The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy, but it’s doing wonders for TV ratings.
Across this past Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the level of homes using television (HUT) jumped to an average of 93.275 million total viewers in prime time — an 8% increase over the average during the four previous weeks, according to Nielsen’s Live + Same Day measurement. That covers viewership of all linear TV networks, both broadcast and cable, but not streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime.
The timing here is no coincidence, as requests for self-quarantining to help flatten out the COVID-19 curve have given way to legal mandates in certain jurisdictions, now including all of California.
In other words, not only is there nothing to do but sit on your couch and watch TV now, it is practically the law.
Here is how HUT levels for Monday-Wednesday in primetime over the prior four weeks have looked, in terms of both overall viewers and the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic:
Week of Feb. 17, 2020: 87.309 million total viewers/a 19.8 rating among adults 18-49
Week of Feb. 24, 2020: 86.120 million total viewers/a 19.6 rating among adults 18-49
Week of March 2, 2020: 85.629 million total viewers/a 19.5 rating among adults 18-49
Week of March 9, 2020: 86.950 million total viewers/a 19.8 rating among adults 18-49
Those numbers average out to 86.502 million total viewers and a 19.7 rating in the key demo.
From Monday, March 16 through Wednesday, March 18, viewership jumped to 93.275 million, with 20.9 million coming from the key demo. That’s an increase of 6.773 million total viewers this week. In the demo, the increase was 6%, or 1.3 million viewers.
Even within our Monday to Wednesday window, as the virus continued spreading, viewership increased. On Wednesday, both the total viewer tally and the demo number jumped 9%. That growth, which is measured against the prior four Wednesday’s, is the largest to date.
At press time, we did not have final data for Thursday, March 19. But early Thursday numbers show a continuation of the trend, with a preliminary increase of that same 9% in both the 18-49 demo and in total viewers vs. the prior four Thursdays. (And that’s even without March Madness, which was canceled pretty early on, happening on CBS.)
Prime-time television is defined as Monday through Saturday from 8-11 p.m. (Fox and The CW do 8-10 p.m.) and Sunday from 7-11 p.m. (Fox participates from 7-10 p.m. those nights, The CW nationally programs 8-10 p.m.)
10 Movies With Social Distancing to Watch While You're in Isolation, From 'Home Alone' to 'The Martian' (Photos)
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.
20th Century Fox
"Home Alone" (1990) This John Hughes classic follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister abandoned at home as his family forgets him on their way to a Christmas vacation. Macaulay Culkin broke into stardom as Kevin, warding off home invaders. "Home Alone" was nominated for two Oscars and grossed $477.1 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
"Cast Away" (2000) Tom Hanks plays a FedEx executive stranded on an island in the Pacific after a violent storm crashes his plane. He spends four years alone on an island with only a volleyball named Wilson as company. "Cast Away" garnered two Oscar nominations and grossed $429.6 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"I Am Legend" (2007) This Will Smith thriller based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name is set years after a virus kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters. Robert Neville (Smith), apparently the sole survivor in New York City, valiantly searches for a cure. "I Am Legend" grossed $585.4 million at the box office worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Into the Wild" (2007) Written and directed by Sean Penn, this film follows recent college graduate Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) as he gives up his possessions life savings to hitchhike and live in the Alaska wilderness. "Into the Wild" was based on Jon Krakauer's 1996 non-fiction book by the same name, which was an expansion of a 9,000-word article by Krakauer on McCandless titled "Death of an Innocent." The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and grossed $56.7 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Vantage
"Disturbia" (2007) This modern take on Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" follows high school student Kale Brecht, placed under house arrest for the summer. He keeps tabs on his neighbors to avoid getting bored, falls in love and suspects one of them to be a serial killer. "Disturbia" grossed $118.1 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Pictures
"Moon" (2009) If you're starting to talk to yourself, check out Sam Rockwell in "Moon," one of many films about an astronaut alone in space on this list. The film offers a nice wrinkle as it follows a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Moon. "Moon" grossed $9.8 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Sony Pictures Classics
"127 Hours" (2010) James Franco stars in another film based on a true story. The film follows a mountain climber who finds himself trapped under a boulder for... 127 hours. He ultimately has to resort to desperate measures in order to survive. "127 Hours" was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $60.7 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Fox Searchlight
"Gravity" (2013) This Alfonso Cuarón-directed space disaster film puts Sandra Bullock through the ringer as an astronaut struggling to get back to earth after space debris leaves her and her partner, played by George Clooney, stranded in space. "Gravity" won seven Oscars, including best director, and grossed $723.2 million at the global box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Wild" (2014) Based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," the film stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, determined to complete the one thousand one hundred mile solo hike as a way to recover from a personal tragedy. "Wild" was nominated for two Oscars, including best actress, and grossed $52.5 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Photo by Anne Marie Fox Searchlight
"The Martian" (2015) After being stranded on Mars, with the rest of his crew assuming him dead, astronaut Mark Watney is forced to use his wits and knowledge as a botanist to survive alone on the planet for a year. "The Martian" was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $630.2 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
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Confinement loves company
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Tony Maglio
TV Editor • tony.maglio@thewrap.com • Twitter: @tonymaglio