America's Most Watched: The Top 25 Shows of the 2012-2013 TV Season

[Steve Williams]

By Michael Schneider | TV Guide

America loves its football, but the top action on TV this season wasn't on the field — it came via CBS' still-potent NCIS. In its tenth season, NCIS managed to beat NBC's Sunday Night Football as the year's No. 1 program among total viewers.

CBS' The Big Bang Theory was the highest-rated comedy this past season, while AMC's The Walking Dead broke into the Top 10, a rare feat for a cable series. Even more impressive, besides football, The Walking Dead was the No. 1 show of the season among adults 18-49, followed by The Big Bang Theory.

Among new series, CBS' Elementary was the highest-rated in total viewers, while the Fox thriller The Following led all freshmen in the 18-49 demographic.

CBS aired 12 of the top 25 shows, more than any other network. CBS has such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to hit series that freshman drama Vegas was canceled even though it made the top 25 list. (To be fair, Vegas did not perform well with adults 18-49.)

Meanwhile, how big is A&E's Duck Dynasty? So big that the reality sitcom attracted more viewers this past season than all but the top 3 scripted comedies on television.

With seven days' worth of DVR usage included in their season averages, here are the most-watched shows of the 2012-13 TV season.

1. NCIS CBS 21.6 million
2. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 21.0 million
3. THE BIG BANG THEORY CBS 19.0 million
4. NCIS: LOS ANGELES CBS 17.5 million
5. PERSON OF INTEREST CBS 16.2 million
6. AMERICAN IDOL (Wednesday) Fox 15.1 million
7. DANCING WITH THE STARS (Monday) ABC 15.0 million
8. AMERICAN IDOL (Thursday) Fox 14.8 million
9. THE VOICE (Monday) NBC 14.4 million*
10. THE WALKING DEAD AMC 14.3 million
11. DANCING WITH THE STARS (Tuesday) ABC 14.0 million
12. TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 13.9 million
13. THE VOICE (Tuesday) NBC 13.5 million
14. BLUE BLOODS CBS 13.3 million
15. ELEMENTARY CBS 13.0 million
16. MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ESPN 12.9 million
17. MODERN FAMILY ABC 12.7 million
18. CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 12.6 million
19. THE OT Fox 12.5 million
20. CASTLE ABC 12.5 million
21 DUCK DYNASTY A&E 12.4 million
t. 60 MINUTES CBS 12.4 million
22. VEGAS CBS 12.0 million
23. THE FOLLOWING Fox 11.9 million
t. SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES CBS 11.9 million
t. CSI CBS 11.9 million

 

[MylesBAstor]

By Michael Schneider | TV Guide

America loves its football, but the top action on TV this season wasn't on the field — it came via CBS' still-potent NCIS. In its tenth season, NCIS managed to beat NBC's Sunday Night Football as the year's No. 1 program among total viewers.

CBS' The Big Bang Theory was the highest-rated comedy this past season, while AMC's The Walking Dead broke into the Top 10, a rare feat for a cable series. Even more impressive, besides football, The Walking Dead was the No. 1 show of the season among adults 18-49, followed by The Big Bang Theory.

Among new series, CBS' Elementary was the highest-rated in total viewers, while the Fox thriller The Following led all freshmen in the 18-49 demographic.

CBS aired 12 of the top 25 shows, more than any other network. CBS has such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to hit series that freshman drama Vegas was canceled even though it made the top 25 list. (To be fair, Vegas did not perform well with adults 18-49.)

Meanwhile, how big is A&E's Duck Dynasty? So big that the reality sitcom attracted more viewers this past season than all but the top 3 scripted comedies on television.

With seven days' worth of DVR usage included in their season averages, here are the most-watched shows of the 2012-13 TV season.

1. NCIS CBS 21.6 million
2. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 21.0 million
3. THE BIG BANG THEORY CBS 19.0 million
4. NCIS: LOS ANGELES CBS 17.5 million
5. PERSON OF INTEREST CBS 16.2 million
6. AMERICAN IDOL (Wednesday) Fox 15.1 million
7. DANCING WITH THE STARS (Monday) ABC 15.0 million
8. AMERICAN IDOL (Thursday) Fox 14.8 million
9. THE VOICE (Monday) NBC 14.4 million*
10. THE WALKING DEAD AMC 14.3 million
11. DANCING WITH THE STARS (Tuesday) ABC 14.0 million
12. TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 13.9 million
13. THE VOICE (Tuesday) NBC 13.5 million
14. BLUE BLOODS CBS 13.3 million
15. ELEMENTARY CBS 13.0 million
16. MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ESPN 12.9 million
17. MODERN FAMILY ABC 12.7 million
18. CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 12.6 million
19. THE OT Fox 12.5 million
20. CASTLE ABC 12.5 million
21 DUCK DYNASTY A&E 12.4 million
t. 60 MINUTES CBS 12.4 million
22. VEGAS CBS 12.0 million
23. THE FOLLOWING Fox 11.9 million
t. SURVIVOR: PHILIPPINES CBS 11.9 million
t. CSI CBS 11.9 million

I don't know if I should be proud or not to admit watch 10 of them and one isn't American Idol! Surprised Blue Bloods though isn't ranked higher.

 

[amirm]

A number of my favorite shows are on it. Can't believe Duck Dynasty has that high of ratings. It is a hugely funny and entertaining reality show if you have not seen it.

The one I can't stand is PERSON OF INTEREST. The technical aspects of it drive me nuts . It insults the engineer in me left and right as far as how much they make up regarding what is possible.

 

[Steve Williams]

I am astounded about Duck Dynasty as well. These guys have a huge following

 

[WLVCA]

After reading that list I realize I have lost touch with mainstream TV. Not that that's a bad thing!

I will have to check out Duck Dynasty - never even heard of it before.

I think I've seen maybe 7 shows on that list and that's including football.

Of course, I am no longer in a desireable demographic so the advertisers haven't lost much.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I've seen some NCIS in cable re-runs, watched 3-4 episodes of Walking Dead on Netfliz. I'm completely out of touch.

Tim

 

[Shaffer]

I confess; I'm guilty of watching an occasional episode of Criminal Minds. The rest, well, not so much.

 

[treitz3]

I guess I'm out of touch as well. Out of all of those programs, NCIS is the only one I watch and that's only because of the DVR. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't watch any of them.

Tom