2025-26 Season Ratings for New TV Shows (Week 35)

Key Takeaways

• Week 35 ratings show early performance of 2025‑26 network premieres
• Demo ratings dictate advertising rates more than total audience numbers
• ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC each launched eight or fewer new series
• Shows with low demo ratings risk cancellation after first season
• Advertisers pay premium for younger viewers who watch live TV less

Pulse Analysis

The 2025‑26 broadcast season has reached week 35, and the latest Nielsen data provide a snapshot of how the fresh slate of network dramas, comedies and reality formats are resonating with viewers. By aggregating live viewing with same‑day DVR playback, the final average ratings capture the audience that actually sits through commercials, the metric that still underpins the traditional advertising model. The compiled list—spanning ABC’s ‘9‑1‑1: Nashville’ to NBC’s ‘The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins’—offers a baseline for comparing performance across the five major U.S. broadcasters.

Advertisers care most about the demographic (demo) rating, typically adults 18‑49, because this group commands higher ad premiums and is more responsive to brand messaging. A show that draws a modest total audience but scores strongly in the demo can command a price per thousand (CPM) that rivals a higher‑rated, older‑skewing program. Consequently, networks prioritize demo growth when evaluating new series, and the spreadsheet linked in the article reveals which titles are meeting that benchmark and which are falling short.

The practical upshot is that low demo scores often translate into swift cancellations, as the article notes. Networks use these early indicators to decide whether to invest in a second season, shift a show to a different time slot, or move it to a streaming platform where subscription metrics differ. As streaming services continue to erode linear TV’s audience, the pressure on broadcast titles to deliver strong demo numbers intensifies, reshaping programming strategies and advertising negotiations for the remainder of the 2025‑26 season.