Believe it or not, there was a time when tens of millions of people watched network television. The “big four” networks dominated in the pre-broadcast era, and sitcoms often topped the viewership charts. In the 1980s, chantsfollowed by Seinfeld and Freezer In the nineties. friends and Big Bang Theory Ruled in the first decade of the twenty-first century, with Modern Family and young sheldon In the late 2000s and 2010s, comedy has been one of the most watched shows on American television for at least the past forty years, though that may soon change.
Big Bang Theory It was the last sitcom to attract 10, 15, and even 20 million viewers. As times have changed, so have viewing patterns. Throughout its seven seasons, young sheldon It was one of the most watched network shows. But its average viewership of 6 to 7 million was a far cry from the peak of sitcoms.. now then young sheldon Now that it's all over, can any comedy take its place at the top? Or Is the era of the big sitcom officially over?There are a few potential contenders, so let's look at what we know.
History of sitcom dominance
Sitcoms have been a staple of broadcasting almost since the advent of network television. One of the earliest and most successful sitcoms was i love lucy In the 1950s, its highest-rated episodes drew more than 40 million viewers in an era when home televisions were less common. With the population increasing since the 1950s, that number may be even larger today, although the audience is also much smaller than ever.
Sitcoms were a huge success in the 1980s and 1990s. The first major example of sitcom dominance was the final episode of the series mash In 1983, that episode drew 106 million viewers. It remained the most-watched episode of all time on American television until it was surpassed three decades later by the 2010 Super Bowl. Later that decade, chants It emerged as another leading contender, as did Seinfeld In the early nineties.
friends and FreezerBy the mid-1990s, NBC had almost complete control of the sitcom scene. 25, 30, and 35 million viewers were common for this group. But NBC was unable to keep up with that number of series in its next season. While 30 Rock, The Office, Parks and Rec, and community All of them were widely praised as hits in their own right, but failed to achieve major ratings success, often averaging just 5 million views on a good day.
The Big Bang Theory and Little Sheldon's Time to Shine
CBS has taken over the title of king of sitcoms after friends It ended. In 2007, they launched Big Bang Theorywhich jumped to the top of the list after several seasons. It brought back more than 20 million viewers, which was not seen for sitcoms in a few years. After Big Bang It's over. young sheldon It naturally succeeded as the best comedy series on network television.. but, young sheldon The series aired at a time when the rise of streaming was beginning to eat away at the last remaining linear TV viewers. The series was still in the lead but with roughly 9 million viewers in its final seasons instead of 20+.
The favorite candidate for the new king of comedy is the next young sheldon spin off George and Mandy's first marriageIt will almost certainly attract a huge audience when it launches just because of tbt tbt But will the series be able to maintain this success with new characters, stories, and the absence of Sheldon Cooper? The series' ratings will decline, but how much? Will the decline be slight enough that the series remains at the top? Or will it become just a regular secondary series? It's too early to tell. However, CBS may retain its crown with another show. ghosts It is the second comedy series on television, with many episodes that match or exceed what young sheldon Results. If ghosts These numbers can be maintained without Yes Introduction, then he will be the new leader of comedy.
While there are a few candidates for the position, young sheldonBut none of these shows are likely to match their total viewership. As traditional television continues to decline, so does the level of what makes a hit. The days of comedies, or any network series, garnering more than ten million viewers seem to be over.
Live streaming dominance
clings to, young sheldon Is it last A hit sitcom? What about something like ABC? Abbott Elementary SchoolIn terms of critical and audience reception, Abbott The movie is certainly at the top, but that reception doesn't translate into viewership. Abbott The show averages about 2 to 2.5 million viewers per week, which is less than a third of what the show watches. young sheldon However, you will never be able to tell by looking at posts online. Abbott Elementary School Trends on Twitter are trending almost every week.
Compare that to young sheldonwhich rarely happens (except for season finales and other notable moments) despite having three times the number of viewers. This is another example of the changing demographics of the audience. AbbottThe show's viewers fall into the younger demographic of 18-49 that advertisers are looking for. This age group engages socially with the show while also watching it primarily via streaming.
The greater part of young sheldonThe show's viewers were mostly between the ages of 18 and 49. Gen Xers and baby boomers were less likely to use social media while watching. They also watch traditional TV more than live broadcast, which explains the higher same-day viewership. young sheldonWhen taking all platforms into consideration, It is possible that Abbott Elementary School Strikes young sheldon In number of viewers and interaction.
The days of big ratings sitcoms are clearly over for traditional television. But shows like Abbott Elementary School It’s the way forward. It’s getting critical acclaim while drawing most of its viewers from streaming services. Networks need to keep up with the times and factor streaming data into viewership. While young sheldon These may be the last of the network's hit comedies, but dozens of lesser-watched shows on broadcast and the internet deserve their moment in the sun, too. young sheldon It is streaming on Max and Netflix.
