Fall TV Ratings Check-In: Tracker, Matlock and Georgie & Mandy Lead Non-Sports Fare
CBS’ Tracker is locating more eyeballs in its new, earlier Sunday time slot.
The Justin Hartley-led drama stands as the most-watched entertainment program of the nascent 2024-25 TV season, and with a slightly larger audience than it averaged in Season 1. Tracker is also the highest-rated drama (in 18-49).
CBS’ Matlock, meanwhile, is the fall’s most-watched new series — and it enjoys a 100% Certified Fresh rating over on Rotten Tomatoes to boot, the first broadcast show in five years to pull off that feat.
CBS lays claim to a third superlative this fall, as home to the most-watched new comedy, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
A few other fun facts, before we list the Top 25 most-watched programs of the fall to date:
*Matlock and ABC’s High Potential both have improved their respective time slots — which is what new shows are hoped to do!
* Fox’s Universal Basic Guys (with a 0.8 demo rating) is the fall’s top-rated comedy and new program, though its average does benefit from a pair of NFL-inflated outings.
*With a stronger lead-in, CBS’ Elsbeth is drawing more viewers in Season 2.
*Tracker’s gain appears to be The Equalizer‘s loss, as Queen Latifah’s action drama is now drawing markedly fewer viewers in its later Sunday time slot.
*The NCIS and NCIS: Origins “versus last season” comparisons noted below are skewed, since the strikes-delayed NCIS Season 21 and NCIS: Hawai’i Season 3 were not up against both Monday Night Football and post-season baseball.
*Fox’s most-watched entertainment program is the terminal 9-1-1: Lone Star, which would rank somewhere around No. 32 (with 4.4 million viewers).
*The CW’s most-watched programs are WWE NXT (averaging 838,000 viewers), NASCAR Xfinity Series (811K) and Superman & Lois (720K).
Without further ado — nearly two months into the TV season, and with only Night Court Season 3 and NBC’s new St. Denis Medical comedy yet to premiere — here are the Top 25 broadcast shows, in total audience.
| PROGRAM (NETWORK) | TOTAL VIEWERS* | VS. LAST SEASON | DEMO RATING (18-49)* | |
| 1 | Sunday Night Football (NBC) | 19.3 million | Steady | 5.0 |
| 2 | Monday Night Football (ABC) | 11.11 million | Steady | 2.5 |
| 3 | Tracker (CBS) | 11.1 million | +3% | 0.81 |
| 4 | Matlock (CBS) | 10 million | +61% vs. So Help Me Todd | 0.58 |
| 5 | 60 Minutes (CBS) | 9.2 million | +12% | 0.91 |
| 6 | Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (CBS) | 8.12 million | -13% vs. Young Sheldon | 0.65 |
| 7 | Elsbeth (CBS) | 7.7 million | +4% | 0.45 |
| 8 | Chicago Fire (NBC) | 7.6 million | -12% | 0.59 |
| 9 | Ghosts (CBS) | 7.4 million | -10% | 0.65 |
| 10 | Blue Bloods (CBS) | 7.33 million | -13% | 0.42 |
| 11 | NCIS (CBS) | 7.3 million | -25% | 0.52 |
| 12 | Chicago Med (NBC) | 7.22 million | -10% | 0.55 |
| 13 | FBI (CBS) | 7.2 million | -17% | 0.50 |
| 14 | Saturday Night Football (ABC) | 7.14 million | n/a | 0.60 |
| 15 | Chicago P.D. (NBC) | 6.8 million | -13% | 0.60 |
| 16 | 9-1-1 (ABC) | 6.5 million | Steady | 0.67 |
| 17 | High Potential (ABC) | 6.42 million | +25% vs. The Good Doctor | 0.60 |
| 18 | The Equalizer (CBS) | 6.4 million | -29% | 0.45 |
| 19 | Fire Country (CBS) | 6.3 million | -14% | 0.52 |
| 20 | NCIS: Origins (CBS) | 6.2 million | -20% vs. NCIS: Hawai’i | 0.44 |
| 21 | The Voice (NBC, Mon-Tue averages) | 6.14 million | -12%** | 0.53 |
| 22 | FBI: International (CBS) | 6 million | -14% | 0.41 |
| 23 | Survivor (CBS) | 5.7 million | -11% | 0.86 |
| 24 | FBI: Most Wanted (CBS) | 5.6 million | -22% | 0.40 |
| 25 | Law & Order: SVU (NBC) | 5.5 million | -20% | 0.64 |
Want SCOOP on any of the shows above? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
Does this incorporate on Nielsen Live+7?
(sorry the on was a typo) Does this incorporate Nielsen Live+7 data?
Yes, see footnote: “*Includes (most current delayed) playback, but not multi-platform viewing”
Thanks I wasn’t sure if that meant the final same day ratings, Live+3 or Live +7.
I’m sitting her laughing and crying that NCIS Origins lost ground compared to Hawaii…
I’d love to know what Dr. Odyssey’s number comparison.
“The NCIS and NCIS: Origins “versus last season” comparisons noted below are skewed, since the strikes-delayed NCIS Season 21 and NCIS: Hawai’i Season 3 were not up against both Monday Night Football and post-season baseball.”
These are the Live+7 ratings, so it shouldn’t matter that Origins was up against sports.
Yep. No one wants to watch Origins.
Thanks for your hard work but if you can add all the programs it can be a good sign to see the chance of renewels.
That won’t be happening. But if anybody wants to politely ask for the numbers for a specific show, that’s something I would consider providing.
Matt, how is Doctor Odyssey doing? I haven’t watched any episodes yet, but I’m just wondering if their ratings are worth investing my time to stream and catch up. From what’s in the article, I’m convinced to start watching High Potential.
High Potential is so good. Doctor Odyssey has yet to convince me of its value. Only 3 eps in however so will see!
I was surprised FBI is down 17%.
I am glad to see Matlock doing so well. I’ve really been enjoying the show. I wouldn’t miss Kathy Bates for anything, but the show is good. It’s also good to see Georgie & Mandy and Ghosts are in the top ten. Nicely done.
If these are the +7 ratings, it shouldn’t matter that Or*gins was up against baseball and football, right?
Of course it matters. People don’t necessarily catch up within a week. And the NCIS lead in has dropped significantly. Origin’s holds a higher percentage of the lead in’s audience than NCIS Hawaii did. And it’s a WAY BETTER SHOW. It’s really good. And I’m sorry, but Hawaii was not.
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Audience retention from a lead-in show is not a metric that matters to the network nor to advertisers. I’m glad you like it though. Everyone deserves to have at least one show on network TV that they really love. Your claim that it’s WAY BETTER SHOW is your opinion and does not conform to its current reviews in the press and unfortunately, is not supported by its initial HH ratings, which are agnostic to audience size.
How much is CBS paying you to promote Origins? I’m sure it’s too much.
I hope the renew Matlock and High Potential
Matlock is already renewed for a second season.
Do I need to be worried about that 10% drop for Ghosts? I love that show so much!
Not in the slightest. The show is a safe bet for renewal.
Great to see Matlock doing well! (Was this ever against Thursday night football – as if so even better!)
The NCIS franchise numbers are a bit concerning – though NCIS is always high on the list for streaming during the week – so assume it’s safe?
Origins – not so much – so perhaps it is a sign that CBS backed the wrong horse on this one – maybe
Please quit your So Help Me Todd bashing. Paramount took over CBS scheduling and sabotaged 5 Strike Honoring Television Series including So Help Me Todd, Blue Bloods, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS Hawaii, and CSI Vegas. Todd is a cliffhanger series that thrives when the new episodes are show back to back. ABC is using this technique for The Rookie and Will Trent when they begin airing episodes for the 2024 season.