While NBC’s Super Bowl and Olympics programming gave the network its first ratings crown since 2002, the top seven shows of this TV season came from CBS/Paramount and Netflix, according to multiplatform viewing data through mid-April.
While it’s no surprise that Netflix holds onto its viewership lead with tentpole juggernauts like “Stranger Things” and “Bridgerton” and twisty series like “His & Hers” and “The Beast in Me,” CBS/Paramount’s domination — via the expansion of the “Yellowstone” universe and series like “Tracker” and “Matlock” — prove the older, linear-focused audience is not to be undercounted.
CBS content has proven to capture the older broadcast demo year-after-year, but, when putting together the top shows across linear and streaming, Netflix only soars past CBS/Paramount with its biggest shows, with plenty other series neck-in-neck for viewers. In fact, CBS was home to eight of the top 25 most-watched programs, while Netflix was home to seven. And if you add in Paramount+’s “Landman” from Taylor Sheridan, Paramount’s number of shows in the top 25 expands to nine.
“Stranger Things” led the pack with 32.9 million viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-35-day figures from Sept. 14 through April 12, as it closed out its five-season run. (It should be noted that these figures run through April 12, so a handful of broadcast finales were not included in this tally).
The Duffer Brothers-created drama soared well beyond its closest competitor, but, impressively, it was four new series that filled out the top five shows for the season. Netflix’s murder mystery “His & Hers” came second with 25.6 million viewers, “Yellowstone” spinoff “Marshals” scored 20.7 million viewers, Diddy doc “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” logged 20.6 million viewers and “Landman” scored 19.8 million viewers.
Still, established favorites like “Bridgerton” and “Tracker” followed with 18.3 million viewers and 16.4 million viewers, respectively, though “Marshals” officially knocked out “Tracker” as broadcast’s top TV show.
While other buzzy shows like ABC’s “High Potential,” HBO Max’s “The Pitt” and Prime Video’s “Fallout,” made it into the top 11 series, it was by and large shows from Paramount and Netflix that were the most eye-catching for viewers, with the companies holding down 15 of the top 20 shows for the season combined. Third place went to ABC/Disney, which saw “High Potential,” “The Rookie” and “Will Trent” take up three spots in the top 20.
Also of note: Of the top 25 shows, only two were comedies, both from CBS: “Ghosts” with 10.5 million viewers and “Young Sheldon” spinoff “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” with 9.9 million viewers, further cementing the high bar to make it as a comedy nowadays.
Notably, “Ghosts” is among the top series that won’t be returning until 2027, with the exception of several holiday-themed specials. Top broadcast favorites “Matlock” and “High Potential” will, likewise, also not be returning until midseason, opening the door for other shows to fill the gap.
‘SNL’ wraps with ratings high
“Saturday Night Live” closed out the TV season as the No. 1 broadcast comedy series in the 18-49 demo and No. 3 among all entertainment series, per Nielsen live-plus-seven-day figures for the season, marking the seventh consecutive season that the NBC show has dominated the demo.
The ratings standout this season was the Dec. 20 episode hosted by Ariana Grande and with musical guest Cher, which racked up both the biggest audience of the season across all platforms with 10.1 million as well as the most social views. On Peacock alone, the most-watched telecast was the Oct. 4 season premiere with host Bad Bunny and musical guest Doja Cat.
NBA playoffs score ratings milestone
The NBA playoffs made a solid return to NBC and debut on Peacock with Game 7 of the Western Conference Final between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder scoring the most-watched conference finals game in 10 years with 15.9 million viewers. Total audience delivery was up 72% over comparable 2025 coverage.
“20/20” finishes strong
ABC News’ “20/20” closed out the 2025-26 broadcast season as Friday’s No. 1 newsmagazine for the fifth consecutive broadcast season, pushing past “Dateline” with a 12% bigger audience. Per most current Nielsen ratings, “20/20” averaged 3.7 million viewers, growing 5% from its audience averaged by the previous season.
ICYMI:
- Prime Video has launched weekly viewership charts reflecting its most-watched TV shows and films — without numbers
- Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike’s gender-swap comedy “‘Ladies First” climbed atop Netflix’s top movies list with 19 million views
- “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” scored its best audience since February, thanks to a visit from the stars of buzzy romance series “Off Campus,” TheWrap revealed exclusively
- CBS’ “Marshals” officially eclipsed “Tracker” as the top broadcast series
