The alphabet network hasn’t had much luck launching successful new shows. What’s more, a lot of their existing shows are down year-to-year. Thankfully, the execs can’t cancel everything.
ABC shows (so far): 20/20, 20/20 Saturday, America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Assets, The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelorette, Back in the Game, Betrayal, Black Box, Castle, Celebrity Wife Swap, Dancing with the Stars, Extreme Weight Loss, The Goldbergs, The Great Christmas Light Fight, Grey’s Anatomy, Killer Women, Last Man Standing, Lucky 7, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, The Middle, Mind Games, Mistresses, Mixology, Modern Family, Motive, Nashville, The Neighbors, Nightline Prime, NY Med, Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Primetime: What Would You Do?, The Quest, Resurrection, Revenge, Rising Star, Rookie Blue, Scandal, Shark Tank, Super Fun Night, The Taste, Trophy Wife, and Wipeout.
Note: Here are the ratings for the 2015-15 season shows.
There’s lots of data that ABC execs looks at when deciding whether to renew or cancel a TV series but ratings are the major ingredient.
Check other networks’ rankings:
CBS | The CW | FOX | NBC | ABC Family | TNT
Note: If you’re not seeing the updated charts, please try reloading the page. You can also view them here and here.
A couple of notes about these charts:
These figures are updated automatically as new ratings are released. The averages are based on the final national numbers (live plus same day viewing), unless marked with an asterisk (*). For technical reasons, I have to resort them manually so feel free to let me know if I missed something.
Keep in mind that the demo numbers are typically what’s most important to advertisers. Therefore, that’s how the networks measure success. Advertisers pay more for ad time on a show that has a higher demo rating. Because older viewers don’t count? No, it’s because younger viewers watch less traditional TV and are harder to reach.
Demo numbers are typically reported using the 10ths decimal place (2.4, for example). In the averages, I’m using an extra decimal for easier ranking.
The networks take into account when shows air on Fridays and Saturdays, nights when TV viewership is lower.
What do you think? Are you surprised by any of the ratings? Which shows should be doing better? Which one do you think will be cancelled next?
I dont understand why your taking so many family shows on and keeping others that are complete garbage. I would not watch over half of your shows but the ones I and my family like you take off. That makes no sense. Why keep shows on that involves the devil, or bachelor and bachlorette and especially Modern Family those are the shows that need to go SOONER RATHER THAN LATER…
“Nashville” just keeps getting better & has some very loyal fans. I am very thankful ABC is not giving up on it! They need to come up with some great advertising to bring in more viewers. Considering its subject matter, I can’t see how they could not come up with some promotions, i.e. contests cross promoting country stars, the ACM Awards, big country guest stars, etc. Surely there are some creative thinkers at ABC who could think of something!
I just started watching rookie blue and i love it i hope it stays on
I dod not care much for ABC, but since Agents of Shield it all changed! I am hooked to that show. It is awesome and it is keeping you on the edge! It would really suck if ABC cancel that show.
The Quest is AMAZING! The only people who are against it, are people who haven’t taken the time to actually watch it. If they did, they would see how truly EPIC this story is, the show is completely unique, and the characters are amazing. The contestants are unlike any other contestants from other shows on TV. In most shows, the contestants are willing to do anything to win, including being rude, cruel, cheating, and stabbing their fellow contestants in the back. The Paladins in The Quest work together, and support each other every step of the way and show what… Read more »
Wow Mistresses had the largest drop in the demo out of all ABC summer shows and is one of ABC’s most expensive shows to make. What a strange situation. It barely got a renewal with a 1.2 demo rating after the first season and this season it couldn’t even clear 1.0. Even the overall population that watches the show has dropped and is an abysmal amount. It’s presence on primetime tv is a complete embarrassment. If it gets renewed, ABC clearly doesn’t care about the financial sustainability or quality of their company. That crap is barely Lifetime-movie grade.
Or maybe they are being loyal to the fans they have unlike so many networks who don’t care about their viewers. They can’t all be megahits! At least they could give viewers some closure rather than leaving cliffhangers like USA network is famous far.
Rising Star is not a failure there’s a 90% chance it will be renewed.. if they cancel there gonna lose there most highest rated summer show!