2017-18 Season in Ratings: Most Watched Formats on U.S. TV

Ellen DeGeneres in Ellen's Game of Games, NBC

It was a season of singing talent shows and one big newcomer. Analysis of final ratings for the 2017-2018 season.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

It was the season of singing talent shows - at least in terms of volume. However, U.S. reality & entertainment industry has provided some surprises in 2017-18.
'The Bachelor' lost its position of season's nr. 1 format in young 18-49 demo as it decreased by 0.8 rating point over previous season. The leadership was regained by NBC singing talent competition 'The Voice' that didn't lose as much audience as 'The Bachelor'.
Veteran reality show 'Survivor' continues with stable performance, averaging 2.4 rating in the 18-49 (live+7) in cycles 35 and 36, lacking just 0.1 rating point behind 'The Voice'.
There's a new big success on U.S. format market: NBC game show 'Ellen's Game of Games', which ranks as the #4 most watched R&E format in USA in its freshman season. NBC first aired special December preview following 'The Voice' and then launched the regular season in January as Tuesday night opener. The strategy helped establishing the new show very well, with 2.3 season average rating in the demo, leading to season 2 renewal.
The format, marketed as a game show bringing "supersized versions of the most popular and hilariously fun games from The Ellen DeGeneres Show" also proved solid international potential; following the market premiere in April at MIPTV 2018 in Cannes, Warner Bros. sold format rights to Antena 3 in Spain, as reported by Variety.
Competition on broadcast TV market increased in the singing genre. Awaited return of 'American Idol', a show with the budget estimated at $2 million an episode according to The Hollywood Reporter, returned to U.S. screens with 2.1 rating in the demo (2.0 on Mondays, respectively). That's better than ABC 2017-18 average but below 2.6-2.9 ratings that the show generated in its last season on Fox in 2014-15 (read the full rating analysis here).
Also from the same genre comes 'The Four' that performed 1.4 rating on Fox; slightly below channel's season average but still being renewed season 2. The formats marks the return of the Israeli-based distributor Armoza Formats to U.S. broadcast TV industry.

 

Ratings of prime time unscripted formats in 2017-18 season
(September 2017-May 2018. Target group 18-49, broadcast TV only. All data are “most current,” meaning inclusion of time shifted viewing up to 7 days. Source: The Nielsen Company)

# Show Channel Timeslot Format seller 2017-18 average Show v. channel's average Show v. 2016-17 season
1. The Voice NBC Mon 8PM Talpa 2.5 + 0.4 - 0.5
2. Survivor CBS Wed 8PM Banijay Rights 2.4 + 0.8 - 0.1
3. The Bachelor ABC Mon 8PM Warner Bros. 2.4 + 0.9 - 0.7
4. Ellen's Game of Games NBC Mon, Tue VAR Warner Bros. 2.3 + 0.2 N/A
5. The Voice - Tuesday NBC Tue VAR Talpa 2.2 + 0.1 - 0.5
6. American Idol - Sunday ABC Sun 8PM FremantleMedia 2.1 + 0.6 N/A
7. American Idol - Monday ABC Mon VAR FremantleMedia 2.0 + 0.5 N/A
8. The Amazing Race CBS Wed VAR Disney Media Distribution 1.8 + 0.3 + 0.3
9. Dancing with the Stars ABC Mon 8PM BBC Studios 1.8 + 0.3 - 0.3
10. Shark Tank ABC Sun VAR Sony Pictures Television 1.5 0.0 0.0
11. The Four Fox Thu 8PM Armoza Formats 1.4 - 0.1 N/A
12. MasterChef Junior Fox Fri VAR Endemol Shine 1.3 - 0.2 - 0.1
13. Dancing with the Stars: Athletes ABC Mon 8PM BBC Studios 1.3 - 0.2 N/A
14. Hell's Kitchen Fox Fri 8PM ITV Studios 1.2 - 0.2 - 0.3
15. The Wall NBC Mon 8PM Endemol Shine 1.2 - 0.9 - 0.4
16. Shark Tank - Sunday 10PM ABC Sun 10PM Sony Pictures Television 1.2 - 0.3 N/A
17. Better Late Than Never (Grandpas Over Flowers) NBC Mon VAR Small World IFT 1.2 - 0.9 N/A
18. MasterChef Junior - 8PM Fox Fri 8PM Endemol Shine 1.1 - 0.3 N/A
19. America's Funniest Home Videos ABC Sun 8PM Disney Media Distribution 1.0 - 0.4 0.0
20. Little Big Shots NBC Sun 8PM Warner Bros. 1.0 - 1.1 - 0.7
21. America's Funniest Home Videos - 7PM ABC Sun 7PM Disney Media Distribution 1.0 - 0.5 N/A
22. Running Wild with Bear Grylls NBC Mon 10PM Electus International 0.9 - 1.3 N/A
23. Child Support ABC Fri 8PM Banijay Rights 0.9 - 0.6 N/A
24. Match Game ABC Wed 10PM FremantleMedia 0.8 - 0.7 - 0.3
25. Genius Junior NBC Sun VAR Warner Bros. 0.7 - 1.4 N/A
26. Saturday Night Live - Prime NBC Sat VAR NBCUniversal 0.7 - 1.4 - 0.1
27. Pequeños Gigantes (Little Giants) Univision Sun 8PM Televisa Internacional 0.7 + 0.2 N/A
28. Showtime at the Apollo Fox Thu VAR N/A 0.7 - 0.8 N/A
29. Undercover Boss CBS Fri 8PM All3media International 0.7 - 0.9 - 0.5
30. Mira quién baila - Sunday (Dancing with the Stars) Univision Sun 8PM BBC Studios 0.6 + 0.1 N/A
31. The Toy Box ABC Sun 7PM Electus International 0.5 - 1.0 - 0.2
32. MasterChef Latino - Sunday Telemundo Sun 8PM Endemol Shine 0.4 - 0.1 N/A
33. Al Final Todo Queda en Familia - Sunday Univision Sun 8PM Univision 0.4 - 0.2 N/A
34. 100 mexicanos dijeron - Sunday (Family Feud) Univision Sun 7:55PM FremantleMedia 0.4 - 0.2 N/A
35. Don Francisco te invita (The Late Show) Telemundo Sun 10PM N/A 0.3 - 0.1 - 0.1
36. La Gran Sorpresa (Sunday) Univision Sun 8PM N/A 0.3 - 0.2 N/A
37. American Idol - Saturday ABC Sat 8PM FremantleMedia 0.3 - 1.1 N/A
38. MasterChef Junior - Saturday Fox Sat 8 PM Endemol Shine 0.3 - 1.1 + 0.1
39. Showtime at the Apollo - Satuday Fox Sat VAR N/A 0.3 - 1.1 N/A
40. 100 mexicanos dijeron - Saturday (Family Feud) Univision Sat VAR FremantleMedia 0.3 - 0.3 N/A
41. Gran Oportunidad Telemundo Sun VAR N/A 0.3 - 0.2 N/A