“RuPaul’s Drag Race” and its behind-the-scenes spinoff, “Untucked,” are cultural touchstones that have launched catchphrases and minted stars. But neither series has ever lit up the ratings. Recent episodes of each series garnered only a few hundred thousand viewers and were the 285th and 359th most-viewed shows in the cable ratings for the week of April 15.

But both series performed extremely well in another ranking.

The “Drag Race” and “Untucked” episodes were the No. 3 and No. 9 most watched among same-sex households that same week.

This is according to Nielsen’s same-sex spouse or partner household rating, a new statistic that, for the first time, provides a snapshot into the viewing habits of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

For some show creators, the inclusion of L.G.B.T. households as a viewing demographic is a long overdue step, and could provide an additional data point to help keep a show on the air. It could also open up a wellspring of information for advertisers that can use it to tailor pitches to viewers most likely to be watching a particular show.