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

The latest season of NCIS marked Mark Harmon’s final appearances on the show, and it successfully drew in viewers for his farewell episodes. With the new season commencing in the fall of 2022, there were concerns about the show’s performance under the leadership of Gary Cole, who portrays Alden Parker.

For the 2022-2023 television season, the final viewership numbers are available, revealing the highest-rated shows. Notably absent from these rankings is the immensely popular show Yellowstone, led by Kevin Costner, which continues to enjoy massive success. Airing on Paramount Network, Yellowstone doesn’t figure into these rankings, but it consistently attracted an average of 11.5 million viewers per new episode.

When it comes to broadcast television, the most-watched show, once again, is NCIS. Each new episode from NCIS Season 20 garnered an average of 9.86 million viewers. CBS dominated the list of most-watched network shows, securing eight out of the top 10 spots in overall viewership.

The top 10 shows included FBI with an average of 9.52 million viewers, Blue Bloods at 9.4 million, Young Sheldon with 9.25 million, and Chicago Fire also at 9.25 million to round out the top five. The remaining series in the top 10 were Ghosts (9.0 million), 60 Minutes (8.83 million), Chicago Med (8.46 million), The Equalizer (8.38 million), and Fire Country (8.36 million). Notably, Fire Country’s debut season received impressive viewership figures, explaining why the network swiftly renewed the drama.

In terms of NCIS spin-offs, NCIS: Hawai’i averaged 7.53 million viewers per new episode, while NCIS: Los Angeles saw an audience of 6.24 million. This marked the final season for NCIS: Los Angeles, and it performed well in the Sunday evening 10/9c time slot.

Looking ahead, CBS has already ordered NCIS Season 21, and new episodes are scheduled to return in the fall. However, it’s important to note that the NCIS shows, along with various other TV programs, may experience delays due to the Writers Strike, which will impact numerous aspects of the 2023-2024 television season. For instance, CBS has postponed the start of Big Brother 25, and Survivor 45 will have extended episodes, including a returning cast member.