Is NCIS Still the Most-Watched Show on Broadcast Television?

“NCIS” remained the most-watched show on broadcast television during the 2022-2023 television season, even in the absence of star Mark Harmon, who appeared for the last time in Season 19. The show’s 20th season continued to draw viewers, averaging 9.86 million viewers per new episode. CBS also dominated as the most-watched network, with eight of the top 10 shows in overall viewership.

Other top-ranking shows included “FBI” with an average of 9.52 million viewers, “Blue Bloods” with 9.4 million, “Young Sheldon” with 9.25 million, and “Chicago Fire” also with 9.25 million, rounding out the top five. “Ghosts” attracted an average of 9.0 million viewers, followed by “60 Minutes” with 8.83 million, “Chicago Med” with 8.46 million, “Equalizer” with 8.38 million, and “Fire Country” with 8.36 million. “Fire Country” had its first season, and its success led to a quick renewal.

The “NCIS” spin-offs also fared well in the rankings, with “NCIS: Hawai’i” averaging 7.53 million viewers per new episode, and “NCIS: Los Angeles” drawing in 6.24 million viewers. “NCIS: Los Angeles” concluded its run during this season and performed strongly in its 10/9c Sunday evening time slot.

“NCIS” Season 21 had been ordered early by CBS, and new episodes were scheduled for the fall. However, there was potential for delays due to the Writers Strike, which affected various aspects of the 2023-2024 television season. “Big Brother 25” had already been postponed, and “Survivor 45” would extend its episodes to 90 minutes. Despite these challenges, “NCIS” continued to maintain its status as the most-watched show on broadcast television.