The Most Popular TV Show From Your Birth Year (1951-1999)
Horoscopes are so 2023. We’re now defining ourselves based on the most popular television show in the year of our birth — adjust your identity accordingly, Young Sheldon.
You can tell a lot about Americans’ values, outlooks, and needs based on what they’re watching, and this list proves that our tastes have changed immensely over the past half-century. As TV networks multiplied and cable connections became a common household item, viewers had exponentially more choices of what to watch — yet, a select few shows drew an large number of American eyeballs.
As you review the most popular show in your birth year (and others’ birth years), consider whether your tastes align with the mass public. Whether you are an outsider cringing at your year’s most popular show or an avid fan of your year’s most-watched program, don’t forget that this show will forever define you, whether you like it or not.
1. 1999: ER
In the mid-to-late 1990s, television audiences could not get enough gauze or George Clooney.
Still, 1999 ended with red flags for network executives. ER‘s share of viewing households fell from 34% in 1997-98 to 29% in 1998-99. George Clooney’s exit at the end of the 1999 season further fuelled the demise of the hit network show, while non-traditional shows like The Sopranos soon captured the audience’s thirst for unfiltered anti-heros.
2. 1998: Seinfeld
As you can tell, America could not make up its mind between drama (ER) and comedy (Seinfeld). 1998 was the last season of Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld’s comedic masterpiece, and the show did not suffer from audience shrinkage in its final run. If only George could say the same after emerging from the pool.
76.3 million viewers tuned into the finale, which in true Seinfeld-ian wit was dubbed “The Finale.” This was the fourth-highest viewership of all curtain-call episodes, trailing only the finales of The Fugitive, Cheers, and M*A*S*H. This send-off was a fitting Festivus-style gift to the creators of a legendary sitcom.
3. 1997: ER
By Season 4 of ER, American audiences were clearly enraptured by the personal lives of Doctors Doug Ross, Mark Greene, Carol Hathaway, Abby Lockhart, and Co. Commanding the most eyeballs for the second year in a row, Michael Crichton’s pulse-pounding thriller was a proven hit on its way to a 15-season run.
Aside from the acute drama, the show’s popularity may have stemmed from its relatability to audiences — the long wait times, distracted doctors, and general stress of navigating American healthcare is a reality most know well.
4. 1996: ER
It’s exceedingly rare to find an acclaimed science fiction writer of Michael Crichton’s caliber penning a network drama, which is what made ER such a popular rarity airing in 1994. Crichton chose writing over medicine, but his training at Harvard Medical School lent ER an air of believability that captivated audiences.
It didn’t hurt that the fictional level-one trauma center featured in ER was staffed by the likes of George Clooney and Julianna Margulies. How many ER viewers suffered “accidents” thinking Clooney-level hunks would be working in their local emergency department? Surely more than we would like to believe.
5. 1995: Seinfeld
Don’t lie, you’re listening to the Seinfeld theme in your head right now. Iconic shows start with iconic theme songs, but they certainly don’t end with a catchy jingle. The first episode, “Good News, Bad News”, aired on July 15th, 1989 and would win at least one Emmy in six of its nine seasons.
While the chemistry between Jerry, Kramer, George, and Elaine seemed effortless, the show’s attention to detail (and commitment to bits) elevated Seinfeld above other sitcoms. For instance, composer Jonathan Wolff created a new intro theme song for each episode. Jerry Seinfeld’s short-form standup acts varied in length, and therefore required a new accompanying theme each week. In 1995 and beyond, Thursday nights were for Jerry & Co.
6. 1994: Home Improvement
The 90s were wholesome, weren’t they? Tim Allen’s Tim “The Toolman” Taylor led eight seasons of Emmy-worthy television, and the sitcom hit its peak in 1994 as the most-watched show on television. Suburban dads, moms, and kids could relate in some way to the Taylors, creating the perfect recipe for a massively popular network comedy.
Dave Chappelle’s breakthrough cameo happened on Home Improvement, paving the way for his subsequent superstardom. Tim Allen’s evolution from felony trafficking charges at age 23 to America’s handiest television dad is impressive in its own right, and he earned every bit of his first-place rating.
7. 1993: Roseanne
America bought into Roseanne Barr and John Goodman’s chemistry as Roseanne and Dan Conner. The actors’ rapport and above-average comedic writing (by network sitcom standards) kept audiences tuning in on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings throughout the 90s.
There is a special place in our country’s heart for relatable families who make us laugh. Whether it is Clark Griswold & Co., The Heffernans in The King of Queens, or The Conners, there is smash-hit potential in light, believable portrayals of working-class Americans. Television critics have noticed a glaring void in the working-class sitcom genre in recent years, which helps explain the Roseanne reboot in 2018.
8. 1992: Roseanne
Roseanne struck a cord with working-class America, embracing irreverence and throwing airs to the wind as it portrayed the day-to-day realities and challenges middle-class families know well. The Conners were a hit from episode one, frequently finishing among the country’s top three shows and remaining a top-20 hit throughout its entire run.
Led by comedic heavyweights (no pun intended) John Goodman and Roseanne Barr, the show debuted in 1988 and ran for nine seasons.
9. 1991: Cheers
As the fabric of American society becomes increasingly frayed, the Cheers theme song “Where everybody knows your name…and they’re always glad you came,” inspires increasingly visceral pangs of nostalgia. The show that felt like every man’s neighborhood bar, Cheers, ranked in the top ten American shows seven times throughout its 11-season run.
1991 was the peak for Sam Malone and the regulars at the fictional Boston-based bar, as its ninth season earned it the title of most-viewed show in America. That had to be worth at least one free round courtesy of the bartender, right?
10. 1990: The Cosby Show
1990 was the final year of The Cosby Show‘s grip on the top spot, and the show would be off the air by 1993. The rise of the hip-hop era may have had much to do with The Cosby Show’s demise, as the image of a white-collar nuclear family did not seem to mesh with the realities of most Black Americans by the early 1990s.
While The Cosby Show will always be beloved among large portions of fans across racial lines, the public has since gravitated towards more graphic, less idealistic entertainment brands.
11. 1989: The Cosby Show
Historians credit The Cosby Show with “reviving” not only a struggling NBC’s ratings but also the genre of family-oriented sitcoms. The younger generation may not realize just how popular Bill Cosby was and may, therefore, struggle to understand how the man had carte blanche to act as he acted off-set for years with impunity.
Once you understand the power that comes with delivering #1-hit ratings to network execs, Cosby’s legal scandals (and years of unpunished impropriety) make more sense.
12. 1988: The Cosby Show
Though Bill Cosby’s reputation is in tatters following a conviction of serial impropriety, we can’t discuss The Cosby Show without bringing up facts that shine positively on the man. For instance, Cosby was never nominated for an Emmy despite the show being the cream of the crop for half a decade. How is that possible?
Bill Cosby requested that he not be nominated to maintain the on-set chemistry and dynamics. That’s the word on the street, anyway, and there isn’t another valid explanation for the conspicuous absence of an Emmy nod.
13. 1987: The Cosby Show
Thursday nights in the mid-to-late 80s were for the Huxtables. Few family comedies have felt as authentic as The Cosby Show, which deftly balanced comedy with the challenges most American families face.
One reason for the authentic feel was Bill Cosby’s decision to use his real relatives’ names for the show’s characters, including using “Anna” (his real mother’s name) as his mom’s name. This may have helped everything feel more real to Cosby, which in turn would have made the filming experience more real for the rest of the cast.
14. 1986: The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show‘s relentless grip on the top ratings spot was impressive in its own right. The ability of a black family to become the face of mainstream network entertainment makes the feat all the more astounding. The show debuted in 1984, and only two years later, it was the most-watched (and truly a must-watch) show on the planet.
With about 35% of households tuning in weekly, Bill Cosby and the fictional Huxtable family had America hanging on their every wisecrack. What made Cosby’s later infamy so shocking was the Kilimanjaro-level heights his popularity reached in the 80s.
15. 1985: Dynasty
Dynasty relied on a feuding family trope as old as time (see: The Capulets v. The Montagues, the Hatfields vs. The McCoys) to garner strong ratings throughout its nine-season run. Like Yellowstone today, the never-ending drama of uber-wealthy families with blue-collar ties (in this case, the oil business) proved magnetic for viewers trapped in suburbia.
The show’s fifth season was its high water mark, as it edged out The Cosby Show as the most-watched program of the year.
16. 1984: Dallas
Season 7 was Dallas‘ final year atop the national rankings, capping a four-year run as the most-viewed program in America. You’ll rarely find a show that maintains the public’s interest for nearly half a decade, making Dallas one of the most successful series in history.
The series’ popularity in the 1980s set the stage for a three-season reboot from 2012 to 2014. Predictably, the second iteration of Dallas did not garner the viewership of the original, but its very existence speaks to the original show’s cultural significance.
17. 1983: Dallas
Dallas was on air from 1978 through 1991, and by 1983, the nation was thoroughly hooked on the Ewing family’s endless dramatics. The 1983 season, which was the sixth, saw the Ewing family selling off properties, grappling with unexpected death, and overcoming struggles with addiction.
A storyline involving shady Cuban connections brought an international flare to the Dallas universe, and viewers were clearly engrossed by the departure from the show’s typical Texas-centric aesthetic.
18. 1982: Dallas
Early reviews of Dallas described the show’s tactics as “knock-em-over-the-head and move-onto-the-next-shot.” This was not highbrow television, but it was undeniably popular television. In fact, Dallas may have been the perfect show for an out-of-control decade defined by excess and hard living.
Dallas beat out the likes of Cheers, Family Ties, and Knight Rider to claim the title of the most-watched show in 1982.
19. 1981: Dallas
Dallas debuted as a five-part miniseries on CBS in 1978, and network executives could not have dreamed of the following ratings boom. An unabashed soap opera following the oil-rich Ewing family in (you guessed it!) Dallas, TX. The family’s Southfork Ranch is the setting of much of the show’s drama, and we have to believe Dallas helped inspire the modern hit Yellowstone.
By 1981, the soapy, campy Dallas had become must-watch TV for much of America.
20. 1980: Three’s Company
John Ritter lived the dream in Three’s Company, which had a highly-rated, critically acclaimed run between 1976 and 1984. Ritter played Jack Tripper, a single man who can hold his own in the kitchen of the apartment he shares with Janet and Chrissy.
Hilarity and just a sprinkle of real-life dramatics made Three’s Company a compelling watch, so much so that it rose to the top of the ratings in 1980. It was a brief stint on top, but one that remains etched in the Nielsen rating history books.
21. 1979: Laverne & Shirley
Audiences could not get enough of the quick-witted Laverne and Shirley in the late 1970s. The duo held their own in a man’s world (as bottle cappers at a brewery), and creator Garry Marshall (Penny’s brother) kept the storylines varied enough to keep America tuning in.
The show would soon come to an end after Cindy Williams left the show in 1982, reportedly over a pregnancy-related dispute. Other cast departures signaled the show was not long for air, though it had a remarkable run as one of America’s most beloved sitcoms.
22. 1978: Laverne & Shirley
Before she was an acclaimed director behind hits like Big and A League of Their Own, Penny Marshall was Laverne DeFazio. Her roomie and bestie Shirley Feeney (played by Cindy Williams) took on life together in ’50s and ’60s-era Milwaukee.
The show began when Laverne and Shirley debuted on Happy Days, earning their own spinoff. Though audiences would eventually tire of the Midwestern backdrop, the chemistry between Williams and Marshall made the sitcom an instant hit.
23. 1977: Happy Days
Nostalgia proved a powerful magnet for American audiences in the 70s and early 80s. Garry Marshall’s Happy Days captured the slick-haired, collar-popped cool of the 1950s. While Henry Winkler’s Fonzie was undoubtedly a bit of a caricature, he was a welcomed throwback in a rapidly changing world (disco?) in the mid-to-late 1970s.
Ron Howard played the straight-laced Richie Cunningham learning the ropes from the Fonz, but it was primarily Winkler’s allure that propelled Happy Days to the top of the ratings chart in its third season.
24. 1976: All in the Family
All in the Family spent its final year at the top of the Nielsen ratings in 1976. Nothing lasts forever. At times, though, America’s love affair with All in the Family seemed like it would.
The show concluded its final season in 1979 but would live on as Archie Bunker’s Place. The latter was not a Norman Lear project and failed to garner the critical praise of its predecessor despite remaining on air for four seasons. Spinoffs are rarely a good idea, and All in the Family arguably deserved to stand alone.
25. 1975: All in the Family
Every family needs an uncle who brings up religion and politics at the Thanksgiving table. This is where the fireworks lie, and All in the Family is proof of that. Controversy is at the heart of entertainment, especially when you deftly blend it with humor.
When fans consider what made Archie Bunker & Co. compelling, the quick-witted barbs are only part of it. The show earned its stripes by crossing topical boundaries that other sitcoms of the day were afraid to. Lear reportedly based Archie Bunker on his own father, lending the show even more depth and authenticity.
26. 1974: All in the Family
Though Norman Lear deserves tons of credit for making a stuck-in-his-way Queens resident as lovable as possible, Lear can’t take all the credit for the show’s indomitable success. A British sitcom called Til Death Us Do Part (you read that correctly) was the source material for All in the Family.
Like later creators who adopted a British morsel of comedy and Americanized it (see The Office), Lear put a New York twist on the English blueprint. When you take a close-minded man and expose their heart, you have the recipe for a show that goes deeper than the belly laughs.
27. 1973: All in the Family
All in the Family is a rare sitcom that earned both audience adoration and critical praise. Its IMDb rating of 8.4 and 22 Primetime Emmy victories are testaments to creator Norman Lear’s visionary talent and stellar cast with combustible chemistry.
Carroll O’Connor stole the show as bombastic, opinionated Archie Bunker. Jean Stapleton’s Edith Bunker and the rest of the cast were essential elements in the show’s prolonged success over nine seasons.
28. 1972: All in the Family
As kids, you hear your parents make references that go above your head. You hear the names often enough to know that the cultural reference had a true imprint on your parents’ lives. Archie Bunker is one of those references.
A show doesn’t make a multi-year run at the top of the ratings (as All in the Family did) by accident. “Sitcom genius” Norman Lear lived to be 101 years old, and All in the Family is arguably the highlight of a long, storied professional life.
29. 1971: Marcus Welby, M.D.
The precursor to medical dramas like ER and House, Marcus Welby, M.D., earned one year as the top-rated show in the United States. Something about complicated medical ailments draws Americans’ attention, particularly when the leading man is able to pull cures out of the most unlikely places.
Dr. Marcus Welby (played by the patriarchal Robert Young) navigated a complex American medical system for seven seasons. James Brolin portrayed his probing understudy, Dr. Steven Kiley, and the show won multiple Emmys throughout its commendable run.
30. 1970: Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
Americans had never seen the upbeat comedy stylings of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, which broke the mold of more highly scripted television. The feel of spontaneity and comedic boundary-pushing was clearly exciting for viewers, who made Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In the top-rated show for two years running.
The show won seven Emmys during its six-season run, including the 1969 Golden Globe for Best TV Show. This show is not spoken of nearly enough as a pioneering venture that paved the way for later live and sketch comedy shows.
31. 1969: Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In has been described as the precursor to Saturday Night Live. The show had a standup format with a variety-show flair, and it was the platform through which Lorne Michaels and other comedy writers honed their craft.
Perhaps we should mention “Rowan & Martin” in the same breath as names like “Abbott & Costello” and “Laurel & Hardy,” as the duo’s Laugh-In was the most popular show in America for two years straight. Hosts Dan Rowan and Richard Martin served as much-needed comic relief that foretold the massive success of Saturday Night Live a couple of years after this show’s end.
32. 1968: The Andy Griffith Show
Sheriff Andy Taylor and Barney Fife hold a special place in the hearts of Americans of a certain age. The duo enforced the law in Mayberry in the most comedic manner possible while Sheriff Taylor navigated life as a single father raising the precocious Opie (Ron Howard). A truly wholesome show the whole family could watch, it’s no surprise to find The Andy Griffith Show was the most-viewed program in 1968.
One of the last hits to appear in black and white, The Andy Griffith Show signaled both the height and the end of an era. Though it eventually switched to color, the lasting memory of Sheriff Taylor and his Deputy will remain color-free.
33. 1967: Bonanza
1967 was Bonanza‘s final year as the nation’s most-watched show, though it would continue to see solid ratings until going off air in 1973. The intra-family drama was just as compelling as the Cartwright family’s squabbles with outside threats, making Bonanza something of a Western soap.
Bonanza was appointment television during a time when the family would gather around the television together. Regardless of your age, odds are that someone in your family (for me, my grandparents) has a fond connection to Bonanza.
34. 1966: Bonanza
Bonanza proved to be a ratings bonanza for NBC, becoming the most popular show on television a handful of years after its debut in 1959. The fact that the show peaked in popularity several years after airing was foreboding.
The show would become the second-longest-running Western television show in American history, behind only Gunsmoke. Audiences simply could not get enough of the Western landscapes and gunfights in color.
35. 1965: Bonanza
Americans have long gravitated towards Western-themed programming, and Bonanza was a ratings-generating powerhouse from 1959 to 1973. Far from the hyper-realistic Western shows and films we find today, Bonanza had a certain amount of campiness that endeared it to audiences of all ages.
Michael Landon and Lorne Green helmed the starring roles as members of the Cartwright family. The family’s maintenance and defense of the Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada parallels today’s most popular Western television series, Yellowstone.
36. 1964: The Beverly Hillbillies
Based on its cultural significance, you might be surprised to learn that The Beverly Hillbillies topped the ratings for only two seasons. That’s an accomplishment, but two seasons of top ratings do not adequately capture the show’s popularity.
The Clampetts commanded top-20 ratings throughout its nine seasons. However, The Beverly Hillbillies and a slew of other rural-themed shows would be dashed in a move known as the “rural purge.” The 1970s took a hard break from the country bumpkin brand of comedy that The Beverly Hillbillies typified.
37. 1963: The Beverly Hillbillies
In a classic fish-out-of-water trope, The Beverly Hillbillies took hillbillies and placed them in Beverly Hills. What else would a soot-handed miner from the Ozarks do after discovering oil?
Jed Clampett, Elly May Clampett, Granny, Jethro, and the rest of the gang met America in 1962 and went on to nine seasons of rock-solid ratings. The Beverly Hillbillies proved as profitable for CBS as oil prospecting was for Jed.
38. 1962: Wagon Train
A younger audience might look back on shows like Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, and Bonanza and assume that the most popular shows in the 50s and 60s were carbon copies. It was a more conservative time in which television studios were less daring, more confined by morality laws, and catering to a public that did not necessarily have a taste for salacious television.
Wagon Train is a classic Western that follows post-Civil War travelers from Missouri and California. It’s not unlike the acclaimed HBO show Deadwood, although Wagon Train is undoubtedly far less profane (and, in a sense, less realistic).
39. 1961: Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke originated in 1952 as a radio program. The popularity of the radio show made for a smooth adaptation to television, and audiences’ enthusiasm for the visual version of Gunsmoke proved immense.
CBS would produce a handful of Gunsmoke reboots in the 80s and 90s. Imitation may be the greatest form of flattery, but it’s not necessarily a recipe for replicating ratings. In this case, the reboots paled compared to the original, a long-running #1 hit.
40. 1960: Gunsmoke
By 1960, there was no doubt about which show was America’s favorite. In its third consecutive year, Marshal Matt Dillon and the Gunsmoke crew kept audiences tuning into the weekly drama in Dodge City.
From apprehending roving bandits to keeping the peace in a city that never rested, Dillon and his gang won the duel for Americans’ collective attention. The show was nominated for 15 Emmys during its run, but its 20 seasons on CBS are its most glaring achievement.
41. 1959: Gunsmoke
Before there was The Sopranos‘ cut-to-black ending, Gunsmoke unleashed its controversial series conclusion on diehard audiences. In fact, the ending of Gunsmoke makes The Sopranos‘ conclusion look well-conceived by comparison.
CBS simply canceled the show without informing the cast or crew, leaving the final episode to feel like a thoughtless, throwaway cap on a 20-season-long epic. While Gunsmoke‘s final season did not come until 1974, we mention it because this is Gunsmoke‘s final appearance on this list.
42. 1958: Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke debuted on television in 1955, and by its third season, it was the highest-rated television show. An absolute ratings monster for CBS for 20 years, Marshal Matt Dillon and a rotating cast of characters in Dodge City, Kansas, kept audiences rapt.
1958 would be the first of several years in which Gunsmoke was the most popular show in America. Clearly, Americans in this year yearned for the adventure of 1890s Dodge City.
43. 1957: I Love Lucy
Lucy was not gone from the top ratings spot for long. While the quiz show intrigue proved compelling, it did not have the staying power of Lucille and Ricky Ricardo’s high-energy chemistry.
I Love Lucy incorporation of song and dance helped ensure the show never got stale. The beloved comedy series remains one of the most highly regarded sitcoms in TV history, and it won four Emmys throughout six seasons.
44. 1956: The $64,000 Question
Americans took a momentary break from I Love Lucy to tune into The $64,000 Question. The most popular quiz show of the decade, American audiences lived vicariously through contestants who vied to win $64,000.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this show was its involvement in the “quiz show scandals” of the 1950s. While audiences believed the shows were spontaneous, the truth emerged that shows had a heavy element of scripting. This led to Congressional hearings and one of the most bizarre chapters in American television history.
45. 1955: I Love Lucy
By its third season at the top of the Nielsen ratings, the Ricardos had cemented their place in America’s heart. Even with Philip Morris overtly sponsoring the show (smoking was required of the cast), the show maintained a raw authenticity that kept audiences tuned in.
It was darkly ironic that Lucille Ball would eventually succumb to cardiovascular disease. Her fearless willingness to leave her heart and soul on the screen made the show phenomenally popular.
46. 1954: I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy was an instant hit among both critics and audiences. It rocketed to the top of the ratings and held the top spot for several years. While Lucy’s bombast could have worn audiences thin, fresh writing and Ball’s utter commitment to the role ensured the show’s prolonged success.
The story goes that Ball wanted to spend more time with her husband (Arnaz was a bandleader in real life), and so she pushed hard for him to play Ricky Ricardo. The blurred lines between reality and the show were a common theme in I Love Lucy.
47. 1953: I Love Lucy
Americans didn’t know what spunk was until Lucy Ricardo popped onto their television screens in 1951. Lucille Ball’s portrayal of the fame-starved, exuberant housewife brought an energy to American households that proved addictive.
The fact that Ball’s husband, Ricky Ricardo, was played by her real-life hubby, Desi Arnaz, made the show especially unique. The show was ridiculous by design, but its portrayal of a couple that was, in real life, a couple made it all the more compelling.
48. 1952: Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts
Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts began as a radio show, but evolved into a television program some have described as the precursor to shows like The Voice and American Idol. 40 million listeners tuned into Godfrey’s show weekly to hear the talent sing but also take in Godfrey’s commentary.
Unsurprisingly, the show translated well to television, becoming the most-watched program of 1952. More than 70 years later, Americans are still enamored with the large-scale talent shows Arthur Godfrey popularized.
49. 1951: Texaco Star Theater
Described as a comedy-variety show, Texaco Star Theater was hosted by Milton Berle and began as a radio program. Like many shows of the era (like Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts and Gunsmoke), a loyal radio audience proved willing to follow the show’s transition to telecast.
Berle earned the nickname “Mr. Television” for good reason, as he helped catapult the show to the top of the ratings in a day when television ratings were still a brand-new thing.
50. All-Time
Just before we get to our year-by-year rankings, let’s look at the most-watched broadcasts ever.
The Super Bowl dominates the charts, accounting for each of the top twenty most-watched programs of all time, with one exception. The farewell episode of M*A*S*H, which aired in February 1983, is mashed in the ratings between several iterations of the game that concludes each NFL season. If only the creators of Gunsmoke had made such a conscious effort to promote (or even notify audiences of) its final episode, it may have made this rarified air.
51. 2015-2020
NCIS, The Big Bang Theory, and primetime football remained America’s favorite programs throughout this half-decade. This Is Us also emerged as a perennial top-five show.
By 2015, streaming had become a behemoth not reflected in traditional Nielsen ratings. Game of Thrones, Better Call Saul, True Detective, and Fargo earned far more critical acclaim than the likes of NCIS. Factors like streaming and pirating prevented Game of Thrones from reflecting in Nielsen ratings, but it would have almost certainly been a top-five hit if it aired on traditional network TV.
52. 2010-2015
The American masses’ tastes did not change much at the turn of the decade. In 2010, Simon Cowell was still seen by more viewers than anyone else in America on a week-to-week basis. However, American Idol began to fall in the charts as the half-decade progressed, as shows like NCIS, Sunday Night Football, and The Big Bang Theory vied for the top spot in the latter portion of the mid-2010s.
Empire emerged as a newcomer in 2014-2015, cracking the ratings top five in both years. Football had also become increasingly prevalent at the top of the charts. Meanwhile, Breaking Bad and The Office were highly rated, immensely popular shows that did not come close to the top of the ratings.
53. 2005-2010
By 2005, America’s infatuation with reality television was inscribed in the Nielsen Ratings. American Idol and Dancing with the Stars (a relatively new phenomenon) finished one and two in the ratings in four of the five years of this half-decade.
Grey’s Anatomy, House, Desperate Housewives, CSI, and NCIS were among the other shows that finished in the shadow of reality TV hits. During this era, America had begun to show its growing infatuation with formulaic television while the HBO crowd gravitated towards more nuanced shows.
54. Most Popular Shows 2000-2005
Before delving into the most popular shows from each year between 1951 and 1999, let’s give a nod to some more modern shows from early 2000s.
Survivor, CSI, Friends, ER, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Law & Order, Joe Millionaire, American Idol, The Apprentice, and Desperate Housewives were among the shows to top the charts or consistently fall near the top five between 2000 and 2005. From Jeff Probst to Nicole Aniston, Regis Philbin, and Eva Longoria, the early 2000s weren’t lacking for visual variety.
