Fall TV Ratings Preview: As CBS and NBC Do Battle, Will Super Bowl Make Fox a Winner?

With Labor Day barbecues (and hangovers) fading into our rearview, fall is officially right around the corner. And with the cooler weather return your favorite TV shows — unless you’re really into “Wayward Pines,” that is.

Last fall, CBS won the 2015-2016 traditional Nielsen TV season, sweeping both the key 18-49 demographic ratings and total viewers. Les Moonves & Co. can thank Super Bowl 50 for much of that accomplishment, breaking an NBC winning streak along the way.

This time around, NBC has a pretty good chance to reclaim the main demo crown from CBS. After all, NBC stole half of the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” package from the latter — a big victory. But it all could still be quite close — and it’s not just a two-team game.

Also Read: What's at Stake for Networks Gearing Up for the New Fall TV Season?

Fox has the Super Bowl rights this time around, which should boost the network’s overall demo average by about two-tenths of a ratings point. The biggest TV show of the year impacts Fox more than it does the competition — the relatively young-skewing net programs just 15 primetime hours a week, and not 22 like CBS, for example.

If we remove that aforementioned 0.2 from CBS’s 2015-2016 and tack it on to Fox’s, there would have been a three-way tie atop the advertiser-sought demo for this last fall. CBS, Fox and NBC would’ve knotted up at a 2.1 apiece.

For the record, ABC was a non-factor with a 1.8 last year. Apologies again, you guys.

Also Read: 7 Fierce New Fall TV Match-Ups: 'Supergirl' vs. 'Big Bang,' 'Empire' vs. 'Frequency' (Photos)

Of course, there are some new shows this fall and midseason that are going to be a factor in all of this. A brief glance:

NBC
NBC’s generating a lot of buzz for “This Is Us” — setting trailer viewership records in the process — and “The Good Place” has a good chance of being a good show, at least. So, good.

Bob Greenblatt’s also saving some of his bigger new series for midseason, which will feature Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s “Celebrity Apprentice,” the “Wizard of Oz”-world’s “Emerald City,” as well as the returns of hits “Shades of Blue” and “Little Big Shots.”

Dick Wolf‘s “Chicago Med” will debut then, and his confirmed four-way crossover for his “Chicago” shows should prove a boon, even if just temporarily. “The Voice” certainly won’t hurt NBC’s overall effort, especially with Miley Cyrus signing on to mentor.

Also Read: Here's the Full Fall TV Schedule for ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW

CBS
What of CBS? Well, the Tiffany Network could always take total viewers — that’s kind of its forte, as the home of “Blue Bloods” always skews oldest of the gang.

By the second half of the season, CBS should be giving NBC (and possibly Fox) a run for its money. Of its new offerings, “Bull” seems best fit on the drama side, while “Kevin Can Wait” and “Man With a Plan” look like perfect CBS sitcoms.

Contrary to popular jokes, it’s not just your (old, white) dad who watches CBS. The net also has some strong performers among adults 18-49, like NFL football (CBS still has half of Thursday nights), “NCIS” and “The Big Bang Theory,” which just mop up eyeballs.

Also Read: NBC Wins Third Straight 52-Week TV Season - Even Without Rio Ratings

Fox
Fox’s entire chance of medaling in the months following NBC’s Rio Olympics can be summed up with a simple math equation: “Empire” + Super Bowl = Maybe. There’s literally no other way. More “X-Files” would have been nice, but that’s not happening (now, at least).

ABC
With no pro pigskin, ABC has no real shot, though the rebuilding channel could add a few new hits this season, like Kiefer Sutherland‘s “Designated Survivor.” Patience.

Speaking of which, we’ll just briefly mention that the still-growing-up CW will also have TV broadcasts, like “Supergirl.” So that fulfills that requirement.

But will NBC, CBS or Fox sit atop the Nielsen charts this time around? Time (and time slots) will tell, and that time starts soon.

The traditional 2015-2016 Fall TV season officially kicks off Monday, September 19, according to Nielsen. Fox’s Emmy awards, which won’t make the cut, air one night earlier.

138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 9:00 p.m.
“Finding Prince Charming” (Logo)
Logo
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 10:00 p.m.
“Better Things” (FX)
FX
Friday, Sept. 9
“One Mississippi” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Quarry” (Cinemax)
Cinemax
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Circus” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Indian Summers” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Masters of Sex” (Showtime)
Showtime
Monday, Sept. 12 at 8:00 p.m.
"Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blindspot" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“American Horror Story” (FX)
FX
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Documentary Now!” (IFC)
IFC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“South Park” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:30 p.m.
“Legends of Chamberlain Heights” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9:00 p.m.
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
Lifetime
Friday, Sept. 16
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“Z Nation” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 16 at 11:00 p.m.
“High Maintenance” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m.
“The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey” (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Voice" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
Gotham" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 8:30 p.m.
"Kevin Can Wait" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 9:00 p.m.
"Lucifer" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 10:00 p.m.
"The Good Place" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:30 p.m.
"New Girl" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Bull" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scream Queens" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"This Is Us" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Survivor" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Lethal Weapon" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Goldbergs" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:30 p.m.
"Speechless" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Empire" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Modern Family" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 p.m.
"black-ish" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago P.D." (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Designated Survivor" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22
“Easy” (Netflix)
Netflix
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Superstore" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Rosewood" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Chicago Med" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Pitch" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Notorious" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"The Blacklist" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23
“Longmire” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Sept. 23
“Transparent” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Van Helsing” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"MacGyver" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" (NBC)
NBC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Last Man Standing" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:30 p.m.
"Dr. Ken" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Hawaii Five-0" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"The Exorcist" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Shark Tank" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blue Bloods" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
"Bob's Burgers" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
“Poldark” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Simpsons" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"Once Upon a Time" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
"Son of Zorn" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Family Guy" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Secrets and Lies" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept 25 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 10:00 p.m.
"Quantico" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
“Channel Zero” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Aftermath” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 p.m.
"Criminal Minds" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT
“Big Brother: Over the Top” (CBS All Access)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
"Code Black" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
“Younger” (TV Land)
TV Land
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:30 p.m.
“Impastor” (TV Land)
TV Land
Friday, Sept. 30
“Crisis in Six Scenes” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 30
“Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix)
Netflix
Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10:00 p.m.
“Versailles” (Ovation)
Ovation
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:35 p.m.
“Blunt Talk” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Shameless” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Westworld” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
"Madam Secretary" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10:00 p.m.
"Elementary" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scorpion" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Timeless" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Conviction" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 4
“The Mindy Project” (Hulu)
Hulu
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Flash" (CW)
CW
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 9:00 p.m.
"No Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8:00 p.m.
"Arrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 9:00 p.m.
"Frequency" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 7
“The Ranch” (Netflix)
Netflix
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Divorce” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:30 p.m.
“Insecure” (HBO)
HBO
Monday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 p.m.
"Supergirl" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 10 at 9:00 p.m.
"2 Broke Girls" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Middle" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m.
"American Housewife" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Letter” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
"Fresh off the Boat" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Real O'Neals" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago Fire" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8:00 p.m.
"DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9:00 p.m.
"Supernatural" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10:00 p.m.
“Falling Water” (USA)
USA
Friday, Oct. 14
“Goliath” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 14
“Haters Back Off” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Wolf Creek” (Pop)
Pop
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Durrells in Corfu” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 9:00 p.m.
“Berlin Station” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Graves” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Eyewitness” (USA)
USA
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:00 p.m.
"Jane the Virgin" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Odd Couple" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Oct. 19
“Chance” (Hulu)
Hulu
Friday, Oct. 21
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Vampire Diaries" (CW)
CW
Friday, Oct. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (CW)
CW
Saturday, Oct. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” (BBC America)
BBC America
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Talking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Monday, Oct. 24 at 8:30 p.m.
"Man With a Plan" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 p.m.
"The Great Indoors" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
"Mom" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 p.m.
"Life in Pieces" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
"Pure Genius" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Oct. 28
“Good Girls Revolt” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Comedy Bang! Bang!” (IFC)
IFC
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Tracey Ullman’s Show” (HBO)
BBC
Monday, Oct. 31 at 9:00 p.m.
“People of Earth” (TBS)
TBS

1 of 139

From returning favorites like ”Empire“ to highly anticipated debuts such as ”This Is Us,“ TheWrap’s guide to Fall 2016 premiere dates

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.

View In Gallery

138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

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