The top TV shows of 2017 run the gamut from long-running favorites to surprising newcomers.
The most-watched shows are difficult to determine, since there are so many different ways to watch TV and some streaming services don’t release numbers of views, but here are some of the top-ranked and most-watched shows of the year, which either had the most viewers or were mentioned positively by multiple reviewers.
The most-watched shows according to live views plus seven days of DVR and on-demand viewing were the CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory,” followed by CBS Navy crime drama “NCIS,” and zombie horror show “The Walking Dead” on AMC, IndieWire reported. CBS’s “Bull,” NBC’s “This is Us,” and CBS’s “Blue Bloods” also were in the top 10.
According to ratings of live views and seven days’ worth of DVR and on-demand viewing for the 18-49 demographic, AMC’s “The Walking Dead” is the top-watched show of 2017. Excluding NFL games, “Big Bang Theory” is next in the rankings, followed by “This is Us, “Empire,” and “Modern Family,” IndieWire reported.
Several reality shows appear in the top 20 for the 18-49 demographic, including “The Bachelor” at 12, "The Voice" on NBC, and “Survivor” at 17, which is tied with “NCIS” and “Chicago Fire,” IndieWire reported.
Other shows that appeared on top TV lists may not have had the most viewers, but were critically acclaimed or newer and still building a viewership. NBC’s “The Good Place” envisions what the afterlife might be like, while AMC’s “Better Call Saul” shows the slow descent of a decent person into criminal activity as a precursor to “Breaking Bad.” Both were named as top shows by Mashable and others.
“Star Trek: Discovery” is only available on CBS All-Access, but was mentioned on both Thrillist and Mashable’s lists. Other shows mentioned frequently included Netflix’s “The Crown,” Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and HBO’s “The Leftovers,” which was co-written by “Lost” writer Damon Lindelof.
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