There’s lots of data that the networks look at when deciding whether to renew or cancel a TV series but the ratings are the main ingredient. (Wonder if your favorite’s already been renewed or cancelled? Visit our NBC 2011-12 show page.
Which NBC shows are in danger of being cancelled or are hits? By looking at the chart below, you can see their current season ranking, ratings averages to date, and their letter grade in the all-important 18-49 demographic.
These charts incorporate final ratings data through Friday, June 1, 2012.
| Demo rank | Scripted NBC TV shows | Demo grade | 18-49 demo rating (actual) | Viewers in millions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Office (renewed) | A++ | 2.8 (2.77) | 5.39 | ratings |
| 2 | Smash (renewed) | A++ | 2.3 (2.27) | 6.74 | ratings |
| 3 | Parenthood (renewed) | A- | 1.9 (1.93) | 5.13 | ratings |
| 4 | Law & Order: SVU (renewed) | A- | 1.9 (1.91) | 6.87 | ratings |
| 5 | Whitney (renewed) | A- | 1.9 (1.87) | 4.45 | ratings |
| 6 | Up All Night (renewed) | A- | 1.9 (1.86) | 4.45 | ratings |
| 7 | Parks and Recreation (renewed) | A- | 1.8 (1.84) | 3.73 | ratings |
| 8 | 30 Rock (renewed) | B- | 1.5 (1.54) | 3.49 | ratings |
| 8 | Community (renewed) | B- | 1.5 (1.54) | 3.42 | ratings |
| 10 | Grimm (renewed) | A* | 1.5 (1.53) | 5.02 | ratings |
| 11 | Are You There, Chelsea? (cancelled) | B- | 1.5 (1.48) | 3.76 | ratings |
| 12 | The Playboy Club (cancelled) | C+ | 1.4 (1.37) | 4.15 | ratings |
| 13 | Free Agents (cancelled) | C | 1.4 (1.35) | 4.08 | ratings |
| 14 | Prime Suspect (cancelled) | C- | 1.2 (1.19) | 4.61 | ratings |
| 15 | Awake (cancelled) | D+ | 1.1 (1.08) | 3.34 | ratings |
| 16 | Harry's Law (cancelled) | D+ | 1.1 (1.06) | 7.79 | ratings |
| 17 | Chuck (ended) | C-* | 1.0 (0.98) | 3.44 | ratings |
| 18 | Bent (cancelled) | D- | 0.8 (0.83) | 2.37 | ratings |
| 19 | Best Friends Forever (cancelled) | F | 0.8 (0.78) | 2.68 | ratings |
| 20 | The Firm (cancelled) | D-* | 0.7 (0.65) | 3.11 | ratings |
| Demo rank | Non-scripted NBC TV shows | Demo grade | 18-49 demo rating (actual) | Viewers in millions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Voice (renewed) | A++ | 5.0 (4.99) | 13.14 | ratings |
| 2 | Fear Factor (cancelled) | A- | 2.4 (2.41) | 6.08 | ratings |
| 3 | The Biggest Loser (fall) (cancelled) | B+ | 2.2 (2.21) | 6.21 | ratings |
| 4 | The Biggest Loser (spring) (renewed) | B | 2.2 (2.18) | 6.44 | ratings |
| 5 | Celebrity Apprentice (renewed) | B- | 2.0 (2.03) | 6.30 | ratings |
| 6 | Betty White's Off Their Rockers (renewed) | C | 1.6 (1.62) | 6.14 | ratings |
| 6 | Who's Still Standing? (cancelled) | C | 1.6 (1.62) | 5.98 | ratings |
| 8 | Fashion Star (renewed) | C- | 1.6 (1.56) | 4.45 | ratings |
| 9 | The Sing-Off (cancelled) | C- | 1.5 (1.52) | 4.56 | ratings |
| 10 | Dateline (Fridays, renewed) | C-* | 1.3 (1.27) | 4.98 | ratings |
| 11 | Dateline (Sundays, unknown) | D- | 1.0 (1.04) | 4.87 | ratings |
| 12 | Who Do You Think You Are? (cancelled) | D* | 1.0 (1.03) | 5.41 | ratings |
| 13 | Rock Center with Brian Williams (renewed) | F | 0.9 (0.88) | 3.54 | ratings |
| 14 | Escape Routes (cancelled) | F* | 0.3 (0.26) | 1.08 | ratings |
Summer 2012 ratings report card.
Original ratings data ©The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
A couple of notes about these charts:
The averages included in this chart are based on the final numbers, not the fast affiliate ratings that are typically reported the next morning. The final numbers become available about a day after the broadcasts or in some cases several days later. The charts will be updated as the new data becomes available.
Keep in mind that the demo numbers (not total viewers) are 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 versus one with a lot more overall viewers.
Demo numbers are reported by Nielsen using the 10ths decimal place (2.4, for example). We used to report averages that way but it ends up being hard to see any movement week to week. It can also be a little misleading since a show with a 2.35 average and a show with a 2.44 average will both round to a 2.4 rating.
In these charts, we’re including the demo average rounded to the 10th (2.4) as well as the 100th place (2.41) in parenthesis so you can get a better idea of how the average has been affected by the latest episode’s demo rating.
The letter grades are relative (kind of like grading on a curve) and are based on the individual network’s demo performance (either scripted or non-scripted). All of the networks have very different gauges for success right now. (A successful show for The CW would get quickly cancelled on CBS.) Our system for coming up with letter grades isn’t perfect but it should still give you an idea of where the different shows stand.
*The grades for TV series that run on Friday and Saturday nights are weighted a little differently, to compensate for airing on little-watched nights.
What do you think? Are surprised by any of the ratings? Are any of your favorite shows in danger of being cancelled? Which should be doing better?
Whitney is actually one of the top rated scripted shows on the network right now.
Love the Firm the actors are wonderful. Josh Lucas is beautiful.
I wish some of the other shows got the hipe Smash got they might be doing better.
I love “Parenthood” and I’m curious to see if “Awake” will be any good! I am one of the people who really like “Whitney”! However, NBC has cancelled and ended so many good shows, both this season and previous seasons, that I am wary of trying anything new on this network! This season, I lost “Chuck”, “Prime Suspect”, “The Playboy Club”, and “Free Agents”! That’s just too many!!!
“Harry’s Law” – 7.7 million viewers, NBC’s 2nd highest rated non-reality show, and it’s #1 drama = renewal. It has a solid, albeit older and more diverse audience – but – people older than the coveted “demo” have more money to spend on products/insurance/medications – than ANY other demographic. I hope NBC realizes that, and does not cancel it… it would be ludicrous to only covet one demo by a major network. That, and they have Kathy Bates on contract for it – they are lucky to have that at all.
PS : NBC should get a clue, and order a night time soap like “Dallas/Dynasty” – ABC is doing rather well with “Revenge” and TNT has already produced “Dallas 2012”.
Other than Parenthood & Grimm,NBC just totally sucks.They had really good shows on,but cancelled most of them over the past 3-4 years.And I’m looking forward to Awake,because Kyle Killen had a great show with Lonestar,but it never got the chance it deserved,so I support Kyle Killen,the show’s creator.
Keep Parenthood. One of the best shows on TV.
In addition to keeping Parenthood around, they really need to find other good shows as well. I’m still waiting for Awake to air, hopefully at a time when I can watch it and have yet to see if Smash will be a critically acclaimed show that will fail (it’s up against Castle) or if it will work.
Right now I watch NOTHING on Wed nights. I wish the nets would take one show off the overcrowded Mon/Thurs/Fri nights and air it on the only night of the week I have nothing to watch. I guess that’ll happen soon enough with Chuck ending, FOX cancelling Fringe, Supernatural in limbo status and who knows what will become of Alcatraz?
When did “Fringe” get cancelled?
Samara » It’s not. Not yet anyway.
I liked Free Agents and I hate Whitney. Its awful all the jokes are set up, punch line, laugh. It reminds me of the old 90s sitcoms. I really wanted to like it too because Im a fan of Whitney Cummings.
Why is NBC moving Whitney? Especially opposite the heavy Wed. line up on ABC. I guess they want to kill it.
Love Whitney. HAHA
Hate Whitney!
Love Whitney!
NBC sure is lucky you’re grading on a curve! The only show I watch on this network so far (maybe midseason will change that?) is Grimm.
…and even that show is taped (along with Fringe) in favor of watching Supernatural live. It’s cruel for the networks to put so much quality in the same time slot.
Yep, The Office’s 3.2 A++ wouldn’t get it any higher than a B on ABC, CBS, or Fox. And it goes downhill from there.
I don’t think you can give The Playboy Club and Free Agents higher grades than shows that are still on the schedule. Harry’s Law and Chuck may not have great ratings, but they still have ratings and are generating ad revenue, when The Playboy Club and Free Agents are not bringing in any ratings or ad revenue. Since those two shows were cancelled so early, they deserve F grades.
Craig » The grades are based on the demo averages. If a current show has worse ratings than ones that have already been cancelled, their fate is pretty clear.