Year in Review: Top Rated Shows of 2020 — ‘Jeopardy! GOAT,’ ‘NCIS,’ ‘The Masked Singer,’ NFL Football Dominate
The pandemic didn’t slow down the NFL, which once again dominated Variety’s ranker of the most-watched television telecasts of the year. No surprise, of course, Super Bowl LIV was easily the top program of 2020, with 102 million viewers on February 2.
Actually, seven of the ten telecasts of the year came from the NFL, and 28 out of the top 100 of the year. The other major sports leagues weren’t as lucky: Impacted by delayed seasons and playoffs due to COVID-19, only Game 6 of baseball’s World Series made it on the top 100 list, while the NBA Finals completely missed the ranker this year. And that’s despite teams from the nation’s second-largest market, Los Angeles, winning both of them.
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Scripted series accounted for 39 of the top 100 slots, while competition series took up nine spots. The Season 4 post-Super Bowl premiere of “The Masked Singer” was easily the most-watched entertainment program of the year, with 27.4 million viewers. (It kept humming throughout the year, landing 16 slots in the top 100 telecasts among adults 18-49.)
The Oscars were next, averaging 24.3 million on February 9. The Grammy Awards and Golden Globes also made the list, but the Emmys did not. Among adults 18-49, the Grammys (5.66 rating) actually drew a higher rating than the Oscars (5.49) in 2020.
Audiences gravitated to ABC’s January stunt “Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time,” as all four installments made it on the end-of year list. That was the most of any reality show.
“NCIS” landed the most episodes on the ranker, with 10, while uber producer Dick Wolf dominated with 20 slots, divided between “FBI,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med.”
And given how this was one of the most tumultuous years in recent history, news programs and coverage can be found all over this year’s ranker. CBS’ “60 Minutes” shows up five times, while 11 slots are devoted to debates or election coverage.
Two of last year’s most-watched series, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” retired in 2019, and no new scripted series have come along to fill the void in a major way. As a result, most of 2020’s most-watched telecasts come from sports, news, unscripted series and awards shows.
Remember half-hour comedies? Do viewers? Four episodes of CBS’ “Young Sheldon” were the only sitcoms to make this year’s list of top 100 telecasts with total viewers. Among adults 18-49, there were none.
NBC led this year’s total viewer telecast ranker with 37 programs (up from 15 last year), followed by CBS with 27 (vs. 57 last year, thanks to “Big Bang”), then Fox (12), ABC (10), Fox News Channel (7), ESPN (6) and CNN (1).
Here’s our ratings roundup of the year’s most-watched telecasts (in Live+7 ratings), according to broadcast and cable measurements, in both total viewers and adults 18-49.
RELATED: Year in Review: Most-Watched Television Networks — Ranking 2020’s Winners and Losers
[For historical record, here are previous year-end telecast rankers: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.]
MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2020 (TOTAL VIEWERS)
Rank | PROGRAM (NETWORK) | VIEWERS (000) | DATE AIRED |
1. | SUPER BOWL LIV: Chiefs vs. 49ers (Fox) | 102,031 | 2/2/2020 |
2. | NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: 49ers vs. Packers (Fox) | 43,625 | 1/19/2020 |
3. | NFL PLAYOFFS: Packers vs. Seahwaks (Fox) | 38,023 | 1/12/2020 |
4. | AFC WILDCARD PLAYOFF: Titans vs. Patriots (CBS) | 31,828 | 1/4/2020 |
5. | AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF: Titans vs. Ravens (CBS) | 29,828 | 1/11/2020 |
6. | THE MASKED SINGER (Post-Super Bowl Season 3 Premiere) (Fox) | 27,407 | 2/2/2020 |
7. | COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: LSU vs. Clemson (ESPN) | 25,842 | 1/13/2020 |
8. | THE OSCARS (ABC) | 24,316 | 2/9/2020 |
9. | NFL THURSDAY SPECIAL: Chiefs vs. Texans (NBC) | 20,853 | 9/10/2020 |
10. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Chiefs vs. Raiders (NBC) | 19,777 | 11/22/2020 |
11. | GRAMMY AWARDS (CBS) | 19,774 | 1/26/2020 |
12. | GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS (NBC) | 19,196 | 1/5/2020 |
13. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Rams vs. Cowboys (NBC) | 19,151 | 9/13/2020 |
14. | 60 MINUTES (CBS) | 18,611 | 10/25/2020 |
15. | PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (Fox News) | 18,135 | 9/29/2020 |
16. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. Saints (NBC) | 18,026 | 9/27/2020 |
17. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Seahawks vs. Patriots (NBC) | 17,935 | 9/20/2020 |
18. | JEOPARDY! GREATEST OF ALL TIME, Night 3 (ABC) | 17,388 | 1/9/2020 |
19. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Saints vs. Buccaneers (NBC) | 17,094 | 11/8/2020 |
20. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Eagles vs. Cowboys (NBC) | 17,080 | 11/1/2020 |
21. | NCIS, S17 E20 “The Arizona” (CBS) | 16,820 | 4/14/2020 |
22. | JEOPARDY! GREATEST OF ALL TIME, Night 2 (ABC) | 16,730 | 1/8/2020 |
23. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. Bears (NBC) | 16,633 | 11/29/2020 |
24. | NCIS, S17 E19 “Blarney” (CBS) | 16,569 | 3/31/2020 |
25. | NCIS, S17 E18 “Schooled” (CBS) | 16,529 | 3/24/2020 |
26. | JEOPARDY! GREATEST OF ALL TIME, Night 1 (ABC) | 16,371 | 1/7/2020 |
27. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Patriots vs. Ravens (NBC) | 15,971 | 11/15/2020 |
28. | PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (Fox News) | 15,737 | 10/22/2020 |
29. | DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (CBS/BET) | 15,702 | 2/25/2020 |
30. | NCIS, S17 E15 “Lonely Hearts” (NBC) | 15,656 | 2/11/2020 |
31. | NCIS, S17 E14 “On Fire” (CBS) | 15,525 | 1/28/2020 |
32. | NCIS, S17 E16 “Ephemera” (CBS) | 15,509 | 2/18/2020 |
33. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Cardinals vs. Seahawks (Fox/NFL) | 15,421 | 11/19/2020 |
34. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Bears (Fox/NFL) | 15,348 | 10/8/2020 |
35. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Seahawks vs. Vikings (NBC) | 15,304 | 10/11/2020 |
36. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Eagles vs. 49ers (NBC) | 15,218 | 10/4/2020 |
37. | JEOPARDY! GREATEST OF ALL TIME, Night 4 (ABC) | 15,072 | 1/14/2020 |
38. | NCIS, S17 E13 “Sound Off”(CBS) | 15,045 | 1/21/2020 |
39. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Chiefs vs. Ravens (ESPN) | 14,902 | 9/28/2020 |
40. | NFL MONDAY FOOTBALL SPECIAL: Patriots vs. Chiefs (CBS) | 14,780 | 10/5/2020 |
41. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE 9PM (Fox News) | 14,605 | 11/3/2020 |
42. | FBI, S2 E18 “American Dreams” (CBS) | 14,574 | 3/24/2020 |
43. | 911: LONE STAR, S1 E1 Pilot (Fox) | 14,561 | 1/19/2020 |
44. | 60 MINUTES (CBS) | 14,557 | 11/8/2020 |
45. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE 10PM (Fox News) | 14,503 | 11/3/2020 |
46. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Raiders (NBC) | 14,496 | 10/25/2020 |
47. | VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (ABC) | 14,469 | 10/15/2020 |
48. | 60 MINUTES (CBS) | 14,353 | 11/29/2020 |
49. | NCIS, S17 E17 “In a Nutshell” (CBS) | 14,313 | 3/10/2020 |
50. | NCIS, S17 E12 “Flight Plan” (CBS) | 14,231 | 1/14/2020 |
51. | TRUMP TOWN HALL (NBC) | 14,113 | 10/15/2020 |
52. | FBI, S2 E19 “Emotional Rescue” (CBS) | 14,087 | 3/31/2020 |
53. | NCIS, S17 E11 “In the Wind” (CBS) | 14,042 | 1/7/2020 |
54. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. 49ers (Fox/NFL) | 13,665 | 11/5/2020 |
55. | ELECTION COVERAGE: SATURDAY (CNN) | 13,603 | 11/7/2020 |
56. | THE MASKED SINGER, S4 E9 “The Group C Finals” (Fox) | 13,588 | 11/26/2020 |
57. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE, 8PM (Fox News) | 13,399 | 11/3/2020 |
58. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Rams vs. Buccaneers (ESPN) | 13,293 | 11/23/2020 |
59. | 60 MINUTES (CBS) | 13,029 | 11/15/2020 |
60. | FBI: MOST WANTED, S1 E9 “Reveille” (CBS) | 12,947 | 3/24/2020 |
61. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: 49ers vs. Rams (NBC) | 12,778 | 10/18/2020 |
62. | WORLD SERIES GAME 6: Dodgers vs. Rays (Fox) | 12,756 | 10/27/2020 |
63. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E15 “Off the Grid” (NBC) | 12,736 | 2/26/2020 |
64. | DISNEY FAMILY SING-A-LONG (ABC) | 12,721 | 4/16/2020 |
65. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E20 “51’s Original Bell” (NBC) | 12,647 | 4/15/2020 |
66. | YOUNG SHELDON, S3 E21 “A Secret Letter and a Lowly Disc of Processed Meat” (CBS) | 12,644 | 4/30/2020 |
67. | CHICAGO P.D., S7 E15 “Burden of Truth” (NBC) | 12,601 | 2/26/2020 |
68. | 60 MINUTES (CBS) | 12,586 | 10/11/2020 |
69. | YOUNG SHELDON, S3 E19 “A House for Sale and Serious Woman Stuff” (CBS) | 12,582 | 4/2/2020 |
70. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Colts vs. Titans (Fox/NFL) | 12,577 | 11/12/2020 |
71. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E17 “Protect a Child” (NBC) | 12,558 | 3/18/2020 |
72. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E18 “I’ll Cover You” (NBC) | 12,523 | 3/25/2020 |
73. | DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (NBC) | 12,485 | 2/19/2020 |
74. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E 19 “Light Things Up” (NBC) | 12,418 | 4/8/2020 |
75. | THE GOOD DOCTOR, S3 E20 “I Love You” (ABC) | 12,412 | 3/30/2020 |
76. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Giants (ESPN) | 12,369 | 11/2/2020 |
77. | YOUNG SHELDON, S3 E20 “A Baby Tooth and the Egyptian God of Knowledge” (CBS) | 12,225 | 4/16/2020 |
78. | THIS IS US, S4 E18 “Strangers: Part Two” (NBC) | 12,190 | 3/24/2020 |
79. | CHICAGO MED, S5 E18 “In the Name of Love” (NBC) | 12,155 | 3/25/2020 |
80. | VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (Fox News) | 12,143 | 10/7/2020 |
81. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Broncos vs. Jets (Fox/NFL) | 12,122 | 10/29/2020 |
82. | THE VOICE, S18 E5 “The Blind Auditions, Part 5” (NBC) | 12,065 | 3/16/2020 |
LIVE FROM THE RED CARPET (ABC) | 12,065 | 2/9/2020 | |
84. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Vikings vs. Bears (ESPN) | 12,017 | 11/16/2020 |
85. | AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, S15 E1 “Auditions 1” (NBC) | 11,984 | 5/26/2020 |
86. | CHICAGO MED, S5 E17 “The Ghosts of the Past” (NBC) | 11,980 | 3/18/2020 |
87. | CHICAGO P.D., S7 E17 “Before the Fall” (NBC) | 11,972 | 3/18/2020 |
88. | STATE OF THE UNION 2020 (Fox News) | 11,920 | 2/4/2020 |
89. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E14 “Shut it Down” (NBC) | 11,907 | 2/12/2020 |
90. | CHICAGO MED, S5 E20 “A Needle in the Heart” (NBC) | 11,897 | 4/15/2020 |
91. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Cardinals vs. Cowboys (ESPN) | 11,894 | 10/19/2020 |
92. | THE GOOD DOCTOR, S3 E19 “Hurt” (ABC) | 11,870 | 3/23/2020 |
93. | CHICAGO MED, S5 E19 “Just a River in Egypt” (NBC) | 11,835 | 4/8/2020 |
94. | CHICAGO PD, S7 E19 “Buried Secrets” (NBC) | 11,828 | 4/8/2020 |
95. | CHICAGO PD, S7 E18 “Lines” (NBC) | 11,820 | 3/25/2020 |
96. | CHICAGO PD, S7 E20 “Silence of the Night” (NBC) | 11,801 | 4/15/2020 |
97. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E12 “Then Nick Porter Happened” (NBC) | 11,782 | 1/22/2020 |
98. | CHICAGO FIRE, S8 E11 “Where We End Up” (NBC) | 11,781 | 1/15/2020 |
99. | YOUNG SHELDON, S3 E16 “Pasadena” (CBS) | 11,754 | 2/20/2020 |
100. | THIS IS US, S4 E17 “After the Fire” (NBC) | 11,742 | 3/17/2020 |
Source: Nielsen, 1/1/20 – 11/29/20. L7 Data. All Telecasts, Broadcast and Cable (excluding telecasts with durations under 25 min, including SB and NFC). Broadcast Prime, telecast with start times within daypart (M-Sat 8P-11P; Sun 6:30P-11P). |
THE 50 TOP-RATED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2020 (ADULTS 18-49)
Rank | PROGRAM (NETWORK) | RATING (18-49) | DATE AIRED |
1. | SUPER BOWL LIV: Chiefs vs. 49ers (Fox) | 30.66 | 2/2/2020 |
2. | NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: 49ers vs. Packers (Fox) | 12.56 | 1/19/2020 |
3. | NFL PLAYOFFS: Packers vs. Seahwaks (Fox) | 10.80 | 1/12/2020 |
4. | THE MASKED SINGER (Post-Super Bowl Season 3 Premiere) (Fox) | 9.36 | 2/2/2020 |
5. | AFC WILDCARD PLAYOFF: Titans vs. Patriots (CBS) | 9.04 | 1/4/2020 |
6. | AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF: Titans vs. Ravens (CBS) | 8.38 | 1/11/2020 |
7. | COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: LSU vs. Clemson (ESPN) | 7.81 | 1/13/2020 |
8. | NFL THURSDAY SPECIAL: Chiefs vs. Texans (NBC) | 6.82 | 9/10/2020 |
9. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Rams vs. Cowboys (NBC) | 6.24 | 9/13/2020 |
10. | GRAMMY AWARDS (CBS) | 5.66 | 1/26/2020 |
11. | THE OSCARS (ABC) | 5.49 | 2/9/2020 |
12. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Chiefs vs. Raiders (NBC) | 5.45 | 11/22/2020 |
13. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. Saints (NBC) | 5.38 | 9/27/2020 |
14. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Seahawks vs. Patriots (NBC) | 5.31 | 9/20/2020 |
15. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Saints vs. Buccaneers (NBC) | 5.09 | 11/8/2020 |
16. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Chiefs vs. Ravens (ESPN) | 4.97 | 9/28/2020 |
17. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Eagles vs. Cowboys (NBC) | 4.95 | 11/1/2020 |
18. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. Bears (NBC) | 4.89 | 11/29/2020 |
19. | GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS (NBC) | 4.87 | 1/5/2020 |
20. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Bears (Fox/NFL) | 4.77 | 10/8/2020 |
21. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Patriots vs. Ravens (NBC) | 4.52 | 11/15/2020 |
22. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Eagles vs. 49ers (NBC) | 4.55 | 10/4/2020 |
23. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Cardinals vs. Seahawks (Fox/NFL) | 4.52 | 11/19/2020 |
24. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Raiders (NBC) | 4.38 | 10/25/2020 |
25. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Falcons vs. Eagles (NBC) | 4.22 | 10/11/2020 |
26. | THE MASKED SINGER, S4 E9 “The Group C Finals” (Fox) | 4.17 | 11/26/2020 |
27. | NFL MONDAY FOOTBALL SPECIAL: Patriots vs. Chiefs (CBS) | 4.10 | 10/5/2020 |
28. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Packers vs. 49ers (Fox/NFL) | 4.01 | 11/5/2020 |
29. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Rams vs. Buccaneers (ESPN) | 3.87 | 11/23/2020 |
30. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Cardinals vs. Cowboys (ESPN) | 3.80 | 10/19/2020 |
911: LONE STAR, S1 E1 Pilot (Fox) | 3.80 | 1/19/2020 | |
NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Buccaneers vs. Giants (ESPN) | 3.80 | 11/2/2020 | |
33. | NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: 49ers vs. Rams (NBC) | 3.77 | 10/18/2020 |
34. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Colts vs. Titans (Fox/NFL) | 3.66 | 11/12/2020 |
35. | ELECTION COVERAGE: SATURDAY (CNN) | 3.62 | 11/7/2020 |
36. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Saints vs. Chargers (ESPN) | 3.50 | 10/12/2020 |
37. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Broncos vs. Jets (Fox/NFL) | 3.58 | 10/29/2020 |
38. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE 10PM (Fox News) | 3.48 | 11/3/2020 |
39. | WORLD SERIES GAME 6: Dodgers vs. Rays (Fox) | 3.45 | 10/27/2020 |
40. | PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE (Fox News) | 3.44 | 9/29/2020 |
41. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Vikings vs. Bears (ESPN) | 3.44 | 11/16/2020 |
42. | NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Giants vs. Eagles (Fox/NFL) | 3.42 | 10/22/2020 |
ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE 9PM (Fox News) | 3.42 | 11/3/2020 | |
44. | NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Rams vs. Bears (ESPN) | 3.40 | 10/26/2020 |
45. | THE MASKED SINGER, S3 E10 “The Super Nine Masked Singer Special: Groups A, B and C” (Fox) | 3.37 | 4/1/2020 |
46. | DISNEY FAMILY SING-A-LONG (ABC) | 3.35 | 4/16/2020 |
47. | NFL DRAFT (ESPN) | 3.34 | 4/16/2020 |
48. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE, 9 PM (CNN) | 3.32 | 11/3/2020 |
49. | ELECTION NIGHT COVERAGE, 10 PM (CNN) | 3.29 | 11/3/2020 |
50. | NBA FINALS, Game 5: Lakers vs. Heat (ABC) | 3.28 | 10/9/2020 |
Source: Nielsen, 1/1/20 – 11/29/20. L7 Data. All Telecasts, Broadcast and Cable (excluding telecasts with durations under 25 min, including SB and NFC). Broadcast Prime, telecast with start times within daypart (M-Sat 8P-11P; Sun 6:30P-11P). |
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