Originally posted Monday, February 11, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Although AMC’s “The Walking Dead” is rapidly losing viewers, it remains the most popular show shot in metro Atlanta for the ninth year in a row, according to Nielsen Media Research data from 2018.
The aging horror drama drew an average of 9.6 million viewers in 2018, an alarming drop of 46 percent in just two years. Among all prime-time programs on broadcast and cable television, “The Walking Dead” was 28th overall and fourth among 18 to 49 year olds. It was also the most popular cable show, ahead of “American Horror Story” on FX by a wide margin.
All cited figures includes live viewing plus DVR usage up to seven days. It does not include on-demand viewing.
The most popular program on broadcast and cable TV in 2018 was ABC's "Roseanne," which averaged 20 million viewers but imploded after Roseanne Barr compared a former Obama senior advisor to a "Planet of the Ape's character on a Tweet. (It was also the most popular show in the key 18-49 demo.)
The revival minus her called “The Conners” drew half as many viewers at 10 million but still considered a hit with ABC.
The most popular show on CBS was “The Big Bang Theory” at 18.29 million, on NBC with “This is Us” at 16.305 million, on Fox, “911” at 10.6 million and on the CW, “Flash” at 3.6 million.
Over on MTV, “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” was its top show at 3.1 million, 2.4 million in the 18-49 demo, one of just three cable show in the top 50 in that demo.
VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta” and Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” were the most popular shows on those respective networks.
On paid cable, the top show was Showtime’s “Shameless” at 2.97 million, ahead of HBO’s “Westworld” at 2.68 million.
HGTV’s most popular show was “Fixer Upper” at 4.5 million. History’s biggest show was “Curse of Oak Island” at 4.3 million. And E! It’s still “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” at 1.95 million. Comedy Central’s top show remains “South Park” during prime time at 1.68 million. Discovery? “Street Outlaws” at 2.5 million. TNT: “Major Crimes” at 4.3 million. TBS: “The Last OG” at 2 million. Paramount’s runaway big hit was “Yellowstone” at 5.1 million.
RELATED: Top 54 prime-time shows shot in metro Atlanta in 2017
RELATED: Top 52 prime-time shows shot in metro Atlanta in 2016
RELATED: Top 46 prime-time shows host in metro Atlanta in 2015
This list does not include streaming service shows shot in metro Atlanta such as YouTube’s “Cobra Kai,” Facebook Watch’s “Queen America” and Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” “Insatiable” and “Ozark.” Those services don’t release ratings the way broadcast and cable TV shows do.
Daytime syndicated shows such as “Couple’s Court with the Cutlers,” “Divorce Court” and “Dish Nation” are not included either. And Bounce TV shows such as “Saints & Sinners” was excluded for reasons I have never been able to ascertain.
1. “The Walking Dead,” AMC, 9.587 million (14.257 in 2017, 17.83 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 5.28 million, down from 8.6 million in 2017
2. “MacGyver” 8.199 million (8.917 million in 2017, 10.241 million in 2016) Total 18-49 1.493 million viewers
3. “The Resident,” Fox 7.268 million, Total 18-49 viewers: 2.184 million (new)
4. “Good Girls,” NBC 6.070 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.952 million (season 2 moved to L.A.)
Credit: Wilford Harewood
Credit: Wilford Harewood
5. “Star,” Fox 5.283 million (5.669 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 2.231 million (2.498 million in 2017)
6. “The Gifted,” Fox 3.737 million (5.987 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.583 million
7. “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,” ABC 3.681 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.213 million (show cancelled)
8. “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Bravo 3.036 million (3.488 million in 2017, 3.769 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.686 million
9. “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta,” VH1 2.977 million (3.699 million in 2017, 3.577 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.953 million
10. “The Haves and the Have Nots,” OWN 2.707 million (3.376 million in 2017, 3.792 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 835,000
11. “Black Lightning,” the CW, 2.401 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.108 million
12. “Greenleaf,” OWN 2.207 million (2.379 million in 2017, 3.256 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 703,000
13. “If Loving You is Wrong,” OWN 2.112 million (2.381 million in 2017, 2.81 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 685,000
14. “Sharp Objects,” HBO 2.061 million Total 18-49 viewers: 752,000 (shot partly in metro Atlanta, one season only)
15. “Teyana & Iman,” VH1 1.793 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.179 million (new)
16. “Legacies,” the CW 1.785 million Total 18-49 viewers: 750,000 (new)
17. “Originals,” the CW 1.618 million Total 18-49 viewers: 843,000 (cancelled)
18. “60 Days In,” A&E 1.537 million Total 18-49 viewers: 938,000
19. “Atlanta,” FX 1.466 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.055 million
20. “Valor,” the CW 1.453 million 356,000 (cancelled)
21. “Married to Medicine,” Bravo 1.424 million (1.47 million in 2017, 1.785 million in 2016) 734,000
22. “T.I. and Tiny: Family Hustle,” VH1 1.437 million (2.217 million in 2017, 1.726 in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 881,000
23. “Leave it to Stevie,” VH1 1.392 million (2.115 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 859,000
24. “Mama June: From Not to Hot,” WE-TV 1.356 million (2.142 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 633,000
25. “7 Little Johnstons,” TLC 1.274 million (1.660 million in 2017, 1.246 million in 2015) Total 18-49 viewers: 397,000
26. “Love Is_” OWN 1.245 million 506,000 (cancelled) Total 18-49 viewers: 499,000
27. “Flip or Flop Atlanta,” HGTV 1.239 million (1.631 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers 346,000
28. “Dead Silent,” ID 1.232 million (1.159 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 363,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
29. “Family by the Ton,” TLC 1.226 million Total 18-49 viewers: 1.226 million
30. “Little Women Atlanta,” Lifetime 1.218 million (1.463 million in 2017, 1.939 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 637,000
31. “Your Worst Nightmare,” ID 1.2 million (1.201 million in 2017, 1.074 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 416,000
32. “The Rap Game,” Lifetime 1.171 million (1.523 million in 2017, 1.684 million in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 617,000
33. “Forged in Fire: Knife or Death,” History 1.116 million Total 18-49 viewers: 476,000
34. “To Catch a Killer,” ID 1.115 million Total 18-49 viewers: 353,000
35. “Flipping Virgins,” HGTV 1.097 million Total 18-49 viewers: 310,000
36. “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” TLC 1.051 million Total 18-49 viewers: 277,000
37. “Intervention: Heroin Triangle,” A&E, 966,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 581,000 (one-season only)
38. “The Quad,” BET 902,000 (1.314 million in 2017)Total 18-49 viewers: 468,000 (cancelled)
39. “Dynasty,” the CW 897,000 (1.145 million in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 333,000
40. “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” OWN 889,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 364,000
41. “Archer,” FX 886,000 (996,000 in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 609,000
42. “Lodge 49,” AMC 819,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 259,000
43. “Wild-n-Out” MTV2 812,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 555,000
44. “The Paynes,” OWN 791,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 294,000
45. “Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta,” WE-TV 782,000 (927,000 in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 456,000
46. “Ready to Love,” OWN 568,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 190,000
47. “Kandi Koated Nights,” Bravo 551,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 233,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
48. “Brockmire,” IFC 475,000 (598,000 in 217) Total 18-49 viewers: 225,000
49. “The Grand Hustle,” BET 460,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 260,000
50. “WAGS Atlanta,” E! 401,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 252,000
51. “Hap and Leonard,” Sundance 390,000 (340,000 in 2017) Total 18-49 viewers: 106,000 (cancelled)
52. “Good Eats: Reloaded,” Cooking 389,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 177,000
53. “Buying it Blind,” Bravo 353,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 100,000
54. “Bobcat’s Misfits & Monsters,” truTV 279,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 138,000
55. “ATL Homicide,” TV One 269,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 106,000
56. “Rickey Smiley For Real,” TV One 242,000 (318,000 in 2017, 398,000 in 2016) Total 18-49 viewers: 126,000
57. “Stan Against Evil,” IFC 230,000 (313,000 in 2017)Total 18-49 viewers: 99,000 (cancelled)
58. “Paid Off,” TruTV 160,000 Total 18-49 viewers: 97,000
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