Podcast #868: 2018 TV Shows, So Far

  The 10 most popular TV shows of the year so far, according to Nielsen ratings To find out which shows were the most popular this year so far, Nielsen estimated the average number of US viewers tuning in to regularly scheduled programming. ABC's massive success with "Roseanne," along with CBS' high ratings across numerous shows on this list, demonstrates how broadcast networks remain the heavyweights in overall viewership — even in the age of streaming. Here are the 10 most popular TV shows of 2018 so far, according to Nielsen's ratings. Fall TV's 10 biggest winners and losers A candid rundown of the 2018 season's early breakouts and disappointments What's Working (and What Isn't) on Network TV This Fall Network TV isn't dead, but it's sure not getting any healthier. That's the headline from the just-concluded first week of the fall 2018 TV season, which offered little reason for broadcast execs to expect a sudden reversal in the downward ratings trend of the past decade. It's not that America doesn't still watch a lot of traditional broadcast TV: Even the least-watched network shows last week will end up with bigger audiences than almost everything on cable. The problem is, returning shows continued to bleed viewers — particularly compared to audience levels of just a couple years ago.