Sunday TV Ratings 9/27/26: MTV Video Music Awards Heavily Up from 2025 with NFL Lead-In, Animal Control Solid in Sunday Debut, Grimsburg Remains Disastrous [+ Analysis]

Buoyed by an NFL lead-in, the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (1.71) experienced a 36% spike when compared to last year's CBS broadcast (1.26). After, Big Brother (0.48, -0.11) plummeted in a later time slot. On ABC, America's Funniest Home Videos (0.30) was up 15% from last year's premiere (0.26). On NBC, the week's NFL game (5.47) was down a bit from last Sunday's. In Fox comedy news, the premiere of The Simpsons (0.23) dealt with a 15% decline from 2025's start (0.27). At 8:30, Animal Control (0.20) looked healthy in the retention department, but Universal Basic Guys (0.14) and Grimsburg (0.11) were underwhelming in their respective returns. The CW aired the movie Pretty Woman (0.05). Key: (P) = premiere. (R) = repeat. 

Sunday TV Ratings 9/13/26: The Floor Draws OK Retention from NFL, 60 Minutes Draws Lowest-Ever Premiere Ratings, American Dad! Hits Season High with NFL Help [+ Analysis]

Fox used its NFL lead-in to boost the premiere of The Floor (0.68) on Sunday night, and enough of it trickled down to American Dad! (0.27, +0.16) to send the latter to a new season high. But the rally was short-lived, as Dad! (0.18, -0.09) declined sharply at 9:30 for its season finale. CBS's 60 Minutes (0.94) also benefited from football help, but it was a weaker start for the newsmagazine staple than years past. Later, Big Brother (0.66, +0.14) surged, but a VMAs special (0.21) that followed lost a massive chunk of that audience. NFL on NBC (6.86) remained a powerhouse. In film news, ABC aired The Parent Trap (0.17), while the CW's showing of Forrest Gump (0.11) put the network in a more competitive place than usual. Key: (P) = premiere. (R) = repeat. (F) = finale.

Sunday TV Ratings 9/7/25: MTV Video Music Awards Strong in CBS Debut but Down on MTV, Task Debuts Low on HBO, The Great North Hits Series Low for Special Airing [+ Analysis]

In its first CBS broadcast, the MTV Video Music Awards posted a strong 1.26 rating in the Adults 18-49 demographic, benefiting massively from its NFL lead-in (6.26). NBC also made serious noise with its mammoth Ravens v. Bills NFL game (5.80). ABC aired Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (0.13). On Fox, The Great North (0.08, -0.06) plummeted to a new low after a rerun of Animal Control (0.08). The CW aired the 2004 blockbuster Shrek 2 (0.04). Key: (R) = repeat. 

Wednesday TV Ratings 9/11/24: VMAs Decline from 2023, Big Brother Tops the Night, Aces/Fever Game Sets All-Time Viewership Record for WNBA on NBA TV [+ Analysis]

Ratings Analysis: CBS's Big Brother (0.61, -0.03) was down slightly from last Wednesday but still topped the night. MasterChef (0.30, -0.03) also slipped on Fox. America's Got Talent (0.43, +0.09) surged on NBC and led into a Seth Meyers election special (0.24). ABC aired more encores of Abbott Elementary (0.23/0.17/0.17/0.16) and Shark Tank (0.14). Repeats of Sullivan's Crossing (0.03) and Police 24/7 (0.03) made up the CW's lineup. Key: (R) = repeat.

Sunday Cable Ratings 9/12/21: VMAs Drop from 2020, Scenes from a Marriage Starts Low, The Walking Dead Down Yet Again

Below are the top 25 programs on cable on Sunday, 9/12/21. Items of note include the MTV Video Music Awards on MTV, the series premiere of Scenes from a Marriage on HBO, and Animal Kingdom on TNT.

(Note: Click any show with its name in orange to be taken to its page in the TV Ratings Guide Cable Ratings Database.)