Years ago, the networks would mostly air reruns during the summer months. Those days are long gone and summer is becoming nearly as competitive as the rest of the year. Which TV shows are doing the best? The worst? Cancelled or renewed? Wondering how your favorite series are doing? Here are the season average ratings of the Summer 2019 network TV shows — as of the end of week 12 (Sunday, August 18, 2019) of the 2018-19 season.
ABC summer shows (so far): The $100,000 Pyramid, Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelorette, BH90210, Card Sharks, Celebrity Family Feud, Family Food Fight, Grand Hotel, Holey Moley, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, Press Your Luck, Reef Break, To Tell the Truth, and What Would You Do?.
CBS summer shows (so far): The Amazing Race, The Big Stage, Blood & Treasure, Elementary, The Good Fight, Love Island, NCIS: The Cases They Can’t Forget, and Whistleblower.
CW summer shows (so far): The 100, Bulletproof, Burden of Truth, Hypnotize Me, iZombie, Masters of Illusion, My Last Days, The Outpost, Pandora, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Two Sentence Horror Stories, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
FOX summer shows (so far): Beat Shazam, First Responders, MasterChef, Paradise Hotel, So You Think You Can Dance, Spin the Wheel, and What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage.
NBC summer shows (so far): America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior, Bring the Funny, Hollywood Game Night, The InBetween, and Songland.
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The averages are based on the final national numbers (live plus same day viewing). The demos are typically reported with one decimal place but I’ve included two for more accurate ranking. Some of these shows started airing in the regular season but they are included here because a significant portion of their episodes will air during the summer months.
Keep in mind that the demo numbers are typically what’s most important to advertisers. Therefore, that’s how the networks measure success. Advertisers typically 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. It’s also important to remember that ratings are designed to estimate how many people watch a show’s commercials — not the show itself. That’s what advertisers pay for.
Want more? You can check out other season listings here.
What do you think? Are you surprised by any of the ratings? Which summer shows should be doing better?
