The fall season has come to a close, and CBS’ “Tracker” has once again emerged as a strong performer, solidifying the network’s position as a leader among broadcast networks. When considering both linear and 35 days of streaming viewership for non-sports series, “Tracker” reigns supreme.
However, when streaming numbers are factored in, Netflix’s “Stranger Things” takes the top spot with an impressive average of 32.86 million viewers. This is followed by Netflix’s “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” and Paramount+’s “Landman.” “Tracker” still holds its own with 16.65 million viewers, making it the top broadcast series, closely followed by ABC’s “High Potential.”
CBS dominates the fall top ten among broadcast networks, with eight shows leading the pack. “Sheriff Country” and “Boston Blue” emerge as the top two most-watched new series in broadcast. Additionally, CBS boasts nine of the top 20 series when considering both linear and streaming viewership.
Streaming continues to play a significant role in expanding the audience for broadcast content. For example, “Tracker” attracted 11.4 million viewers on linear TV and an additional 5.2 million through streaming. Similarly, “High Potential” saw a nearly equal split between linear and streaming viewership. Interestingly, “Abbott Elementary” actually garners more viewers on Hulu through streaming than on ABC’s linear broadcast.
While these rankings do not include sports content, the fall season proved to be successful for broadcast networks. As we transition to midseason, additional high-performing shows like ABC’s “Will Trent” and “The Rookie” will join the lineup, adding to the mix of top-rated programs.
Here are the fall 2025 rankers for both broadcast and streaming originals:
– “Stranger Things” (Netflix) – 32.86 million viewers
– “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” (Netflix) – 20.64 million viewers
– “Landman” (Paramount+) – 19.64 million viewers
– “Tracker” (CBS) – 16.65 million viewers
– “High Potential” (ABC) – 16.07 million viewers
Source: Nielsen Panel+ Big Data P2+ Prime AA, L+35, 9/14/2025-1/04/2026 + Nielsen SCR, 35-Day Total Flight for streaming. Specials, finales, and sports content are not included in these rankings.
In addition, the fall 2025 rankers for broadcast originals are as follows:
– “Tracker” (CBS) – 16.7 million viewers
– “High Potential” (ABC) – 16.1 million viewers
– “Matlock” (CBS) – 12.2 million viewers
– “Sheriff Country” (CBS) – 11.1 million viewers
– “Ghosts” (CBS) – 10.6 million viewers
Source: Nielsen Panel+ Big Data P2+ Prime AA, L+35, 9/14/2025-1/04/2026 + Nielsen SCR, 35-Day Total Flight for streaming.
As we look ahead to the rest of the season, it will be interesting to see how these rankings evolve and which new shows will capture the attention of viewers.
