September 6, 2011
Top Rated TV Programs By Season (2007-2011)
And a New Top 100 Series of All Time
Two of the most popular features in The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present are the annual rankings of most popular series (according to Nielsen) going back to 1950, and our own ranking of the most popular series of all time, based on audience size and longevity. Following is an update of the lists published in the ninth edition of The
Complete Directory (2007). For prior years’ rankings see that edition.
Thanks to my esteemed co-author Earle Marsh for updating these lists.
Note: scroll down for the all-time top 100 list, plus a special online bonus.
Top Rated Programs By Season
September 2007-May 2008
| Program | Network | Rating | Program | Network | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. American Idol-Tuesday | FOX | 16.1 | 17. 60 Minutes | CBS | 8.4 |
| 2. American Idol-Wednesday | FOX | 15.9 | 18. Criminal Minds | CBS | 8.2 |
| 3. Dancing with the Stars-Monday | ABC | 14.0 | 19. Samantha Who? | ABC | 8.0 |
| 4. Dancing with the Stars-Wednesday | ABC | 12.6 | 20. Lost | ABC | 7.9 |
| 5. Dancing with the Stars-Tuesday | ABC | 12.3 | 21. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | ABC | 7.7 |
| 6. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 11.6 | 22. Brothers & Sisters | ABC | 7.6 |
| 7. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 10.6 | 22. CSI: NY | CBS | 7.6 |
| 8. House | FOX | 10.5 | 22. Heroes | NBC | 7.6 |
| 9. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 10.4 | 22. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | NBC | 7.6 |
| 10. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 9.7 | 26. Private Practice | ABC | 7.3 |
| 11. CSI: Miami | CBS | 9.2 | 27. Law & Order | NBC | 7.2 |
| 11. NCIS | CBS | 9.2 | 28. Cold Case | CBS | 7.1 |
| 13. Without a Trace | CBS | 8.8 | 28. Deal or No Deal-Monday | NBC | 7.1 |
| 13. Moment of Truth | FOX | 8.8 | 30. Shark | CBS | 7.0 |
| 15. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 8.5 | 30. The Unit | CBS | 7.0 |
| 15. Survivor | CBS | 8.5 | 30. Hell’s Kitchen | FOX | 7.0 |
September 2008-May 2009
| Program | Network | Rating | Program | Network | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. American Idol-Wednesday | FOX | 15.1 | 17. House | FOX | 8.1 |
| 2. American Idol-Tuesday | FOX | 14.6 | 18. Survivor | CBS | 7.8 |
| 3. Dancing with the Stars-Monday | ABC | 12.9 | 18. Eleventh Hour | CBS | 7.8 |
| 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 11.5 | 20. Cold Case | CBS | 7.5 |
| 5. NCIS | CBS | 10.9 | 20. The Bachelor | ABC | 7.5 |
| 6. The Mentalist | CBS | 10.8 | 22. 24 | FOX | 7.3 |
| 7. Dancing with the Stars-Tuesday | ABC | 10.7 | 23. Brothers & Sisters | ABC | 7.2 |
| 8. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 10.0 | 24. Rules of Engagement | CBS | 7.1 |
| 9. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 9.9 | 25. Castle | ABC | 6.9 |
| 10. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 9.6 | 26. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | NBC | 6.7 |
| 11. Criminal Minds | CBS | 9.4 | 26. ER | NBC | 6.7 |
| 12. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 9.1 | 26. Bones | FOX | 6.7 |
| 12. CSI: Miami | CBS | 9.1 | 29. Ghost Whisperer | CBS | 6.6 |
| 14. 60 Minutes | CBS | 8.9 | 29. Lost | ABC | 6.6 |
| 15. CSI: NY | CBS | 8.6 | 29. Numb3rs | CBS | 6.6 |
| 16. Without a Trace | CBS | 8.4 |
September 2009-May 2010
| Program | Network | Rating | Program | Network | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. American Idol-Tuesday | FOX | 13.7 | 17. 60 Minutes | CBS | 8.4 |
| 2. American Idol-Wednesday | FOX | 13.3 | 18. CSI: Miami | CBS | 8.1 |
| 3. Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 12.6 | 19. CSI: NY | CBS | 7.9 |
| 4. NCIS | CBS | 11.5 | 19. Survivor | CBS | 7.9 |
| 5. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 11.3 | 21. The Bachelor | ABC | 7.8 |
| 6. The Mentalist | CBS | 10.6 | 22. House | FOX | 7.5 |
| 7. Dancing with the Stars-Results | ABC | 9.9 | 23. Brothers & Sisters | ABC | 7.0 |
| 8. NCIS: LA | CBS | 9.8 | 24. Castle | ABC | 6.9 |
| 8. Undercover Boss | CBS | 9.8 | 24. Lost | ABC | 6.9 |
| 10. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 9.7 | 26. The Amazing Race | CBS | 6.6 |
| 11. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 9.0 | 27. Bones | FOX | 6.5 |
| 12. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 8.9 | 28. 24 | FOX | 6.4 |
| 13. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 8.8 | 29. Cold Case | CBS | 6.3 |
| 14. Big Bang Theory | CBS | 8.5 | 29. Private Practice | ABC | 6.3 |
| 14. Criminal Minds | CBS | 8.5 | |||
| 14. The Good Wife | CBS | 8.5 |
September 2010-May 2011
| Program | Network | Rating | Program | Network | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. American Idol-Wednesday | FOX | 14.5 | 16. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 7.7 |
| 2. Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 13.8 | 17. The Voice | NBC | 7.5 |
| 3. American Idol-Thursday | FOX | 13.4 | 17. Hawaii 5-0 | CBS | 7.5 |
| 4. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 12.7 | 17. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 7.5 |
| 5. NCIS | CBS | 11.8 | 17. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 7.5 |
| 5. Dancing with the Stars-Results | ABC | 11.8 | 21. Survivor | CBS | 7.4 |
| 7. NCIS: LA | CBS | 10.1 | 22. Harry’s Law | NBC | 7.3 |
| 8. The Mentalist | CBS | 9.6 | 22. CSI: Miami | CBS | 7.3 |
| 9. Body of Proof | ABC | 9.0 | 22. Castle | ABC | 7.3 |
| 10. Criminal Minds | CBS | 8.7 | 25. Undercover Boss | CBS | 7.1 |
| 11. The Good Wife | CBS | 8.5 | 25. Modern Family | ABC | 7.1 |
| 12. 60 Minutes | CBS | 8.4 | 27. The Bachelor | ABC | 7.0 |
| 12. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 8.4 | 27. Bones | FOX | 7.0 |
| 14. Big Bang Theory | CBS | 8.0 | 29. Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior | CBS | 6.9 |
| 14. Blue Bloods | CBS | 8.0 | 29. Mike & Molly | CBS | 6.9 |
The Top 100 Series of All Time (Updated Through 2010-11 Season)
Here are the all time top 100 prime time series. The ranking is based not on opinion but on two objective factors: audience size when the show aired, and its longevity. As a special online bonus, at the end we list some series that are still on the air and currently rank between #101 and #200. They’re just outside the golden circle, but if they stay on the air and keep attracting big audiences they could be next to crack the top 100 (conversely older shows at the bottom of the top 100 list would then get pushed out). Root for your favorites! It’s unlikely that anything will dislodge 60 Minutes from the number one slot anytime soon, however. It currently has more than twice the overall audience total as number two Gunsmoke.
| Program | Network(s) | From | To | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. 60 Minutes | CBS | 1968 | —- | 43 |
| 2. Gunsmoke | CBS | 1955 | 1975 | 20 |
| 3. The Red Skelton Show | CBS, NBC | 1951 | 1971 | 20 |
| 4. ER | NBC | 1994 | 2009 | 15 |
| 5. Bonanza | NBC | 1959 | 1973 | 14 |
| 6. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 2000 | —- | 11 |
| 7. All in the Family/Archie Bunker’s Place | CBS | 1971 | 1983 | 13 |
| 8. Walt Disney | ABC, NBC, CBS | 1954 | 1990 | 34 |
| 9. The Ed Sullivan Show/Toast of the Town | CBS | 1948 | 1971 | 24 |
| 10. Friends | NBC | 1994 | 2004 | 10 |
| 11. The Lucy Show/Here’s Lucy | CBS | 1962 | 1974 | 12 |
| 12. American Idol | FOX | 2002 | —- | 10 |
| 13. Murder, She Wrote | CBS | 1984 | 1996 | 12 |
| 14. M*A*S*H | CBS | 1972 | 1983 | 11 |
| 15. Cheers | NBC | 1982 | 1993 | 11 |
| 16. Dallas | CBS | 1978 | 1991 | 14 |
| 17. Survivor | CBS | 2000 | —- | 12 |
| 18. The Cosby Show | NBC | 1984 | 1992 | 8 |
| 19. Frasier | NBC | 1993 | 2004 | 11 |
| 20. The Andy Griffith Show | CBS | 1960 | 1968 | 8 |
| 21. Roseanne | ABC | 1988 | 1997 | 9 |
| 22. Law & Order | NBC | 1990 | 2010 | 20 |
| 23. Home Improvement | ABC | 1991 | 1999 | 8 |
| 24. CSI: Miami | CBS | 2002 | —- | 9 |
| 25. The Jack Benny Show | CBS, NBC | 1950 | 1965 | 15 |
| 26. 20/20 | ABC | 1978 | —- | 34 |
| 27. Three’s Company/Three’s a Crowd | ABC | 1977 | 1985 | 9 |
| 28. I Love Lucy | CBS | 1951 | 1961 | 8 |
| 29. The Danny Thomas Show | ABC, CBS | 1953 | 1971 | 13 |
| 30. The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 1962 | 1971 | 9 |
| 31. You Bet Your Life | NBC | 1950 | 1961 | 11 |
| 32. Everybody Loves Raymond | CBS | 1996 | 2005 | 9 |
| 33. Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 2005 | —- | 7 |
| 34. Happy Days | ABC | 1974 | 1984 | 11 |
| 35. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 2004 | — | 7 |
| 36. I’ve Got a Secret | CBS | 1952 | 1967 | 15 |
| 37. Dragnet/Dragnet ’67 | NBC | 1952 | 1970 | 12 |
| 38. The Jeffersons | CBS | 1975 | 1985 | 11 |
| 39. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts | CBS | 1948 | 1958 | 11 |
| 40. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 2005 | —- | 7 |
| 41. Seinfeld | NBC | 1990 | 1998 | 9 |
| 42. NCIS | CBS | 2003 | —- | 8 |
| 43. Hawaii Five-O | CBS | 1968 | 1980 | 12 |
| 44. The Jackie Gleason Show | CBS | 1952 | 1970 | 15 |
| 45. N.Y.P.D. Blue | ABC | 1993 | 2005 | 12 |
| 46. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 2003 | —- | 8 |
| 47. One Day at a Time | CBS | 1975 | 1984 | 9 |
| 48. The Golden Girls/The Golden Palace | NBC, CBS | 1985 | 1993 | 8 |
| 49. Without a Trace | CBS | 2002 | 2009 | 7 |
| 50. Laverne & Shirley | ABC | 1976 | 1983 | 8 |
| 51. The Milton Berle Show | NBC, ABC | 1948 | 1967 | 11 |
| 52. Sanford and Son | NBC | 1972 | 1977 | 6 |
| 53. Murphy Brown | CBS | 1988 | 1998 | 10 |
| 54. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. | CBS | 1964 | 1970 | 6 |
| 55. Alice | CBS | 1976 | 1985 | 9 |
| 56. Dynasty | ABC | 1981 | 1989 | 9 |
| 57. Wagon Train | NBC, ABC | 1957 | 1965 | 8 |
| 58. Candid Camera | CBS, NBC, ABC, PAX | 1948 | 2005 | 18 |
| 59. A Different World | NBC | 1987 | 1993 | 6 |
| 60. My Three Sons | ABC, CBS | 1960 | 1972 | 12 |
| 61. Bewitched | ABC | 1964 | 1972 | 8 |
| 62. Who’s the Boss? | ABC | 1984 | 1992 | 8 |
| 63. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | NBC | 1999 | —- | 12 |
| 64. The Love Boat | ABC | 1977 | 1986 | 9 |
| 65. Fireside Theatre | NBC, ABC | 1949 | 1963 | 11 |
| 66. Little House on the Prairie | NBC | 1974 | 1983 | 9 |
| 67. Coach | ABC | 1989 | 1997 | 9 |
| 68. The Waltons | CBS | 1972 | 1981 | 9 |
| 69. Have Gun, Will Travel | CBS | 1957 | 1963 | 6 |
| 70. Touched by an Angel | CBS | 1994 | 2003 | 9 |
| 71. General Electric Theater | CBS | 1953 | 1962 | 10 |
| 72. Falcon Crest | CBS | 1981 | 1990 | 9 |
| 73. House | FOX | 2004 | —- | 7 |
| 74. Arthur Godfrey and His Friends | CBS | 1949 | 1959 | 10 |
| 75. The Mary Tyler Moore Show | CBS | 1970 | 1977 | 7 |
| 76. Maude | CBS | 1972 | 1978 | 6 |
| 77. Family Ties | NBC | 1982 | 1989 | 7 |
| 78. Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | 1969 | 1976 | 7 |
| 79. America’s Funniest Home Videos | ABC | 1990 | —- | 21 |
| 80. Primetime Live/Primetime Thursday | ABC | 1989 | —- | 20 |
| 81. Magnum, P.I. | CBS | 1980 | 1988 | 8 |
| 82. Criminal Minds | CBS | 2005 | —- | 6 |
| 83. Ironside | NBC | 1967 | 1975 | 8 |
| 84. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In | NBC | 1968 | 1973 | 6 |
| 85. The Colgate Comedy Hour | NBC | 1950 | 1955 | 6 |
| 86. Full House | ABC | 1987 | 1995 | 8 |
| 87. Knot’s Landing | CBS | 1979 | 1993 | 14 |
| 88. December Bride | CBS | 1954 | 1960 | 6 |
| 89. Family Affair | CBS | 1966 | 1971 | 5 |
| 90. The Dean Martin Show | NBC | 1965 | 1974 | 9 |
| 91. Night Court | NBC | 1984 | 1992 | 9 |
| 92. The Dukes of Hazzard | CBS | 1979 | 1985 | 7 |
| 93. Growing Pains | ABC | 1985 | 1992 | 7 |
| 94. Will & Grace | NBC | 1998 | 2006 | 8 |
| 95. The Virginian | NBC | 1962 | 1971 | 9 |
| 96. The Dick Van Dyke Show | CBS | 1961 | 1966 | 5 |
| 97. Newhart | CBS | 1982 | 1990 | 8 |
| 98. Lassie | CBS | 1954 | 1971 | 17 |
| 99. CSI: NY | CBS | 2004 | —- | 7 |
| 100. The Real McCoys | ABC, CBS | 1957 | 1963 | 6 |
| 110. The Mentalist | CBS | 2008 | —- | 3 |
| 142. The Bachelor/Bachelorette | ABC | 2002 | —- | 10 |
| 146. 48 Hours | CBS | 1988 | —- | 24 |
| 155. The Apprentice | NBC | 2004 | —- | 8 |
| 157. Dateline NBC | NBC | 1992 | —- | 20 |
| 174. NCIS: LA | CBS | 2009 | —- | 2 |
| 175. Cops | FOX | 1989 | —- | 23 |
| 176. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | ABC | 2004 | —- | 8 |
| 182. The Simpsons | FOX | 1989 | —- | 22 |