, Fire Country and NCIS: Sydney Soar, 20/20 Hits Season High [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: ABC's 20/20 (0.33, +0.19) experienced a sudden surge, even as its Shark Tank lead-in (0.32, +0.03) only grew slightly. On CBS, NCIS: Sydney (0.30, +0.08), Fire Country (0.39, +0.12), and SWAT (0.30, +0.05) all made noticeable gains. NBC's Grosse Pointe (0.13, +0.01) rose but still lost to a repeat of Dateline (0.15). UFL on Fox (0.13) was steady with last week. The CW aired encores of Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.05) and Mysteries Decoded (0.03). Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 4/11/25: Shark Tank Leads Broadcast, Dateline NBC Collapses, RuPaul’s Drag Race and SWAT Rise [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: ABC's Shark Tank (0.29, +0.06) rose significantly on Friday, but 20/20 (0.14, -0.04) had a noticeably soft showing. On NBC, Grosse Pointe (0.12, +0.01) ticked up, but Dateline (0.12, -0.11) collapsed. NCIS: Sydney (0.22, +0.01) and SWAT (0.25, +0.05) grew on CBS, but Fire Country (0.27, -0.01) inched down. Fox remained low with UFL (0.13). Penn & Teller was frozen at 0.07 on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 4/4/25: Grosse Pointe Garden Society Declines in Move, NCIS: Sydney and SWAT Drop to Series Lows, Women’s College Basketball Tournament Easily Leads [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: In its move to Friday nights, NBC drama Grosse Pointe Garden Society (0.11, -0.02) declined from its previous installment in the Adults 18-49 demographic. At nine, Dateline (0.23, +0.02) more than doubled its Grosse lead-in in the key demo. After taking a week off, Shark Tank (0.23, +0.03) and 20/20 (0.18, +0.01) were both up a bit on ABC. On CBS, dramas NCIS: Sydney (0.21, -0.05), Fire Country (0.28, -0.08), and SWAT (0.20, -0.12) all collapsed. Fox's UFL broadcast (0.13) made no noise. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.07, 0.00) held steady on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 3/14/25: Happy’s Place, SWAT, RuPaul’s Drag Race and Shark Tank All Rise, NCIS: Sydney Slips, ACC Tournament Leads [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: NBC comedy Happy's Place (0.30, +0.04) was on the rise, but Dateline (0.21, -0.08) struggled at nine. Shark Tank (0.31, +0.03) and 20/20 (0.28, +0.09) both grew on ABC. NCIS: Sydney (0.26, -0.01) ticked down on CBS, but Fire Country (0.36, +0.04) and SWAT (0.32, +0.07) surged. Fox remained competitive with college basketball (0.31/0.21/0.35). Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.04, -0.01) and Masters of Illusion (0.04, -0.01) shed a hundredth apiece on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. 

Friday TV Ratings 3/7/25: Shark Tank Returns Down, SWAT Drops Following Cancellation, RuPaul’s Drag Race and Happy’s Place Rise [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: In its return from a month-long hiatus, ABC's Shark Tank (0.28, -0.14) dropped to its lowest rating since mid-January. 20/20 (0.19, -0.02) also dropped at nine. CBS's SWAT (0.25, -0.04) was down after being canceled, but NCIS: Sydney (0.27, 0.00) held steady, and Fire Country (0.32, +0.02) rose. NBC sitcom Happy's Place (0.26, +0.04) was on the rise, as was Dateline (0.29, +0.09). Fox's college basketball broadcast (0.24) was steady with last week's. Penn & Teller (0.05, -0.03) slipped on the CW, but Masters of Illusion (0.05, +0.01) ticked up. Key: (R) = repeat.

SWAT Canceled by CBS

It's the end of the line for SWAT, potentially for good this time. After dodging cancellation twice before, CBS has announced yet again that veteran Friday night drama SWAT will come to an end later this season. The news comes days after the network canceled both FBI spinoffs, and two weeks after a mass renewal that saw both of SWAT's fellow Friday dramas picked up for additional seasons. SWAT had been a solid Friday night player for CBS, but was moved to 10 PM halfway through the season, where it hit series lows. The show did rise in recent weeks, but the decision to end it had clearly already been made. CBS declined to take part in renewal discussions for the series this year, canceling it outright and without a chance for negotiation from Sony, who saved it twice in the past. It's an unceremonious end for a series that overcame the odds many times over an eight-year run. Currently averaging 0.28 in the key 18-49 demo, SWAT is one of CBS's lowest-rated series, though it does out-rate the already-renewed NCIS: Sydney and Elsbeth. Shemar Moore stars in the series, alongside Jay Harrington, David Lim and Patrick St. Esprit. This is a correct prediction for The TV Ratings Guide.

Friday TV Ratings 2/28/25: RuPaul’s Drag Race, Fire Country and The Way Home Decline, WWE SmackDown Narrowly Tops NBA to Lead, Suits LA Repeat Abysmal [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: After last week's slew of upticks, CBS dramas NCIS: Sydney (0.27, -0.01), Fire Country (0.30, -0.10), and SWAT (0.29, -0.05) all came back down. On ABC, a Countdown to the Oscars special (0.23) seemed to negative affect 20/20 (0.21, -0.07). The dynamic was similar on NBC as a dismal Suits LA encore (0.10) brought down Dateline (0.20, -0.02). College basketball (0.24) was down markedly from last week (0.41) on Fox. Penn & Teller (0.08, 0.00) was steady on the CW, but Masters of Illusion (0.04, -0.02) slipped. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 2/21/25: SWAT and Fire Country Jump, RuPaul’s Drag Race Also Rises, Happy’s Place Sinks [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: CBS's NCIS: Sydney (0.28, +0.01) ticked up on Friday night, while Fire Country (0.40, +0.10), and SWAT (0.34, +0.13) made some more noticeable gains at nine and ten respectively. ABC's 20/20 (0.28, +0.04) was on the rise as well. Happy's Place (0.22, -0.08) plummeted on NBC, but Dateline (0.22, +0.01) gained a hundredth. Fox's college basketball broadcast (0.41) topped network television in the key demographic. Penn & Teller (0.08, +0.03) and Masters of Illusion (0.06, +0.02) were up on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 2/14/25: NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Rises from 2024 and Leads the Night, SWAT and RuPaul’s Drag Race Drop to Lows, Shark Tank Repeat Tops Broadcast [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: ABC's Shark Tank (0.37) was in repeat mode for the night but still beat out its broadcast competitors. 20/20 (0.24, 0.00) held steady at nine. Happy's Place (0.30, +0.03) gained some momentum on NBC, but Dateline (0.21, -0.04) slipped. NCIS: Sydney (0.27, +0.01) ticked up on CBS, but Fire Country (0.30, -0.03) and SWAT (0.21, -0.04) declined. On Fox, college basketball (0.25) was about a tenth below last week. Penn & Teller (0.05, -0.01) and Masters of Illusion (0.04, -0.01) lost a hundredth apiece on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat. 

Friday TV Ratings 2/7/25: NCIS: Sydney Returns to New Series Low, Shark Tank Soars, Critics Choice Awards Sink in Move to E! [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: NCIS: Sydney (0.26) made a soft landing on CBS, but Fire Country (0.33, +0.03) and SWAT (0.25, +0.01) were actually up from last week. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.42, +0.12) soared to a new season high, but 20/20 (0.24, +0.04) did not rise nearly as much. Lopez vs Lopez (0.19, -0.09) collapsed for its NBC finale, and Happy's Place (0.27, -0.04) also slipped. Dateline (0.25, +0.03) was up a bit at nine. College basketball (0.34) performed well on Fox. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.06, -0.02) and Masters of Illusion (0.05, -0.03) dropped on the CW. Key: (P) = premiere. (F) = finale.

Friday TV Ratings 1/31/25: SWAT Returns to New Series Low in New Time Slot, Fire Country Also Returns Down, Happy’s Place and Lopez vs Lopez Jump [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: On CBS, dramas Fire Country (0.30, -0.03) and SWAT (0.24, -0.10) both dropped in their winter returns, with SWAT in particular sinking to a new low. Earlier in the night, a special about the Grammy Awards (0.20) did not impress. NBC had far better luck as Happy's Place (0.31, +0.09) and Lopez vs Lopez (0.28, +0.11) zoomed past their previous installments, and Dateline (0.22, 0.00) held flat in the 9 p.m. slot. Shark Tank (0.30, -0.02) and 20/20 (0.20, -0.04) slipped on ABC. Fox's college basketball telecast (0.31) put up a strong rating. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.08, 0.00) and Masters of Illusion (0.08, 0.00) tied their week-ago premieres on the CW. 

Friday TV Ratings 12/13/24: Blue Bloods Rises for Series Finale, Happy’s Place Slides, WWE SmackDown Rises [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: CBS drama Blue Bloods (0.33, +0.02) ended its 14-season run with an uptick and  tied its previously-set fall 2024 high. Earlier in the evening, SWAT (0.34, +0.05) and Fire Country (0.33, +0.02) also rose. After riding the Rudolph high last week, Happy's Place (0.25, -0.13) and Lopez vs Lopez (0.17, -0.09) dropped back down to normal levels on NBC. Dateline (0.19) grew slightly from there. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.29, -0.02) and 20/20 (0.24, -0.03) slipped. College basketball (0.19) did not move the needle on Fox. On the CW, Children Ruin Everything (0.03/0.02) remained below repeats of Bob Hearts Abishola (0.04/0.04). Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 12/6/24: Rudolph Soars for 60th Anniversary Airing on NBC, Happy’s Place Hits New Series High, Private Princess Christmas Solid for Hallmark [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: In its move to NBC, Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (0.62) put up a massive rating that was more than two-tenths above its 2023 CBS broadcast (0.39). Rudolph also helped boost sitcoms Happy's Place (0.38, +0.15) and Lopez vs Lopez (0.26, +0.07) to new season highs. On Fox, the UNLV v. Boise St. college football match (0.70) was several tenths above ABC's college game (0.28). SWAT (0.29, -0.06) and Fire Country (0.31, -0.07) declined on CBS, but Blue Bloods (0.31, +0.03) was on the rise. Children Ruin Everything (0.04/0.03) lagged behind reruns of Bob Hearts Abishola (0.06/0.06) on the CW. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 11/22/24: Fire Country and Shark Tank Soar to Season Highs, Happy’s Place Barely Rises from Previous Week’s Low, Christmas on Call Solid [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: It was a night full of recovery on broadcast as CBS dramas SWAT (0.35, +0.09), Fire Country (0.38, +0.14), and Blue Bloods (0.28, +0.06) were all way up from last week's depressed levels. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.31, +0.13) and 20/20 (0.27, +0.09) soared in a similar manner. NBC sitcoms Happy's Place (0.23, +0.02) and Lopez vs Lopez (0.19, +0.03) were up but not nearly as much as the others. Dateline (0.18, +0.05) also rose. College football on Fox (0.34) was a tenth above last week. Even the CW's Bob Hearts Abishola reruns (0.05/0.04/0.04/0.05) were above the week-ago batch. Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 11/15/24: SWAT Leads Broadcast as All Scripted Shows Sink to New Lows, Christmas with the Singhs Weak for Hallmark [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: It was an abysmal Friday night for the broadcast networks as practically every show took a hit, likely because of Netflix's highly-anticipated fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. CBS's SWAT (0.26, -0.05) was the top-rated non-cable program but was still down markedly from last week. Fire Country (0.24, -0.11) and Blue Bloods (0.22, -0.06) declined by even more. On ABC, Shark Tank (0.18, -0.08) and 20/20 (0.18, -0.06) nosedived. Happy's Place (0.21, -0.06), Lopez vs Lopez (0.16, -0.02), and Dateline (0.13, -0.04) all slipped on NBC. Fox's UCLA/WA college football game (0.24) was a notch below the network's former Friday-night staple WWE Smackdown (0.32). The CW aired repeats of CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola (0.05/0.03/0.03/0.03). Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 11/1/24: Shark Tank and Fire Country Rise to Season Highs, Happy’s Place Drops Again, WWE SmackDown Leads [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: ABC mainstays Shark Tank (0.25, +0.05) and 20/20 (0.24, +0.06) gained some momentum after being crushed by the World Series last week, enough so that Tank was able to set a new season high. CBS was also up across the board with dramas SWAT (0.32, +0.05), Fire Country (0.37, +0.03), and Blue Bloods (0.33, +0.08). NBC sitcoms Happy's Place (0.25, -0.04) and Lopez vs Lopez (0.18, -0.03) declined, but Dateline (0.24, 0.00) held steady. Whose Line (0.06, +0.01) ticked up on the CW, but Joan (0.02, -0.01) dipped. Fox aired repeats of The Masked Singer (0.13) and The Floor (0.14). Key: (R) = repeat.

Friday TV Ratings 10/25/24: World Series Massively Out-Rates 2023 Opening Game, Happy’s Place and Shark Tank Drop [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: Fox's broadcast of the first 2024 World Series game delivered a massive 3.29 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic and crossed the 14-million mark in terms of total viewership. This rating is nearly 70% higher than the first 2023 game (1.95), and the viewership figure is over 50% above that of the year-ago showing. On NBC, sitcoms Happy's Place (0.29, -0.06) and Lopez v Lopez (0.21, -0.04) declined from last week's premieres, but Dateline (0.24, +0.03) was up. SWAT (0.27, -0.01) and Fire Country (0.34, -0.01) dipped on CBS, but Blue Bloods (0.25, -0.05) had a much harsher decline. ABC's Shark Tank (0.20, -0.04) fell to a new low and took 20/20 (0.18, -0.05) down with it. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (0.05, 0.00) and Joan (0.03, 0.00) were both stable on the CW.