NBC's This Is Us

Live sports and “Empire” — that’s what Fox does. Or at least, that’s what has made the broadcast network a surprising No. 1 for the still-young fall TV season.

Take away those NFL overruns and a classic 2016 World Series, however, and it’s a very different story. Remove news programming, as well, and you’ve got completely different rankings for entertainment series-only. And in case you were wondering, that’s a legitimate way to measure these things.

Through seven weeks, NBC is actually tops in entertainment programming, averaging a 2.0 rating among adults 18-49 — the key demographic for advertisers. That number includes seven days of delayed viewing, where available. This year, it’s worth specifying that these numbers do not include the presidential and vice presidential debates.

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Fox drops all the way from first to fourth, with a 1.7 average primetime rating. CBS and ABC, each with a 1.8, are tied between the bookends.

Here are the entertainment-only rankings, along with their respective changes from this time last year.
1. NBC: 2.0 (-5%)
2. (tie) CBS: 1.8 (-10%) and ABC: 1.8 (-22%)
4. Fox: 1.7 (-15%)

In addition to “The Voice,” “This Is Us” has carried NBC to the top podium. With a 4.6 average demo rating and 14.3 million total viewers, the freshman drama is the top new series of the season, and No. 3 overall, behind “Empire” and “The Big Bang Theory.” The fourth biggest show on broadcast TV is “Modern Family,” giving each of the Big 4 one apiece at the top of the sheets.

11 Early Winners and Losers of the Fall TV Season (Photos)

Winner: MacGyver
This reboot of the classic 80's series defied the conventional wisdom that a Friday night timeslot equals death for a new show. Instead, the show has managed to maintain solid ratings and recently scored a full-season order.
CBS
Loser: Pure Genius
The only new CBS fall show to premiere to soft ratings, this medical drama starring Augustus Prew and Dermot Mulroney opened to just 6.2 million viewers and a 1.0 rating. And as shows tend to dip in their subsequent weeks, this one could be ripe for cancellation already.
CBS
Winner: Supergirl's CW move
The Girl of Steel went from being a bubble show on CBS to the top-rated show on The CW. This was a no-brainer.
The CW
Loser: Notorious
"Notorious" has the unfortunate distinction of being the first fall show to have its episode order cut - essentially a cancellation.
ABC
Winner: This Is Us
Who knew a wholesome, earnest family drama would be the breakout hit of the fall TV season? NBC needed a hit, and it got one in Dan Fogelman's latest.
NBC
Winner: Lethal Weapon
Among the hits and misses of movies being turned into TV shows, Fox's redo of the Mel Gibson cop comedy is firmly in the "hit" column, thanks to the strong chemistry between the two leads.
Fox
Winner: Jeff Zucker
We may all come out losers when this election is finally decided, but with the way CNN has cashed in on ratings thanks to Trump's antics, CNN boss Jeff Zucker definitely won't be one.

CNN
Winner: FX
Move over, HBO and AMC. From "Fargo" to "American Horror Story" to "Atlanta" to "Better Things," FX has become the go-to cable network for quality programming.
FX
Loser: Divorce
Sarah Jessica Parker's big return to TV and the network of "Sex and the City" didn't make much of a splash, and "Insecure" and "Westworld" are both buzzier.
HBO
Winner: Designated Survivor
Kiefer Sutherland's return to TV was a resounding success, and "Designated Survivor" is a hit with audiences and critics alike.
ABC
Loser: NFL Games
There are only a few guarantees in life: death, taxes, and strong TV ratings for NFL games. That last one has been a bit shaky thus far this season, however, as weak match-ups, sloppy play, altered rules and even a contagious national anthem protest have turned a significant number of viewers off.
NBC

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The 2016-17 season is about a month in, and while it’s too early to make any final judgments, here’s how things are shaping up

Winner: MacGyver
This reboot of the classic 80's series defied the conventional wisdom that a Friday night timeslot equals death for a new show. Instead, the show has managed to maintain solid ratings and recently scored a full-season order.

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