Posted Monday, February 26, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
For the eighth year in a row, the most popular show shot in Atlanta is AMC's "The Walking Dead."
Its popularity is well past its peak date but it still averaged 14.257 million viewers in 2017, according to Nielsen Media data. That's down 26 percent from two years ago. The figure includes live viewing plus DVR usage up to seven days. It does not include on-demand viewing.
"The Walking Dead," despite audience shrinkage, is still the most popular cable show, edging out HBO's "Game of Thrones" (13.72 million).
Broadcast TV still dominates in total numbers with only the previously mentioned two cable shows making the top 20. CBS remains the big-tent station with 9 shows in the top 20.
The top overall shows were CBS's "NCIS" (17.577 million) and "The Big Bang Theory" (18.546 million). Two break-out new hits came out of the fall line-up: "Big Bang" spin-off "Young Sheldon" (16.605 million) and ABC's "The Good Doctor" (17.431 million). The No. 5 show was NBC's tearjerker "This is Us" (16.439 million).
The top reality show of 2017 was "America's Got Talent" on NBC while the top Atlanta-based reality show was CBS's "Hunted."
This prime-time list omits day-time shows such as "Paternity Court With Lauren Lake," "Dish Nation" and "Family Feud" as well as news programs on HLN, CNN and The Weather Channel. This list also doesn't include popular Netflix shows such as "Ozark" and "Stranger Things" because the streaming service refuses to release ratings figures. If they were included, I'm sure they'd be in the top 10 and probably the top five. (Nielsen estimated that after three days from its debut, 15.8 million Americans watched the first episode of "Stranger Things 2.")
Amazon, which shot "Lore" in Atlanta, Hulu and CBS All Access also decline to release figures.
Oddly, Bounce TV is excluded in the listing as well but had two scripted shows "Mann & Wife" and "Saints & Sinners" shot in Atlanta. I am trying to get those as well from Bounce itself and will add them if I get them.
RELATED: The top 52 prime-time shows shot in Atlanta from 2016
1- "The Walking Dead," AMC, 14.257 million (in 2016: 17.83 million, ranked No. 1) Total 18-49 viewers: 8.613 million
2- "MacGyver," CBS, 8.917 million (in 2016: 10.241 million, ranked No. 2) 18-49 viewers: 1.757 million
3- "Hunted," CBS 7.257 million (new, future unclear) 18-49 viewers: 2.562 million
4- "24: Legacy," Fox, 6.08 million (new, since cancelled) 18-49 viewers: 2.055 million
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
5- "The Gifted," Fox, 5.987 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 2.607 million
6- "Star," Fox, 5.669 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 2.498 million
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
7- "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World," ABC, 4.638 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 1.477 million
8 - "Spartan Team Challenge," NBC, 4.532 million (last year: 4.181 million, ranked No. 4)
9 - "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta," VH1, 3.699 million (up from 3.577 million in 2016, ranked No. 7) 18-49 viewers: 2.492 million
10 - "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," Bravo, 3.488 million (down from 3.769 million in 2016, ranked No. 6) 18-49 viewers: 1.972 million
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
11- "The Haves and the Have Nots," OWN, 3.376 million (In 2016: 3.792 million ranked, No. 5) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.25 million
12- "Sleepy Hollow," Fox, 3.287 million (down from 4.467 million in 2016, ranked No. 3, since cancelled)
13- "If Loving You Is Wrong," OWN 2.381 million (2.81 million in 2016 ranked No. 10) Total 18-49 viewers: 846,000
14- "Greenleaf," OWN, 2.379 million (last year: 3.256 million, ranked No. 8) Total 18-49 viewers: 932,000
15-"T.I. and Tiny," VH1 2.217 million (1.726 million in 2016, ranked No. 20) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.399 million
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
16- "Mama June: From Not to Hot," WE-TV, 2.142 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 1.043 million
17- "Leave it to Stevie," VH1, 2.115 million (new) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.378 million
18- "Xscape: Still Kickin' It," Bravo, 1.990 million (new) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.109 million
19- "Manhunt: Unabomber," Discovery, 1.83 million (new) Total 18-49 viewers: 662,000
20- "K Michelle: My Life," 1.794 million (1.959 million in 2016, ranked No. 13) Total 18-49 viewers: 1.138 million
21- "The Vampire Diaries," the CW, 1.723 million (down from 1.752 million in 2016, ranked, No. 19, since cancelled) 18-49 viewers: 993,000
22- "Too Close to Home," TLC 1.688 million (1.15 million in 2016, ranked No. 29, since cancelled) Total 18-49 viewers: 678,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
23- "7 Little Johnstons," TLC, 1.660 million(up from 1.246 million in 2015), 18-49 viewers: 519,000
24- "Flip or Flop Atlanta," HGTV 1.631 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 488,000
25- "The Originals," CW, 1.578 million (up from 1.547 million in 2016, ranked No. 24) 18-49 viewers: 813,000
26- "60 Days In," A&E, 1.562 million (new in Atlanta) 18-49 viewers: 859,000
27- "The Rap Game," Lifetime, 1.523 million (down from 1.684 million in 2016, ranked No. 22) 18-49 viewers: 799,000
28- "Married to Medicine," Bravo 1.47 million (down from 1.785 million in 2016, ranked No.. 17) 18-49 viewers: 815,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
29- "Little Women Atlanta," Lifetime 1.463 million (down from 1.939 million in 2016, ranked No. 24) 18-49 viewers: 813,000
30- "Being Mary Jane," BET, 1.427 million (off in 2016, 2.75 million in 2015, a finale movie set to air in 2018) Total 18-49 viewers: 838,000
31- "Valor," the CW, 1.423 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 390,000
32- "Daytime Divas," VH1, 1.339 million (new, since cancelled) Total 18-49 viewers: 739,000
33- "Don't Be Tardy," 1.339 million (down from 1.479 million in 2016, ranked No. 25) 18-49 viewers: 665,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
34- "The Quad," BET, 1.314 million (new) Total 18-49 viewers: 677,000
35- "Your Worst Nightmare," ID, 1.201 million (up from 1.074 million in 2016, ranked No. 31) 18-49 viewers: 417,000
36- "Dead Silent," ID, 1.159 million (flat from 2016, ranked No. 29) 18-49 viewers: 393,000
37- "Dynasty,' the CW: 1.145 million (new) 18-49 viewers: 538,000
38- "Your Pretty Face is Going To Hell," 1.194 million, 18-49 viewers: 763,000
39- "Swamp Murders," ID, 1.065 million (up from 1.025 million in 2016, ranked No. 32) 18-49 viewers: 316,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
40-- "Archer," FX, 996,000 (down from 1.687 million in 2016, ranked No. 21), 18-49 viewers: 755,000
41- "Growing Up Hip Hop Atlanta," WE-TV, 927,000 (new) 18-49 viewers: 588,000
42- "Signed," VH1, 846,000 (new) 18-49 viewers: 574,000
43- "For Better or Worse," OWN, 802,000 (last year, 952,000, ranked No. 33) Total 18-49 viewers: 311,000
44- "Survivor's Remorse," Starz, 689,000 (last year, 1.187 million, since cancelled, ranked No. 28) Total 18-49 viewers: 363,000
45- "Love Thy Neighbor," OWN, 629,000 (last year, 754,000, ranked No. 38) Total 18-49 viewers: 233,000
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
46- "Halt & Catch Fire," AMC, 619,000 (last year, 669,000, ranked No. 39, since cancelled) Total 18-49 viewers:
47- "Brockmire," IFC, 598,000 (new) Total 18-49 viewers: 294,000
48- "Supersition," Syfy, 532,000 (new) 18-49 viewers: 178,000
49- "Bossip," WE-TV, 456,000 (new) 18-49 viewers: 257,000
50- "Hap and Leonard" Sundance, 340,000 (new in Atlanta) Total 18-49 viewers: 108,000
51- "Atlanta Vets," National Geographic Wild, 328,000, 18-49 viewers: 44,000
52- "Rickey Smiley For Real," TV One, 318,000 (down from 398,000 in 2016, ranked No. 45) 18-49 viewers: 175,000
53- "Stan Against Evil," IFC, 313,000 (new) Total 18-49 viewers 157,000
