It's bigger than the NFL. It's drawing more than celebrity dancing. It's the little show that could. In its seventh season on the air, NCIS is the number one show according to the Nielsen ratings. Over 21 million viewers for the week of September 28 put the drama series on the top of the heap, and there's no sign that it was a fluke. This is the second week in a row NCIS was the top show.
The question a lot of people are asking, especially those who don't watch or have never even checked out NCIS is this: how did that happen? It's not normal for a show to get stronger after the five year mark. Some, like a Seinfeld for example, start slowly and nearly are canceled, but then find an audience and remain secure for the rest of it's run. Before Seinfeld, The Dick Van Dyke Show had done the same thing.
But NCIS has a history of being a decent Nielsen performer, better than average, but usually ranked in the twenties. Still, there were signs last year that NCIS was growing in popularity. It was in the top ten many weeks in 2008, especially when it wasn't going up against American Idol in the spring.
USA Network is being given credit for NCIS's growth spurt. USA has been showing NCIS in syndication and, if you buy into the theory, people who've never tried the show on CBS are sampling it on USA. They like what they see and are tuning in on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. for the brand new episodes.
There might be something to this theory, too, because Fox's House -- which is also showing in syndication on USA -- has been moving up in the Nielsens, too. It ranked number nine this past week with 14.7 million viewers. However, the USA viewings haven't helped NBC's Law & Order: SVU. On NBC for the past week, SVU ranked #40. The irony, of course, is that USA is an NBC/Universal channel.
By the way, there is only new show in the Top 10, NCIS's spinoff, NCIS: Los Angeles with 17.4 million. I'd say that means NCIS has coattails.
[Watch clips and episodes of NCIS at SlashControl, as well as other shows.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-07-2009 @ 12:45PM
Cullen said...
First of all there is a type in this sentence, "There might b something to this theory, too"
Secondly, as anyone with even a basic knowledge of television ratings can tell you, total viewers doesn't matter at all and rather it's the 18-49 demo that is used.
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10-07-2009 @ 1:08PM
Shaun said...
Were you trying to be ironic with your comment?
10-07-2009 @ 12:55PM
Melissa said...
NCIS had a 4.0/12 in the 18-49 demo last night, #1 in its timeslot, so I'd say it's doing OK by those standards as well. Maybe I should start watching?
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10-07-2009 @ 1:26PM
jennifer said...
The re-runs on USA are absolutely helping! I NEVER watched NCIS before this summer, when I happened to start catching re-runs on USA. I was hooked right away, and have seen almost every old episode since. And now I am watching new episodes of NCIS for the first time ever on CBS. I'm glad I can join in on the NCIS fun this late in the game. :)
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10-07-2009 @ 1:58PM
Toolman said...
I think the thing that is helping both House and NCIS is that they are no longer starting out the season competing with each other. Even when House changed for AI it was to late to get into the NCIS season.
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10-07-2009 @ 2:02PM
Dean said...
Remember NCIS itself is a spinoff of JAG. JAG too struggled in the ratings in the early seasons but rose to the top 20 in later years, though not as high as NCIS.
On top of it is a good show with sold likable characters, even my 63 year old German mother likes it.
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10-07-2009 @ 2:32PM
lcrippen said...
I agree. I had never seen NCIS before. I thought it was a show for old people like Jag. I have been watching the re-runs on USA and now I'm hooked!
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10-07-2009 @ 3:33PM
Lorie said...
I'm a viewer who also discovered NCIS via USA.
In May, I watched the 2 NCIS episodes that introduced the NCIS:LA cast. That's when I fell in love with this show. I made it my mission to see as many NCIS episodes as possible. With help from USA, ION & Sleuth, I nearly accomplished my mission. The only episodes I missed were a few from season 6 that CBS didn't re-air during the summer. I plan to buy the DVD set, so no worries.
I'm now hooked on NCIS. I'm still trying to warm up to NCIS:LA.
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10-07-2009 @ 9:09PM
Phil J Leitch said...
100% USA NCIS convert. Massively Tivo'd them on USA after catching an episode and enjoying it. I'd have around 10-20 at any time and get in trouble with the wife for hogging the Tivo. But now I think I've seen most of the old ones and only watch on CBS now.
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10-07-2009 @ 9:44PM
Bryan Price said...
Yeah, if it weren't for my daughter getting me hooked on NCIS on USA (it used the be the CSIs, but I've seen those repeat enough...) and then there's House, which I find amusing but not intriguing enough to keep up on. NCIS, however, did manage to keep me intrigued.
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10-08-2009 @ 4:31AM
cantlivewithoutcable said...
I, too, am a USA convert. It just never interested me before that, I guess. Or maybe something was on opposite it -- or maybe I was actually doing stuff! Who knows. Anyhow, I went from never watching it to watching it every week live on CBS, or online later (it's one of the very, very few shows CBS features online). Thanks, USA!
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10-08-2009 @ 12:31PM
Sue said...
I am to a convert where I watched eps just really never sat and watched show on regular basis until I got hooked at watching for Ducky and just started watching for rest of cast members. USA hooked me!! So lots of new viewers helping this season thats for sure.
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10-24-2009 @ 12:29PM
Tom Baker said...
I've been a fan for years and am happy that more people are into the show. I'm also glad USA Network has an additional season because I grew tired of the same episodes over and over again. I wrote a small post and created an image of the cast that gets lots of downloads. Enjoy it if you visit: http://morningerection.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/ncis/
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11-14-2009 @ 8:51PM
Susan said...
I've been an NCIS fan from day one. I've loved all of the characters and the diversity of the episodes. But, lately I've been totally annoyed with what they have done with Tony's character. They've gone a little overboard with his sarcasm and turned him into a real jerk. I wish they would tone him down.
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