Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Hope for the Best and Prepare for the Nielsens

Thursday is a big day.

As you know, Nielsen Media's November Sweeps period begins. Networks move shows around, bring in outrageous guest stars, and use every programming trick in the book to finish #1. But only one show finishes at the top of the ratings each week, and each of the Big Four Nets believe they have the show that will capture the crown.

And so I began to wonder which series finished in the #1 slot most often. Not just during Sweeps Months, but all year. I thought I'd include every week starting from January 3, 1983 all the way through October 23, 2005.

Over the past 22+ years, here are the ten series that finished most often at the top of the weekly Nielsen Ratings. (Note: That's household rating, not number of viewers.)
# Times Rated No. 1Series
157    ''The Cosby Show''
137    ''ER''
97    ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''
85    ''60 Minutes''
66    ''Roseanne''
51    ''Seinfeld''
51    ''Home Improvement''
47    ''Cheers''
30    ''NFL Monday Night Football''
28    ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire''

No comments: