A comprehensive ranker of the Top 100 telecasts of 2017, according to adults 18-49, and the Top 50 telecasts by total viewers.

Reports of the National Football League’s TV demise have been greatly exaggerated. The NFL dominated 2017’s ranker of the most-watched TV, taking up 27 of the slots on this year’s list of the top 100 telecasts (both broadcast and cable) among adults 18-49. That includes, of course, Super Bowl LI, which led the pack among adults 18-49 and total viewers.

Fueled by a thrilling come-from-behind win by the New England Patriots over the Atlanta Falcons — and the first-ever Super Bowl determined in overtime — the 51st Super Bowl averaged nearly 112 million total viewers, down just a tick from last year’s 112.6 million.

Beyond the Super Bowl, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” claimed 16 slots on the list of top-rated telecasts in 2017. That put it second among TV shows, behind only the Peacock network’s breakout drama “This Is Us,” which landed 18 spots on the top 100.

The NFL has seen some viewership drops, which triggered plenty of hand wringing about the potential reasons – including some who would blame the drop on players protesting police brutality. But the real root cause may be a bit more obvious: The overall continued decline of linear television ratings, as viewers find more choice and more abilities to watch TV elsewhere.

Just like the NFL, “The Walking Dead” is seeing its viewership dip, yet it is still a monster hit, claiming 15 slots in the top 100 telecasts ranker. Another show late in its run, CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory,” also continues to impress, with 12 episodes making it on to the year-end list.

ABC’s annual presentation of the Oscars, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, was the top-rated and most-watched entertainment program of the year, averaging 34.1 million viewers and a 9.48 rating with adults 18-49. Other awards shows making the list: The Grammys and the Golden Globes.

All seven episodes of “Game of Thrones” Season 7 landed in the top 100 — an impressive feat, given that HBO is a premium network. “24: Legacy” (which premiered after the Super Bowl, of course), “Young Sheldon” and “Hunted” were the only new shows to reach the top 100 (as well as the reboot premiere of “Will & Grace”), while “Empire” lost steam and landed just one slot this year.

Thanks to NFL Sunday Night Football and “This Is Us,” NBC claimed the most slots in the top 100, with 39, followed by CBS (24), AMC (15), HBO and ABC (7 each), Fox (6) and ESPN (2).

Here’s our ratings roundup of the year’s most-watched telecasts, according to different broadcast and cable measurements.

AP/REX/Shutterstock

TOP-RATED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2017, ADULTS 18-49

The top 100 broadcast and cable primetime telecasts in 2017, overall by 18-49 (“most recent” data, which includes Live+7 DVR and VOD data):

RANK SHOW & NETWORK ADULT 18-49 RATING

AIRDATE 1 Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons Fox 37.30 2/5/2017 2 AFC Championship: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers CBS

15.45 1/22/2017

3 NFL Divisional Playoff: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs NBC 12.01 1/15/2017

4 The Oscars ABC 9.48 2/26/2017

5 NFL Divisional Playoff: New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans CBS 9.41 1/14/2017

6 NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants NBC

9.14 9/10/2017 7 NBA Finals Game 5: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC

9.12 6/12/2017

8 NFL Playoff: Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions NBC 8.38 1/7/2017

9 Grammy Awards CBS 8.35 2/12/2017 10 World Series Game 7: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 8.19 11/1/2017 tie The Walking Dead (709: “Rock In The Road”) AMC 8.19 2/12/2017 12 College Football Championship: Clemson vs. Alabama ESPN 8.05 1/9/2017 13 The Walking Dead (716: “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life”) AMC 8.02 4/2/2017 14 The Walking Dead (710: “New Best Friends”) AMC 7.87 2/19/2017 15 NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots NBC 7.71 9/7/2017 16 The Walking Dead (711: “Hostiles and Calamities”) AMC 7.66 2/26/2017

17 NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions NBC 7.43 1/1/2017 18 NBA Finals Game 3: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 7.29 6/7/2017 19 NBA Finals Game 2: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 7.18 6/4/2017 20 NFL Sunday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers NBC 7.17 9/17/2017 21 The Walking Dead (801: “Mercy”) AMC 7.16 10/22/2017

22 NCAA Basketball Championship: North Carolina vs. Gonzaga CBS 7.14 4/3/2017

23 24: Legacy (101: “12:00 Noon – 1:00 p.m.”) Fox 7.10 2/5/2017

24 Game of Thrones (707: “The Dragon and the Wolf”) HBO 7.08 8/27/2017 25 NFL Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys NBC 7.05 11/19/2017 26 The Walking Dead (712: “Say Yes”) AMC 7.02 3/5/2017

tie The Walking Dead (715: “Something They Need”) AMC 7.02 3/26/2017 28 NBA Finals Game 1: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 6.98 6/1/2017 29 The Walking Dead (714: “The Other Side”) AMC 6.97 3/19/2017 30 NBA Finals Game 4: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 6.86 6/9/2017

31 The Walking Dead (713: “Bury Me Here”) AMC 6.85 3/12/2017 32 Game of Thrones (705: “Eastwatch”) HBO 6.59 8/13/2017 33 NFL Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons NBC 6.56 10/22/2017 34 This Is Us (201: “A Father’s Advice”) NBC 6.50 9/26/2017

35 NFL Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles NBC 6.46 12/3/2017

36 NFL Sunday Night Football: Washington Redskins vs. Oakland Raiders NBC 6.34 9/24/2017 37 Game of Thrones (704: “The Spoils of War”) HBO 6.31 8/6/2017

38 Game of Thrones (706: “Beyond the Wall”) HBO 6.30 8/20/2017

39 The Walking Dead (804: “Some Guy”) AMC 6.06 11/12/2017

40 World Series Game 6: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 6.04 10/31/2017 41 The Walking Dead (802: “The Damned”) AMC 6.01 10/29/2017 42 The Walking Dead (803: “Monsters”) AMC 5.99 11/05/2017

43 NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers NBC 5.98 11/26/2017

44 NFL Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos NBC 5.86 11/12/2017

45 NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans NBC 5.85 10/8/2017

46 The Big Bang Theory (1101: “The Proposal Proposal”) CBS 5.84 9/25/2017 47 NFL Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. Indianapolis Colts NBC 5.82 10/1/2017 48 Golden Globe Awards NBC 5.79 1/8/2017 49 Game of Thrones (701: “Dragonstone”) HBO 5.78 7/16/2017 50 The Walking Dead (805: “The Big Scary U”) AMC 5.74 11/19/2017

51 The Walking Dead (806: “The King, The Widow, and Rick”) AMC 5.71 11/26/2017

52 Game of Thrones (703: “The Queen’s Justice”) HBO 5.68 7/30/2017 53 Game of Thrones (702: “Stormborn”) HBO 5.65 7/23/2017 54 NFL Sunday Night Football: New York Giants vs. Denver Broncos NBC 5.60 10/15/2017 55 NCAA March Madness Final Four: North Carolina vs. Oregon CBS 5.52 4/1/2017 56 This Is Us (111: “The Right Thing To Do”) NBC 5.51 1/10/2017 57 This Is Us (202: “A Manny-Splendored Thing”) NBC 5.49 10/3/2017 58 The Big Bang Theory (1012: “The Holiday Summation”) CBS 5.47 1/5/2017

59 Young Sheldon (101: Pilot) CBS 5.46 9/25/2017

60 This Is Us (118: “Moonshadow”) NBC 5.33 3/14/2017 61 This Is Us (117: “What Now?”) NBC 5.32 3/7/2017 tie World Series Game 5: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 5.32 10/29/2017 63 The Big Bang Theory (1013: “The Romance Recalibration”) CBS 5.30 1/19/2017 64 The Walking Dead (807: “Time For After”) AMC 5.22 12/3/2017 65 This Is Us (113: “Three Sentences”) NBC 5.21 1/24/2017 tie This Is Us (204: “Still There”) NBC 5.21 10/17/2017 67 Oscars Red Carpet Preview Show ABC 5.19 2/26/2017 68 This Is Us (112: “The Big Day”) NBC 5.11 1/17/2017 69 NFL Sunday Night Football: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants NBC 5.10 11/23/2017 70 NFL Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals ESPN 5.09 9/25/2017 71 NFL Thursday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers CBS/NFL Network 5.07 10/5/2017 72 This Is Us (205: “Brothers”) NBC 5.02 10/24/2017 73 This Is Us (116: “Memphis”) NBC 5.01 2/21/2017 74 Will & Grace (901: “11 Years Later”) NBC 5.00 9/28/2017 75 This Is Us (114: “I Call Marriage”) NBC 4.99 2/7/2017 tie This Is Us (203: “Deja Vu”) NBC 4.99 10/10/2017 77 NFL Sunday Night Football: Oakland Raiders vs. Miami Dolphins NBC 4.98 11/5/2017 78 The Big Bang Theory (1102: “The Retraction Reaction”) CBS 4.86 10/2/2017 79 This Is Us (207: “The Most Disappointed Man”) NBC 4.85 11/7/2017 80 This Is Us (208: “Number One”) NBC 4.84 11/14/2017 81 The Big Bang Theory (1015: “The Locomotion Reverberation”) CBS 4.83 2/9/2017 82 NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions NBC 4.82 10/29/2017 tie NFL Thursday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears CBS/NFL Network 4.82 9/28/2017 84 The Big Bang Theory (1014: “The Emotion Detection Automation”) CBS 4.81 2/2/2017 85 NFL Thursday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins NBC/NFL Network 4.77 11/30/2017 tie This Is Us (210: “Number Three”) NBC 4.77 11/28/2017 87 This Is Us (115: “Jack Pearson’s Son”) NBC 4.75 2/14/2017 88 The Big Bang Theory (1018: “The Escape Hatch Identification”) CBS 4.66 3/9/2017 89 The Big Bang Theory (1017: “The Comic-Con Conundrum”) CBS 4.61 2/23/2017 tie NFL Thursday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Carolina Panthers CBS/NFL Network 4.61 10/12/2017 tie NCAA March Madness Bridge CBS 4.61 4/1/2017 92 NFL Thursday Night Football: Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs CBS/NFL Network 4.57 10/19/2017 93 Hunted (101: “The Internet Never Forgets”) CBS 4.56 1/22/2017 94 This Is Us (209: “Number Two”) NBC 4.52 11/21/2017 tie The Big Bang Theory (1103: “The Relaxation Integration”) CBS 4.52 10/9/2017 tie The Big Bang Theory (1106: “The Proton Regeneration”) CBS 4.52 11/2/2017 97 The Big Bang Theory (1024: “The Long Distance Dissonance”) CBS 4.50 5/11/2017 98 Empire (310: “Sound & Fury”) Fox 4.45 3/22/2017 99 The Big Bang Theory (1104: “The Explosion Implosion”) CBS 4.40 10/16/2017 100 This Is Us (206: “The 20’s”) NBC 4.39 10/31/2017

Source: Nielsen. All telecasts, most current ratings, excluding durations under 26 minutes (1/1/17-12/3/17)

MOST-WATCHED PRIMETIME TELECASTS OF 2017, TOTAL VIEWERS

The top 50 broadcast and cable telecasts in 2017, overall by total viewers (“most recent” data, which includes Live+7 DVR and VOD data):

RANK SHOW & NETWORK TOTAL VIEWERS AIRDATE 1 Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons Fox 111,998,000 2/5/2017 2 AFC Championship: New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers CBS

48,070,000 1/22/2017

3 NFL Divisional Playoff: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs NBC 37,291,000 1/15/2017

4 The Oscars ABC 34,115,000 2/26/2017

5 NFL Divisional Playoff: New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans CBS 29,997,000 1/14/2017

6 World Series Game 7: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 28,367,000 11/1/2017

7 Grammy Awards CBS 27,594,000 2/12/2017 8 NFL Playoff: Seattle Seahawks vs. Detroit Lions NBC

27,011,000 1/7/2017

9 NBA Finals Game 5: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 24,788,000 6/12/2017

10 College Football Championship: Clemson vs. Alabama ESPN 24,667,000 1/9/2017 11 NFL Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants NBC 24,532,000 9/10/2017

12 NFL Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions NBC 23,972,000 1/1/2017

13 NCAA Basketball Championship: North Carolina vs. Gonzaga CBS 23,261,000 4/3/2017

14 The Big Bang Theory (1101: “The Proposal Proposal”) CBS 23,079,000 9/25/2017

15 Young Sheldon (101: Pilot) CBS 22,461,000 9/25/2017

16 World Series Game 6: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 22,372,000 10/31/2017

17 NFL Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs vs. New England Patriots NBC 21,973,000 9/7/2017

18 The Big Bang Theory (1012: “The Holiday Summation”) CBS 21,959,000 1/5/2017

19 NFL Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys NBC 21,198,000 11/19/2017

20 Oscars Red Carpet Preview Show ABC 21,069,000 2/26/2017

21 24: Legacy (101: “12:00 Noon – 1:00 p.m.”) Fox 20,945,000 2/5/2017

22 Golden Globe Awards NBC 20,756,000 1/8/2017

23 NBA Finals Game 3: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 20,352,000 6/7/2017

24 NFL Sunday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers NBC 20,350,000 9/17/2017

25 The Big Bang Theory (1013: “The Romance Recalibration”) CBS 20,116,000 1/19/2017

26 NBA Finals Game 2: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 19,902,000 6/4/2017

27 This Is Us (201: “A Father’s Advice”) NBC 19,874,000 9/26/2017

28 NFL Sunday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles NBC 19,802,000 12/3/2017

29 NCIS (1413: “Keep Going”) CBS 19,721,000 1/24/2017

30 NCIS (1411: “Willoughby”) CBS 19,450,000 1/3/2017

31 NFL Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons NBC 19,391,000 10/22/2017

32 The Big Bang Theory (1014: “The Emotion Detection Automation”) CBS 19,313,000 2/2/2017

33 NBA Finals Game 4: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 19,312,000 6/9/2017

34 The Big Bang Theory (1106: “The Proton Regeneration”) CBS 19,287,000 11/2/2017

35 NCIS (1414: “Nonstop”) CBS 19,269,000 2/7/2017

36 The Big Bang Theory (1015: “The Locomotion Reverberation”) CBS 19,245,000 2/9/2017

37 The Good Doctor (101: Pilot – “Burnt Food”) ABC 19,211,000 9/25/2017

38 The Big Bang Theory (1102: “The Retraction Reaction”) CBS 19,180,000 10/2/2017

39 NCIS (1415: “Pandora’s Box, Part I”) CBS 19,115,000 2/14/2017

40 NFL Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers NBC 19,075,000 11/26/2017

41 World Series Game 5: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Fox 19,057,000 10/29/2017

42 NBA Finals Game 1: Golden State Warriors vs.Cleveland Cavaliers ABC 19,056,000 6/1/2017

43 NCAA March Madness Final Four: North Carolina vs. Oregon CBS 18,914,000 4/1/2017

44 NCIS (1412: “Off The Grid”) CBS 18,816,000 1/17/2017

45 The Big Bang Theory (1107: “The Geology Methodology”) CBS 18,559,000 11/9/2017

46 The Big Bang Theory (1109: “The Bitcoin Entanglement”) CBS 18,541,000 11/30/2017

47 NCIS (1416: “A Many Splendored Thing”) CBS 18,330,000 2/21/2017

48 The Big Bang Theory (1017: “The Comic-Con Conundrum”) CBS 18,322,000 2/23/2017

49 The Big Bang Theory (1108: “The Tesla Recoil”) CBS 18,283,000 11/16/2017

50 The Good Doctor (103: “Oliver”) ABC 18,224,000 10/9/2017



Source: Nielsen. All telecasts, most current ratings, excluding durations under 26 minutes (1/1/17-12/3/17)

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