‘The Walking Dead,’ Super Bowl, Oscars, Olympics Lead the Top-Rated Telecasts of 2016
Veteran hits like “The Walking Dead” and “Empire” may be experiencing ratings declines, but make no mistake: Negan and Cookie are still monsters.
All 16 of “The Walking Dead” episodes that aired in 2016 made it on to the list of the most-watched telecasts of 2016 among adults 18-49 (the demographic still preferred by advertisers). No other TV show can boast that stat. “The Big Bang Theory” landed 14 episodes on the list, while “Empire” had 10 and “Game of Thrones” had three.
Sports telecasts dominated the list – no surprise, given some of this year’s thrilling championship series. As always, the Super Bowl was by far the most-watched program of the year in all of TV, as Denver’s win over Carolina – quarterback Peyton Manning’s finale – averaged 112,576,000 total viewers.
READ MORE: Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2016’s Winners and Losers
But right behind it, the history-making Game 7 of this year’s World Series, featuring the Chicago Cubs breaking their curse and winning their first championship in over a century, averaged 40,267,000 viewers.
Nielsen noted that the World Series and Olympics haven’t cracked the top 10 in recent years, but NBC’s coverage of the Summer Games in Rio also dominated this year’s list.
Other entertainment shows making the list: The return of “The X-Files,” which aired after Fox’s coverage of the NFC championship game; and the post-Super Bowl episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Here’s our ratings roundup of the year’s most-watched telecasts, according to different broadcast and cable measurements.
MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2016, ADULTS 18-49
The top 100 broadcast and cable primetime telecasts in 2016, overall by 18-49 (“most recent” data, which includes Live+7 DVR and VOD data):
|
RANK |
SHOW & NETWORK |
ADULT 18-49 VIEWERS |
AIRDATE |
|
1 |
Super Bowl 50: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers CBS |
48.1 million (38.0) |
2/7/2016 |
|
2 |
World Series Game 7: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
16.3 million (12.7) |
11/2/2016 |
|
3 |
NBA Finals Game 7: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC | 14.4 million (11.4) |
6/19/2016 |
|
4 |
The Oscars ABC |
13.8 million (10.9) |
2/22/2016 |
|
5 |
The Walking Dead (701: “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”) AMC |
13.7 million (10.6) |
10/23/2016 |
|
6 |
NFC Divisional Playoff: Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers NBC |
13.5 million (10.7) |
1/16/2016 |
|
7 |
Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime 1 NBC |
13.3 million (10.5) |
8/9/2016 |
|
8 |
AFC Wildcard Playoff:Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals CBS |
12.8 million (10.1) |
1/9/2016 |
|
9 |
The Walking Dead (609: “No Way Out”) AMC |
12.7 million (10.0) |
2/14/2016 |
|
10 |
The Walking Dead (610: “The Next World”) AMC |
12.4 million (9.7) |
2/21/2016 |
|
11 |
The Walking Dead (616: “Last Day on Earth”) AMC |
12.2 million (9.6) |
4/3/2016 |
|
12 (tie) |
NFL Season Kickoff: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers NBC |
12.1 million (9.5) |
9/8/2016
|
|
Summer Olympics Thursday Prime 1 NBC |
12.1 million (9.6) |
8/11/16 |
|
|
Summer Olympics Sunday Prime 1 NBC |
12.1 million (9.5) |
8/7/2016 |
|
|
15 |
The Walking Dead (612: “Not Tomorrow Yet”) AMC |
11.8 million (9.3) |
3/6/2016 |
|
16 |
The Walking Dead (611: “Knots Untie”) AMC |
11.7 million (9.2) |
2/28/2016 |
|
17 (tie) |
The Walking Dead (702: “The Well”) AMC |
11.5 million (8.9) |
10/30/2016 |
|
The Walking Dead (614: “Twice As Far”) AMC |
11.5 million (9.0) |
3/20/2016 |
|
|
19 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants NBC |
11.2 million (8.7) |
12/11/2016 |
|
Summer Olympics Monday Prime 1 NBC |
11.2 million (8.8) |
8/8/2016 |
|
|
21 |
The Walking Dead (615: “East”) AMC |
11.1 million (8.7) |
3/27/2016 |
|
22 |
The Walking Dead (703: “The Cell”) AMC |
11.0 million (8.5) |
11/6/2016 |
|
23 (tie) |
The Walking Dead (613: “The Same Boat”) AMC |
10.9 million (8.6) |
3/13/2016 |
|
NFL Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals NBC |
10.9 million (8.5) |
9/11/2016 |
|
|
25 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings NBC |
10.6 million (8.2) |
9/18/2016 |
|
26 (tie) |
The X-Files (premiere) Fox |
10.5 million (8.3) |
1/24/2016 |
|
College Football Championship: Alabama vs. Clemson ESPN |
10.5 million (8.3) |
1/11/2016 |
|
|
The Walking Dead (704: “Service”) AMC |
10.5 million (8.1) |
11/13/2016 |
|
|
29 |
Grammy Awards CBS |
10.4 million (8.2) |
2/15/2016 |
|
30 (tie) |
Summer Olympics Sunday Prime 2 NBC |
10.2 million (8.1) |
8/14/2016 |
|
The Walking Dead (705: “Go Getters”) AMC |
10.2 million (7.9) |
11/20/2016 |
|
|
32 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings NBC |
10.1 million (7.9) |
1/3/2016 |
|
Summer Olympics Wednesday Prime 1 NBC |
10.1 million (7.9) |
8/10/2016 |
|
|
34 |
Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies NBC |
10.0 million (7.9) |
8/5/2016 |
|
35 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots NBC |
9.9 million (7.7) |
11/13/2016 |
|
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (post-Super Bowl) CBS |
9.9 million (7.8) |
2/7/2016 |
|
|
The Walking Dead (707: “Sing Me a Song”) AMC |
9.9 million (7.6) |
12/4/2016 |
|
|
38 |
NBA Finals Game 6: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
9.8 million (7.8) |
6/16/2016 |
|
39 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Chicago Bears NBC |
9.7 million (7.6) |
9/25/2016 |
|
NBA Finals Game 5: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
9.7 million (7.6) |
6/13/2016 |
|
|
41 |
The Walking Dead (708: “Hearts Still Beating”) AMC |
9.6 million (7.4) |
12/11/2016 |
|
42 |
The Walking Dead (706: “Swear”) AMC |
9.4 million (7.3) |
11/27/2016 |
|
43 |
NBA Finals Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
9.3 million (7.4) |
6/2/2016 |
|
44 |
Summer Olympics Monday Prime 2 NBC |
9.1 million (7.2) |
8/15/2016 |
|
45 (tie) |
Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime 2 NBC |
8.9 million (7.1) |
8/16/2016 |
|
NFL Thursday Special: Indianapolis Colts vs. Pittsburgh Steelers NBC |
8.9 million (6.9) |
11/24/2016 |
|
|
47 (tie) |
Summer Olympics Saturday Prime 2 NBC |
8.8 million (6.9) |
8/13/2016 |
|
Thursday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings NBC/NFL Network |
8.8 million (6.8) |
12/1/2016 |
|
|
49 |
World Series Game 5: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
8.7 million (6.7) |
10/30/2016 |
|
50 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs NBC |
8.6 million (6.7) |
10/2/2016 |
|
51 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Denver Broncos vs. Oakland Raiders NBC |
8.5 million (6.6) |
11/6/2016 |
|
World Series Game 6: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
8.5 million (6.6) |
11/1/2016 |
|
|
53 (tie) |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys NBC |
8.4 million (6.5) |
10/30/2016 |
|
Summer Olympics Friday Prime 1 NBC |
8.4 million (6.6) |
8/12/2016 |
|
|
55 (tie) |
NBA Finals Game 2: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
8.3 million (6.6) |
6/5/2016 |
|
Empire (211: “Death Will Have Its Day”) Fox |
8.3 million (6.5) |
3/30/2016 |
|
|
57 |
NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors TNT |
8.2 million (6.4) |
5/30/2016 |
|
58 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos NBC |
8.0 million (6.2) |
11/27/2016 |
|
59 (tie) |
Empire (212: “A Rose By Any Other Name”) Fox |
7.9 million (6.3) |
4/6/2016 |
|
NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Washington Redskins NBC |
7.9 million (6.2) |
11/20/2016 |
|
|
Summer Olympics Thursday Prime 2 NBC |
7.9 million (6.2) |
8/18/2016 |
|
|
62 (tie) |
NBA Finals Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
7.8 million (6.2) |
6/8/2016 |
|
NFL Sunday Night Football: Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks NBC |
7.8 million (6.1) |
12/4/2016 |
|
|
NFL Thursday Night Football: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots CBS/NFL Network |
7.8 million (6.1) |
9/22/2016 |
|
|
Summer Olympics Saturday Prime 2 NBC |
7.8 million (6.1) |
8/6/2016 |
|
|
66 (tie) |
NBA Finals Game 4: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
7.7 million (6.1) |
6/10/2016 |
|
NFL Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals NBC |
7.7 million (6.0) |
10/23/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (915: “The Valentino Submergence”) CBS |
7.7 million (6.1) |
2/11/2016 |
|
|
69 (tie) |
Empire (301: “Light in Darkness”) Fox |
7.6 million (5.9) |
9/21/2016 |
|
Summer Olympics Wednesday Prime 2 NBC |
7.6 million (6.0) |
8/17/2016 |
|
|
Live from the Red Carpet 3 ABC |
7.6 million (6.0) |
2/28/2016 |
|
|
NFL Sunday Night Football: New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers NBC |
7.6 million (5.9) |
10/9/2016 |
|
|
73 (tie) |
Game of Thrones (60: “The Winds of Winter) HBO |
7.5 million (5.9) |
6/26/2016
|
|
Empire (218: “Past is Prologue”) Fox |
7.5 million (6.0) |
5/18/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (913: “The Empathy Optimization”) CBS |
7.5 million (5.9) |
1/14/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (914: “The Meemaw Materialization”) CBS |
7.5 million (5.9) |
2/4/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (1001: “The Conjugal Conjecture”) CBS |
7.5 million (5.8) |
9/19/2016 |
|
|
78 (tie) |
The Big Bang Theory (917: “The Celebration Experimentation”) CBS |
7.4 million (5.9) |
2/25/2016 |
|
The Big Bang Theory (912: “The Sales Call Sublimination”) CBS |
7.4 million (5.9) |
1/7/2016 |
|
|
Empire (217: “Rise by Sin”) Fox |
7.4 million (5.8) |
5/11/2016 |
|
|
81 (tie) |
Election Night in America (10 p.m.) CNN |
7.3 million (5.7) |
11/8/2016 |
|
The Big Bang Theory (916: “The Positive Negative Reaction”) CBS |
7.3 million (5.7) |
2/18/2016 |
|
|
Golden Globe Awards NBC |
7.3 million (5.7) |
1/10/2016 |
|
|
84 (tie) |
NFL Thursday Night Football: Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs NBC/NFL Network |
7.2 million (5.6) |
12/8/2016 |
|
The Big Bang Theory (1002: “The Military Miniaturization”) CBS |
7.2 million (5.6) |
9/26/2016 |
|
|
Empire (213: “The Tameness of a Wolf”) Fox |
7.2 million (5.7) |
4/13/2016 |
|
|
Empire (214: “Time Shall Unfold”) Fox |
7.2 million (5.7) |
4/20/2016 |
|
|
Empire (215: “More Than Kin”) Fox |
7.2 million (5.7) |
4/27/2016 |
|
|
Summer Olympics Friday Prime 2 NBC |
7.2 million (5.7) |
8/19/2016 |
|
|
Empire (302: “Sin That Amends”) Fox |
7.2 million (5.6) |
9/28/2016 |
|
|
World Series Game 1: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
7.2 million (5.6) |
10/25/2016 |
|
|
92 (tie) |
College Football Playoffs Semi-Final: Michigan State vs. Alabama ESPN |
7.1 million (5.5) |
12/31/2015 |
|
Grease: Live Fox |
7.1 million (5.6) |
1/31/2016 |
|
|
94 (tie) |
The Big Bang Theory (1004: “The Cohabitation Experimentation”) CBS |
7.0 million (5.4) |
10/10/2016 |
|
NFL Thursday Night Football: New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills CBS/NFL Network |
7.0 million (5.4) |
9/15/2016 |
|
|
Game of Thrones (59: “Battle of the Bastards”) HBO |
7.0 million (5.5) |
6/19/2016 |
|
|
97 (tie) |
Election Night in America (9 p.m.) CNN |
6.9 million (5.4) |
11/8/2016 |
|
Game of Thrones (58: “No One”) HBO |
6.9 million (5.4) |
6/12/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (924: “The Convergence Convergence”) CBS |
6.9 million (5.5) |
5/12/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (919: “The Solder Excursion Diversion”) CBS |
6.9 million (5.5) |
3/31/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (1003: “The Dependence Transcendence”) CBS |
6.9 million (5.4) |
10/3/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (918: “The Application Deterioration”) CBS |
6.9 million (5.5) |
3/10/2016 |
|
|
The Big Bang Theory (1008: “The Brain Bowl Incubation”) CBS |
6.9 million (5.5) |
11/10/2016 |
|
|
Empire (216: “The Lyon Who Cried Wolf”) Fox |
6.9 million (5.4) |
5/4/2016 |
Source: Nielsen. All telecasts, most current ratings, excluding pre/post game sports (12/28/15-12/18/16)
MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2016, TOTAL VIEWERS
The top 25 broadcast and cable telecasts in 2016, overall by total viewers (“most recent” data, which includes Live+7 DVR and VOD data):
|
RANK |
SHOW & NETWORK |
TOTAL VIEWERS |
AIRDATE |
|
1 |
Super Bowl 50: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers CBS |
112,576,000 |
2/7/2016 |
|
2 |
World Series Game 7: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
40,267,000 |
11/2/2016 |
|
3 |
The Oscars ABC |
35,661,000 |
2/28/2016 |
|
4 |
Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime 1 NBC |
35,003,000 |
8/9/2016 |
|
5 |
NFC Divisional Playoff: Arizona Cardinals vs. Green Bay Packers NBC |
33,954,000 |
1/16/2016 |
|
6 |
Summer Olympics Thursday Prime 1 NBC |
32,665,000 |
8/11/2016 |
|
7 |
AFC Wildcard Playoff:Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals CBS |
31,371,000 |
1/9/2016 |
|
8 |
NBA Finals Game 7: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors ABC |
31,289,000 |
6/19/2016 |
|
9 |
Summer Olympics Sunday Prime 1 NBC |
30,996,000 |
8/7/2016 |
|
10 |
Summer Olympics Monday Prime 1 NBC |
29,507,000 |
8/8/2016 |
|
11 |
Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies NBC |
27,625,000 |
8/5/2016 |
|
12 |
Summer Olympics Sunday Prime 2 NBC |
27,348,000 |
8/14/2016 |
|
13 |
Summer Olympics Wednesday Prime 1 NBC |
27,055,000 |
8/10/2016 |
|
14 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants NBC |
26,655,000 |
12/11/2016 |
|
15 |
Grammy Awards CBS |
26,577,000 |
2/15/2016 |
|
16 |
Summer Olympics Saturday Prime 2 NBC |
26,090,000 |
8/13/2016 |
|
17 |
College Football Championship: Alabama vs. Clemson ESPN |
25,871,000 |
1/11/2016 |
|
18 |
NFL Season Kickoff: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers NBC |
25,411,000 |
9/8/2016 |
|
19 |
Summer Olympics Monday Prime 2 NBC |
24,819,000 |
8/15/2016 |
|
20 |
Summer Olympics Tuesday Prime 2 NBC |
24,817,000 |
8/16/2016 |
|
21 |
Summer Olympics Friday Prime 1 NBC |
24,645,000 |
8/12/2016 |
|
22 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings NBC |
24,400,000 |
1/3/2016 |
|
23 |
World Series Game 5: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
23,706,000 |
10/30/2016 |
|
24 |
World Series Game 6: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Fox |
23,459,000 |
11/1/2016 |
|
25 |
NFL Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals NBC |
23,209,000 |
9/11/2016 |
Source: Nielsen. All telecasts, most current ratings, excluding pre/post game sports (12/28/15-12/18/16)
Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.
