“60 Minutes” was the most-watched non-NFL program for the fourth time in the four-week-old 2022-23 prime-time television season, while “FBI” was the most-watched entertainment program for the first time since the season’s opening week, according to live-plus-same-day figures released by Nielsen Tuesday.
The CBS news magazine averaged 10.719 million viewers, a season-high among non-NFL programs, and fifth among the prime-time broadcast and cable programs airing between Oct. 10 and Sunday. The previous high was 10.274 million viewers for the Oct. 2 edition of “60 Minutes.”
Both of the season’s two most-watched editions of “60 Minutes” followed runovers of CBS’ afternoon NFL coverage into prime time in the Eastern and Central time zones, where the bulk of the nation’s population lives. Sunday’s 41-minute runover averaged 29.17 million viewers while the 52-minute runover Oct. 2 averaged 30.91 million viewers.
The runovers are not considered a separate program but are included in the network’s weekly average.
“FBI” averaged 7.407 million viewers, the season-high for an entertainment program. The CBS crime drama was sixth for the week and among four entertainment programs to average more than 7 million viewers. The others were CBS’ `The Equalizer (7.32 million) and “Young Sheldon” (7.249 million) and NBC’s “Chicago Fire” (7.162 million).
CBS’ “Fire Country” was the most-watched new series for the second time in the two weeks it has aired, averaging 5.802 million viewers, 18th for the week and 13th among non-NFL programs. Viewership dropped 1.8% from the 5.911 million average for its premiere one week earlier.
For the sixth time in the six-week-old NFL season, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” was the most-watched prime-time program, with the Philadelphia Eagles’ 26-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys averaging 20.793 million, third among the season’s “Sunday Night Football” games.
NBC averaged 6.18 million viewers to finish first for the sixth consecutive week. CBS was second, averaging 5.83 million, and ABC third, averaging 2.84 million. All three networks aired 22 hours of prime-time programming.
ABC’s most-watched program was “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” 37th for the week averaging 3.804 million viewers.
Fox averaged 2.41 million viewers for its 16 hours, 29 minutes of programming. The procedural drama “9-1-1” was Fox’s most-watched non-sports program for the fourth time in its four episodes of the season, averaging 4.905 million viewers, 26th for the week and 19th among non-sports programs.
The CW averaged 480,000 viewers for its 14 hours of programming. It aired both of the week’s two premieres on the five major broadcast networks. “The Winchesters,” a prequel to The CW’s long-running dark fantasy series “Supernatural,” averaged 780,000 viewers, most among CW programs and 134th among broadcast programs.
The action drama “Professionals” averaged 344,000 viewers, 14th among CW programs and tying for 216th among broadcast programs.
The overall rankings for both programs were not available.
The 20 most-watched prime-time programs consisted of two NFL games; three NFL pregame shows; “60 Minutes”; nine CBS scripted programs; NBC’s “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago P.D.”; and the two episodes of NBC’s singing competition “The Voice.”
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” was the most-watched cable program, with the Kansas City Chiefs’ 30-29 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders Oct. 10 averaging 15.789 million viewers, third overall.
“Monday Night Football” made ESPN the most-watched cable network for the third consecutive week and sixth time in seven weeks, averaging 2.878 million viewers.
TBS was second, averaging 2.541 million viewers, thanks to three nights of American League Divisional Series games. Fox News Channel was third, averaging 2.15 million. MSNBC was the other cable network to average more than 1 million viewers for its prime-time programming, averaging 1.287 million.
The cable top 20 consisted of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” and its 13-minute kickoff show; four American League Division Series games on TBS; three games of the Dodgers-San Diego Padres National League Division Series on Fox Sports 1; nine Fox News Channel weeknight political talk shows (five broadcasts of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and four of “Hannity”); ESPN’s coverage of Saturday’s Florida-LSU college football game; and the 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Times segment of MSNBC’s coverage of the House Select Committee hearings Thursday.
“The Watcher” was Netflix’s most-watched program with viewers spending 125.01 million hours watching the seven episodes of the first season of Ryan Murphy-produced mystery thriller inspired by a true story during the first four days of its release, according to figures released by the streaming service.
“Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” was second after finishing first each of the first three weeks it was available with 122.78 million hours watched of the 10-episode limited series, which is also produced by Murphy. Viewership was down 40.2% from the 205.33 million hours watched the previous week.
“Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is Netflix’s second most-watched English-language television program and third most-overall based on viewership over its first 28 days of release with 824.15 million hours watched in the 27 days it was available through Sunday.
The fourth season of the science fiction horror series “Stranger Things” is first with 1.35209 billion hours watched of its nine episodes. The first season South Korean survival drama “Squid Game” is first among non- English language programs with 1.65045 billion hours watched of its nine episodes.
“Luckiest Girl Alive” was Netflix’s most-watched movie for the second time in the two weeks it has aired, with the Mila Kunis-starring drama about a successful young woman who struggles with the lingering trauma of a devastating sexual assault as a teenager being watched for 57.01 million hours in the first full week it was available.
Viewership was up 32.3% from the 43.08 million hours it was watched the previous week when it was available for three days.
The most-watched Spanish-language program was the Thursday episode of the Univision telenovela “La Herencia, Un Legado de Amor,” which averaged 1.598 million viewers, 72nd among broadcast programs. Its overall ranking was not available.
Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network for the 10th consecutive week and 148th time in 150 weeks, averaging 1.35 million viewers. Telemundo was second, averaging 800,000, followed by UniMas (460,000), Estrella TV (100,000) and Azteca America (60,000).
ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” was the most-watched nightly newscast for 149th time in 150 weeks and 201st time in 203 weeks, averaging 7.688 million viewers. “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” was second, averaging 6.393 million.
The “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” was third, averaging 4.56 million.
The week’s 10 most-watched prime-time programs were NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and its 10-minute pre-kickoff show; ESPN’s “Monday Night Football”; the 21-minute third segment of NBC’s “Football Night in America”; CBS’ “60 Minutes,” “FBI,” “The Equalizer” and “Young Sheldon”; NBC’s “Chicago Fire”; CBS’ “NCIS” and ESPN’s 13-minute “Monday Night Football” kickoff show.
