Linear TV ratings are up nearly across the board during the past few quarantine weeks, yet delayed viewing, as measured by Nielsen, is almost exactly the same as its pre-pandemic numbers. That observation comes from a comparison of three- and seven-day ratings for some 70 shows across the big four broadcast networks.
Nearly all of the top performers in three-day ratings are hourlong shows, with only a handful of comedies and unscripted shows making the top 20.
The Season 4 debut of This Is Us scored big in delayed viewing, with the episode locking in its place as the No. 1 scripted episode of broadcast premiere week. The episode, which aired on Sept. 24, grew 82% across seven days of delayed viewing for a final rating of 3.35 among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen.
