Hold on to your remotes! Because if you thought the TV landscape was going to dramatically shift this fall, think again. The early frontrunners in the 2025-26 season are… well, they're pretty much the same as last year. CBS's Tracker and ABC's High Potential are once again dominating the network ratings. But what makes them so popular, and what does this mean for the future of television? Let's dive in.
Tracker, continuing its impressive run, is on track to be the most-watched entertainment show (excluding those ever-popular sports and news broadcasts) for the second year in a row. Through October 26th, the show boasts an average of almost 14 million viewers across all platforms over a seven-day period. To put that in perspective, that's over 1.5 million viewers more than the number two show, which, you guessed it, is High Potential with 12.38 million viewers. They held those same top spots last season as well! It begs the question: are viewers sticking with familiar favorites, or are these shows just genuinely that good?
High Potential, however, shines in a different area. It holds a significant lead amongst the coveted 18-49 age demographic – the group advertisers are most eager to reach. The show achieves a 2.42 rating over seven days of viewing in this demo, which translates to approximately 3.29 million people. And this is the part most people miss... a whopping 75% of those viewers are watching via streaming! This highlights the growing importance of streaming platforms in reaching younger audiences. ABC also proudly points out that the High Potential season premiere on September 16th has ballooned to 17.23 million viewers and a 3.9 rating in the 18-49 demo after five weeks. This shows the power of delayed viewing and how streaming can significantly boost a show's overall performance.
But here's where it gets controversial... Are these numbers truly representative of a show's success in today's fragmented media landscape? Some argue that focusing solely on network ratings ignores the impact of social media buzz and online engagement. What do you think? Is traditional Nielsen ratings still the gold standard, or is it time for a new metric that better reflects the modern viewing experience?
Rounding out the top five in total viewers are CBS's Matlock (10.31 million viewers) and NCIS (8.86 million), along with NBC's Chicago Fire (8.62 million). Of course, if we factor in sports and news, NBC's Sunday Night Football (21.77 million same-day viewers), ABC's Monday Night Football (12.11 million), and CBS's 60 Minutes (8.93 million) would all be contenders for the top spots.
In the 18-49 demographic, ABC continues to dominate, with Dancing With the Stars (2.0 rating), Abbott Elementary (1.96), and 911 (1.48) following High Potential. Tracker comes in fifth with a 1.39 rating.
Overall, viewing patterns remain consistent with recent trends. The top 20 shows are getting about 22% of their total seven-day viewership from streaming. However, the impact of streaming is even more pronounced among adults 18-49, accounting for a much larger 54% of their ratings. This clearly demonstrates that younger viewers are increasingly turning to streaming to consume their favorite shows. This raises another key question: Are networks adapting quickly enough to this shift in viewing habits? Are they investing enough in their streaming platforms and original streaming content?
So, what does all this mean for the future of television? Will Tracker and High Potential maintain their reign? Will streaming continue to reshape the industry? And more importantly, what are you watching? Sound off in the comments below! We want to hear your thoughts on the current state of TV and where you think it's headed.
