Most Popular TV Series 1986 - 2019

Timeline history of the most viewed TV series from 1986 to 2019. Ranking is based on the following factors: prime-time first 24 hours audience reports, one week of reported statistics for downloaded copies (pirated), one week of streaming services viewership. Numbers are worldwide with significant bias towards US market up until 2002, afterwards it's balanced by p2p distribution across the globe.

I actually have the data starting 1960s. Let me know if you'd like extended version of this video.

*****

I am a first year PhD student, data geek and I love visualizations.
As always your feedback is welcome.

Please support my channel. It can buy me another cup of coffee :)

Data source: prime-time TV viewership, streaming services reports, DHT traffic analysis

[rilgar]

Can't believe I just spent 8 minutes watching lines move...

[willduff]

I love how NCIS has consistently taken top spots for the last decade and yet I do not know a single person who watches that show

[RSumm]

I can't believe so many people are watching Young Sheldon.

[VloggingThroughHistory]

1995 - crazy that the top 3 shows (Seinfeld, Friends, ER) were all on the same network, the same night of the week.

[Rangure]

Never in my life during a conversation about TV series I heard: Do you like NCIS? or "So exciting for the new episode of NCIS"

[jayanths]

I assumed F.R.I.E.N.D.S would dominate the whole of late 90's and early 2000's but now I find out it never even had as many viewers as CSI? Shocking revelation indeed.

[KashTheGamerYT]

Imagine how much these statistics will change in 2020 because of quarantine

[bm-brgo]

Very strange that Rick and Morty makes an appearance but not The Office. Also I'm stunned that friends wasn't more dominant than it was.

[azuk]

i love how rick and morty appeared in the last second like
*'yo i also exist.. kinda'*

[BudderBy]

Who else gets emotionally attached to certain bars and gets upset every time they drop a place

[cleanassfrd]

6:55 Stranger Things: “hi, can I- um..”

Madam Secretary: “No.”

Stranger Things “ok”

[bendover]

It's interesting to watch the shift from episodic comedies and procedurals to serialised Dramas dominating TV. Until the Sopranos and West Wing came around in 1999, there really was nothing else pulling in big numbers on TV, and even then it wasn't until the mid to late 2000's until the shift actually started to take place. The fact that The Sopranos in particular could compete with these other shows despite being a relatively new format without streaming, with an unorthodox premise (the main character being an unrepentant criminal was highly controversial at the time) on a premium network not accessible to the same viewing base as the others, half a decade before it became cool really is an amazing feat.

[arjunkzy]

Stranger Things in 2016:
"Hi"
"Ok, bye"

[rohan]

Friends: *tries to be on the top spot for years and finally gets it*

CSI: _I'll end this man's whole career_

[YT_Samuraii]

Game of thrones in 2011: I'm about to do what's called a pro gamer move

[davel]

Nice. Another factor to consider is the way time-shifted viewing changed during this period. While VCRs were extremely common by 1986, DVRs and streaming have changed the landscape totally.

[addison]

Me: looking for the office the whole time

[Patapipe]

Damn, "The Cosby Show" really did put the competition to sleep

[Logan-noqi]

“I used to rule the world”


CSI - 2019

[stevengrenier]

GOT and Breaking Bad best shows I have ever seen. Got could have been the unquestioned best ever if it weren’t for Season 8. House Of The Dragon looks promising however.