Now that we’re practically on the midway level of the 2025 TV schedule, it means the numbers have been tallied for the most-watched exhibits from 2024-2025 season, and whereas this system on the high of the record isn’t any huge shock, Justin Hartley’s CBS drama Tracker pulled off a stunning win that just one different TV drama, Yellowstone, has pulled off lately.
To be anticipated, each NFL and NCAA soccer have a wholesome presence within the total totals, and CBS predictably stomped the competitors by way of programming, boasting 14 of TV’s 20 greatest non-sports audiences, in response to TVLine. Let’s take a better have a look at how Tracker‘s sophomore season managed to beat the percentages and high its already spectacular first 12 months out.
Let’s not beat across the bush right here: Tracker‘s first season was an enormous success for CBS, as viewers turned up in droves to see Justin Hartley’s first huge TV function after This Is Us. Season 1’s common viewership of 10.84 million made it the highest drama of the 2023-2024 season, although it got here in third place behind ABC’s #2 slot-holder Monday Night time Soccer.
However these tides have turned, a minimum of for one 12 months, as Tracker‘s second season averaged a complete of 11 million viewers per episode (with Stay + 7 delayed-viewing measured). It is no marvel CBS gave it an early season renewal alongside different exhibits.
Monday Night time Soccer? It fell to the third spot with 10.3 million viewers on common. Sorry, fellas.
Tracker Is The Solely Drama To High Each NFL And NCIS Moreover Yellowstone Since 2017
Whereas it is already uncommon for something to beat both primetime NFL video games or NCIS in complete viewers, it is altogether rarer for a drama to do each. Yellowstone did it in the course of the 2022-2023 season, and was the primary cable collection to drag off that form of win since The Strolling Useless‘s monster run on AMC. But it surely was again in 2017-2018 that one other drama reached the #2 spot: This Is Us, which additionally starred Justin Hartley. If solely he’d have been on Yellowstone in some unspecified time in the future, he may be thought of TV rankings’ Holy Grail.
By and huge, although, NCIS is sort of at all times the go-to high dawg in terms of scripted dramas. There have been instances when The Large Bang Idea and even the return of Roseanne pulled in larger crowds, however McGee & Co. have a tendency to carry the reins for hourlong fare.
For a caveat or two, Monday Night time Soccer was an ESPN unique for fairly just a few years, the place it wasn’t as a lot of a rankings king, and solely returned to ABC in a widespread capability in 2022. Previous to that, CBS’ scored fairly just a few wins with Thursday Night time Soccer, although its scheduling was additionally sporadic on account of NFL Community.
All issues thought of, Tracker‘s rankings win makes me much more anxious to see Luke Grimes’ upcoming Yellowstone spinoff hitting CBS’ Fall lineup, in order that NCIS‘ greatest dramatic competitors up to now decade or so can go face to face. My cash is on Taylor Sheridan’s universe, however I will not be shocked if Hartley comes out on high. We simply have to attend the subsequent few months for Season 3 to get right here first.