DUMMY, Top Rated TV Programs...

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July 7, 2009

Top Rated TV Programs By Season (2007-2009)

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

The Top 100 Series of All Time (Updated Through 2008-09 Season)

Here are the all time top 100 prime time series. The ranking is based not on opinion but on two factors: audience size when the show aired, and its longevity. As a special online bonus, shown at the end are a dozen 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	----	41
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. All in the Family/Archie Bunker's Place	CBS	1971	1983	13
7. Walt Disney	ABC, NBC, CBS	1954	1990	34
8. The Ed Sullivan Show/Toast of the Town	CBS	1948	1971	24
9. Friends	NBC	1994	2004	10
10. The Lucy Show/Here's Lucy	CBS	1962	1974	12
11. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	CBS	2000	----	9
12. Murder, She Wrote	CBS	1984	1996	12
13. MAS*H	CBS	1972	1983	11
14. Cheers	NBC	1982	1993	11
15. Dallas	CBS	1978	1991	14
16. The Cosby Show	NBC	1984	1992	8
17. Frasier	NBC	1993	2004	11
18. The Andy Griffith Show	CBS	1960	1968	8
19. Roseanne	ABC	1988	1997	9
20. American Idol	FOX	2002	----	8
21. Law & Order	NBC	1990	----	19
22. Home Improvement	ABC	1991	1999	8
23. Survivor	CBS	2000	----	10
24. The Jack Benny Show	CBS, NBC	1950	1965	15
25. Three's Company/Three's a Crowd	ABC	1977	1985	9
26. I Love Lucy	CBS	1951	1961	8
27. 20/20	ABC	1978	----	32
28. The Danny Thomas Show	ABC, CBS	1953	1971	13
29. The Beverly Hillbillies	CBS	1962	1971	9
30. You Bet Your Life	NBC	1950	1961	11
31. Everybody Loves Raymond	CBS	1996	2005	9
32. Happy Days	ABC	1974	1984	11
33. I've Got a Secret	CBS	1952	1967	15
34. Dragnet/Dragnet '67	NBC	1952	1970	12
35. CSI: Miami	CBS	2002	----	7
36. The Jeffersons	CBS	1975	1985	11
37. Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts	CBS	1948	1958	11
38. Seinfeld	NBC	1990	1998	9
39. Hawaii Five-O	CBS	1968	1980	12
40. The Jackie Gleason Show	CBS	1952	1970	15
41. N.Y.P.D. Blue	ABC	1993	2005	12
42. One Day at a Time	CBS	1975	1984	9
43. The Golden Girls/The Golden Palace	NBC, CBS	1985	1993	8
44. Without a Trace	CBS	2002	2009	7
45. Laverne & Shirley	ABC	1976	1983	8
46. The Milton Berle Show	NBC, ABC	1948	1967	11
47. Sanford and Son	NBC	1972	1977	6
48. Murphy Brown	CBS	1988	1998	10
49. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.	CBS	1964	1970	6
50. Alice	CBS	1976	1985	9
51. Dynasty	ABC	1981	1989	9
52. Desperate Housewives	ABC	2004	---	5
53. Wagon Train	NBC, ABC	1957	1965	8
54. Candid Camera	CBS, NBC, ABC, PAX	1948	2005	18
55. A Different World	NBC	1987	1993	6
56. My Three Sons	ABC, CBS	1960	1972	12
57. Grey's Anatomy	ABC	2005	----	5
58. Bewitched	ABC	1964	1972	8
59. Who's the Boss?	ABC	1984	1992	8
60. The Love Boat	ABC	1977	1986	9
61. Fireside Theatre	NBC, ABC	1949	1963	11
62. Little House on the Prairie	NBC	1974	1983	9
63. Two and a Half Men	CBS	2003	----	6
64. Coach	ABC	1989	1997	9
65. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	NBC	1999	----	10
66. The Waltons	CBS	1972	1981	9
67. Have Gun, Will Travel	CBS	1957	1963	6
68. Touched by an Angel	CBS	1994	2003	9
69. Dancing with the Stars	ABC	2005	----	5
70. General Electric Theater	CBS	1953	1962	10
71. Falcon Crest	CBS	1981	1990	9
72. Arthur Godfrey and His Friends	CBS	1949	1959	10
73. The Mary Tyler Moore Show	CBS	1970	1977	7
74. Maude	CBS	1972	1978	6
75. NCIS	CBS	2003	----	6
76. Family Ties	NBC	1982	1989	7
77. Marcus Welby, M.D.	ABC	1969	1976	7
78. Magnum, P.I.	CBS	1980	1988	8
79. Ironside	NBC	1967	1975	8
80. Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In	NBC	1968	1973	6
81. The Colgate Comedy Hour	NBC	1950	1955	6
82. America's Funniest Home Videos	ABC	1990	----	19
83. Primetime Live/Primetime Thursday	ABC	1989	----	18
84. Full House	ABC	1987	1995	8
85. House	FOX	2004	----	5
86. Knot's Landing	CBS	1979	1993	14
87. December Bride	CBS	1954	1960	6
88. Family Affair	CBS	1966	1971	5
89. The Dean Martin Show	NBC	1965	1974	9
90. Night Court	NBC	1984	1992	9
91. The Dukes of Hazzard	CBS	1979	1985	7
92. Growing Pains	ABC	1985	1992	7
93. Will & Grace	NBC	1998	2006	8
94. The Virginian	NBC	1962	1971	9
95. The Dick Van Dyke Show	CBS	1961	1966	5
96. Newhart	CBS	1982	1990	8
97. Lassie	CBS	1954	1971	17
98. The Real McCoys	ABC, CBS	1957	1963	6
99. Perry Mason	CBS	1957	1974	10
100. Simon & Simon	CBS	1981	1989	8

103. Cold Case	CBS	2003	----	6
120. CSI: NY	CBS	2004	----	5
146. Lost	ABC	2004	----	4
147. Criminal Minds	CBS	2005	----	4
156. 48 Hours	CBS	1988	----	22
165. The Apprentice	NBC	2004	----	6
167. Dateline NBC	NBC	1992	----	18
176. America's Most Wanted	FOX	1988	----	22
180. The Bachelor/Bachelorette	ABC	2002	----	8
183. Cops	FOX	1989	----	21
186. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition	ABC	2004	----	6
193. The Simpsons	FOX	1989	----	20