CBS DOMINATES THE MOST-WATCHED LIST IN ERA OF "PEAK TV"

In a Landscape of 409 Shows Across Broadcast, Cable and Streaming Services...

... CBS Has the Two Most-Watched Series... 6 of the Top 10... and 28 of the Top 50

In a crowded landscape of 409 scripted shows, CBS programming stands the tallest, dominating the most-watched list in an era of "peak TV."

Last month, FX issued an updated 2015 tally highlighting the explosion of original scripted content. This "peak TV" era now numbers 409 dramas, comedies and limited series spanning broadcast networks, basic and pay cable and OTT services.

Across all these platforms, among the shows whose ratings are readily available, CBS had television's two most-watched programs with THE BIG BANG THEORY (21.18m) and NCIS (20.83m). The Network delivered 6 of the top 10, 18 of the top 30 and 28 of the top 50 most-watched series.

The four broadcast networks collectively account for 47 of the top 50 (94%), with only AMC's "Walking Dead" (#3) and "Fear The Walking Dead" (#20) and HBO's "Game of Thrones" (#39) ranked among the top 50 programs.

2015 CALENDAR YEAR - ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES - PRIME

Source: Nielsen NPM, LIVE+7 (01/01/2015 - 12/20/2015); LIVE+3 (12/21/2015 - 12/31/2015); LIVE+SD (12/26/2015 - 12/27/2015). Excludes non-English language. Includes mini/limited series.

Rank Program Title Network # Tc LIVE+7 PER2+ (000) Pgm Type

Original Scripted Series

1 BIG BANG THEORY, THE CBS 24 21,182 SITUATION COMEDY
2 NCIS CBS 25 20,826 GENERAL DRAMA
3 WALKING DEAD AMC 16 19,489 GENERAL DRAMA
4 EMPIRE FOX 20 17,498 GENERAL DRAMA
5 NCIS: NEW ORLEANS CBS 24 17,009 GENERAL DRAMA
6 BLUE BLOODS CBS 23 14,910 GENERAL DRAMA
7 SCORPION CBS 21 14,048 GENERAL DRAMA
8 BLINDSPOT NBC 10 13,872 GENERAL DRAMA
9 BLACKLIST NBC 22 13,483 GENERAL DRAMA
10 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 23 13,371 GENERAL DRAMA
11 MODERN FAMILY ABC 23 13,167 SITUATION COMEDY
12 MADAM SECRETARY CBS 20 13,017 GENERAL DRAMA
13 TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 7 12,781 SITUATION COMEDY
14 PERSON OF INTEREST CBS 12 12,617 GENERAL DRAMA
15 NCIS: LOS ANGELES CBS 24 12,594 GENERAL DRAMA
16 SCANDAL ABC 22 12,394 GENERAL DRAMA
17 HAWAII FIVE-0 CBS 25 12,345 GENERAL DRAMA
18 HOW TO GET AWAY W/MURDER ABC 14 11,997 GENERAL DRAMA
19 MENTALIST, THE CBS 7 11,957 GENERAL DRAMA
20 FEAR THE WALKING DEAD AMC 6 11,842 GENERAL DRAMA
21 LIMITLESS CBS 11 11,587 GENERAL DRAMA
22 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 23 11,566 GENERAL DRAMA
23 ODD COUPLE, THE CBS 11 11,510 SITUATION COMEDY
24 CHICAGO MED NBC 4 11,346 GENERAL DRAMA
25 CASTLE ABC 21 11,334 GENERAL DRAMA
26 SUPERGIRL CBS 8 11,209 GENERAL DRAMA
27 MOM CBS 19 11,116 SITUATION COMEDY
28 GOOD WIFE, THE CBS 21 11,111 GENERAL DRAMA
29 CSI CBS 3 11,108 GENERAL DRAMA
30 CHICAGO FIRE NBC 22 10,978 GENERAL DRAMA
31 ELEMENTARY CBS 21 10,945 GENERAL DRAMA
32 LIFE IN PIECES CBS 10 10,609 SITUATION COMEDY
33 MIKE & MOLLY CBS 18 10,235 SITUATION COMEDY
34 CODE BLACK CBS 10 10,188 GENERAL DRAMA
35 STALKER CBS 9 10,130 GENERAL DRAMA
36 CHICAGO PD NBC 22 10,088 GENERAL DRAMA
37 LAW AND ORDER:SVU NBC 22 9,874 GENERAL DRAMA
38 CSI: CYBER CBS 20 9,760 GENERAL DRAMA
39 GAME OF THRONES HBOM 10 9,514 GENERAL DRAMA
40 QUANTICO ABC 11 9,474 GENERAL DRAMA
41 MIDDLE, THE ABC 25 9,446 SITUATION COMEDY
42 GOLDBERGS, THE ABC 24 9,265 SITUATION COMEDY
43 2 BROKE GIRLS CBS 19 9,213 SITUATION COMEDY
44 ZOO CBS 12 8,889 GENERAL DRAMA
45 LAST MAN STANDING ABC 22 8,682 SITUATION COMEDY
46 BLACK-ISH ABC 25 8,582 SITUATION COMEDY
47 SUPERSTORE NBC 1 8,405 SITUATION COMEDY
48 MYSTERIES OF LAURA NBC 20 8,348 GENERAL DRAMA
49 MCCARTHYS, THE CBS 3 8,258 SITUATION COMEDY
50 BATTLE CREEK CBS 11 8,159 GENERAL DRAMA
51 SECRETS AND LIES ABC 9 8,101 GENERAL DRAMA
52 GOTHAM FOX 23 7,820 GENERAL DRAMA
53 ONCE UPON A TIME ABC 20 7,675 GENERAL DRAMA
54 UNDER THE DOME CBS 12 7,642 GENERAL DRAMA
55 MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER ABC 7 7,614 GENERAL DRAMA
56 FOREVER ABC 11 7,584 GENERAL DRAMA
57 BONES FOX 20 7,567 GENERAL DRAMA
58 NASHVILLE ABC 22 7,174 GENERAL DRAMA
59 PARENTHOOD NBC 4 7,158 GENERAL DRAMA
60 ROSEWOOD FOX 9 7,122 GENERAL DRAMA
61 NIGHT SHIFT NBC 13 7,042 GENERAL DRAMA
62 AMERICAN CRIME ABC 11 7,002 GENERAL DRAMA
63 WAYWARD PINES FOX 10 6,989 GENERAL DRAMA
64 STATE OF AFFAIRS NBC 7 6,988 GENERAL DRAMA
65 DR. KEN ABC 10 6,983 SITUATION COMEDY
66 GRIMM NBC 20 6,861 GENERAL DRAMA
67 MARVEL AGENTS S.H.I.E.L.D ABC 21 6,778 ADVENTURE
68 HEROES REBORN NBC 9 6,712 GENERAL DRAMA
69 REVENGE ABC 13 6,699 GENERAL DRAMA
70 FRESH OFF THE BOAT ABC 21 6,599 SITUATION COMEDY
71 RIZZOLI & ISLES TNT 18 6,570 GENERAL DRAMA
72 GALAVANT ABC 4 6,522 SITUATION COMEDY
73 BETTER CALL SAUL AMC 10 6,511 GENERAL DRAMA
74 A.D. BIBLE CONTINUES NBC 12 6,491 GENERAL DRAMA
75 MUPPETS, THE ABC 10 6,427 SITUATION COMEDY
76 AMERICAN HORROR STORY FX 13 6,418 GENERAL DRAMA
77 EXTANT CBS 11 6,354 GENERAL DRAMA
78 TELENOVELA NBC 1 6,325 SITUATION COMEDY
79 PLAYER NBC 9 6,161 GENERAL DRAMA
80 CRISTELA ABC 12 6,090 SITUATION COMEDY
81 SLEEPY HOLLOW FOX 15 5,927 GENERAL DRAMA
82 FOLLOWING, THE FOX 12 5,864 GENERAL DRAMA
83 FLASH CW 23 5,844 GENERAL DRAMA
84 BACKSTROM FOX 13 5,802 GENERAL DRAMA
85 MAJOR CRIMES TNT 21 5,757 GENERAL DRAMA
86 BLOOD & OIL ABC 10 5,741 GENERAL DRAMA
87 ALLEGIANCE NBC 5 5,728 GENERAL DRAMA
88 RESURRECTION ABC 4 5,624 GENERAL DRAMA
89 INTO THE BADLANDS AMC 6 5,618 GENERAL DRAMA
90 LAST MAN ON EARTH FOX 19 5,604 SITUATION COMEDY
91 ROOKIE BLUE ABC 11 5,366 OFFICIAL POLICE
92 UNDATEABLE 9P NBC 8 5,351 SITUATION COMEDY
93 ASTRONAUT WIVES CLUB, THE ABC 10 5,314 GENERAL DRAMA
94 WHISPERS, THE ABC 13 5,287 GENERAL DRAMA
95 CARMICHAEL SHOW 9P NBC 3 5,238 SITUATION COMEDY
96 SIMPSONS FOX 22 5,059 EVENING ANIMATION
97 LAST SHIP, THE TNT 12 4,940 GENERAL DRAMA
98 SLAP NBC 8 4,879 GENERAL DRAMA
99 MR ROBINSON 9P NBC 3 4,841 SITUATION COMEDY
100 FAMILY GUY FOX 21 4,817 EVENING ANIMATION