Tuesday TV Ratings 3/24/26: Best Medicine and Doc Decline, NCIS Leads Scripted Programming, RJ Decker Continues to Narrowly Trail NCIS: Sydney

Key Takeaways

• NCIS tops scripted shows with 5.55M viewers.
• RJ Decker trails NCIS: Sydney by ~0.5M viewers.
• Best Medicine rating drops to 0.20.
• Doc falls to 0.15 rating, lowest among dramas.
• NBA on NBC draws under 2M viewers at 8 PM.

Summary

Tuesday’s March 24, 2026 ratings show CBS’s NCIS leading scripted programming with a 0.35 rating and 5.55 million viewers. ABC’s RJ Decker trailed closely, drawing 3.11 million viewers, while the new NCIS: Sydney posted 2.63 million. Fox’s Best Medicine and Doc both slipped, registering 0.20 and 0.15 ratings respectively. NBC’s NBA broadcast at 8 PM attracted just 1.96 million viewers, underscoring modest sports draw on broadcast TV.

Pulse Analysis

The latest Tuesday ratings reveal that CBS continues to dominate the scripted arena, with NCIS pulling a solid 0.35 rating and 5.55 million viewers. This performance not only secures the franchise’s advertising premium but also reinforces CBS’s leverage in negotiating affiliate fees. Meanwhile, ABC’s RJ Decker, a newer procedural, is closing the gap, suggesting that fresh takes on the crime‑drama formula still resonate with the coveted 18‑49 demographic.

Fox’s medical dramas, Best Medicine and Doc, experienced noticeable drops, falling to 0.20 and 0.15 ratings respectively. The decline reflects broader viewer migration toward on‑demand streaming services, where serialized medical content thrives with binge‑watching flexibility. For Fox, the erosion of linear viewership could pressure advertisers to reallocate spend toward digital platforms, prompting the network to consider format tweaks or cross‑platform integration to retain relevance.

Sports programming remains a modest but steady pillar for broadcast networks. NBC’s NBA coverage at 8 PM drew under 2 million viewers, a figure that, while modest, still offers a valuable live‑event inventory for advertisers seeking real‑time engagement. As networks juggle declining scripted ratings with stable sports draws, the industry is likely to double down on hybrid distribution models, leveraging both linear slots and streaming extensions to maximize audience reach and ad revenue.