Supernatural Season Nine Hitting New Series Highs with DVR +7 Ratings Gains
Something really impressive has been happening to Supernatural in season nine. Only “NCIS” could make this claim too. A show in its ninth season is actually gaining viewers.
Think about it. When you look through the history of TV, very few shows even make it to season nine, let alone get increases in viewers that rival earlier seasons. Yep, “NCIS” and “Supernatural” is all I got (that still needs to be run through our research department though).
I’m sure a lot of you know how dorky I can get over ratings numbers at TV by The Numbers. Each Monday is particularly a delight, because I get to see how well all my favorite shows are doing with the DVR +7 ratings. I know this isn’t a particularly relevant number to advertisers, but to fans, it’s a pretty darn accurate measure of the true ratings of a TV show.
“Supernatural” believe it or not hasn’t been making this list a lot lately. It’s not necessarily that “Supernatural’s” DVR ratings have been bad. They’ve actually been the best ever in DVR terms. It’s just that SPN’s live ratings have drastically improved as well, so any percentage gains are falling under 50%. The TV by The Numbers list only includes the top 25 in 18-49 demo gains, 18-49 percentage gains, and overall viewer gains. Their percentage gains, which is where CW shows normally appear, has had a cutoff this season that’s usually greater than 50%.
If you look at our ratings chart for all seasons (updated with today’s DVR numbers), you’ll see that “Supernatural” is maintaining a 1.5 and 1.6 in the 18-49 DVR+7 demo, which is often just a gain in the 30 to 40% area when live ratings are at 1.1. There have been a couple of 67% gains (“Dog Dean Afternoon,” “Bad Boys”) correcting an unusually low live rating. But when shows for example like “Beauty and The Beast” get a .3 in 18-49 live and .6 in DVR, that 100% increase actually beats “Supernatural” in percentage gains, even though the latter gets more than twice the ratings. It’s a weird metric that puts some focus on low rated shows.
Probably because it was Thanksgiving week, something extraordinary happened for “Supernatural” with the DVR list for the 11/26 episode, “Rock and A Hard Place.” For what I believe is the first time ever, “Supernatural” appeared in the top 25 in all three categories. Yes, it even appeared in the one category that’s impossible for CW shows to crack, Top 25 in overall viewer gains. Sure, the show squeaked in at number 25, but I was genuinely shocked to see this number.
| Rank | Program | Net | Viewership Live+SD (000) | Viewership Live+7 (000) | Post Airdate Absolute Viewership Increase From DVR Viewing (000) | Post Airdate % Viewership Increase from DVR Viewing |
| 1 | BLACKLIST-11/25 | NBC | 10964 | 17339 | 6375 | 58% |
| 2 | Person Of Interest-11/26 | CBS | 11892 | 17167 | 5275 | 44% |
| 3 | Castle-11/25 | ABC | 11410 | 15892 | 4482 | 39% |
| 4 | Mentalist, THE-12/01 | CBS | 9586 | 13136 | 3550 | 37% |
| 5 | Chicago Fire-11/26 | NBC | 6909 | 10370 | 3461 | 50% |
| 6 | SLEEPY HOLLOW-11/25 | FOX | 6562 | 10007 | 3445 | 52% |
| 7 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES-11/26 | CBS | 12322 | 15581 | 3259 | 26% |
| 8 | MARVEL AGENTS S.H.I.E.L.D-11/26 | ABC | 9687 | 12745 | 3058 | 32% |
| 9 | Grimm-11/29 | NBC | 5723 | 8720 | 2997 | 52% |
| 10 | ALMOST HUMAN-11/25 | FOX | 6120 | 9103 | 2983 | 49% |
| 11 | Good Wife, THE-12/01 | CBS | 10417 | 13049 | 2632 | 25% |
| 12 | Once Upon A Time-12/01 | ABC | 6635 | 9221 | 2586 | 39% |
| 13 | HOSTAGES-11/25 | CBS | 4621 | 6934 | 2313 | 50% |
| 14 | How I Met Your Mother-11/25 | CBS | 7643 | 9827 | 2184 | 29% |
| 15 | MIKE & MOLLY-11/25 | CBS | 8481 | 10651 | 2170 | 26% |
| 16 | New Girl-11/26 | FOX | 3505 | 5613 | 2108 | 60% |
| 17 | 2 Broke Girls-11/25 | CBS | 7821 | 9646 | 1825 | 23% |
| 18 | VOICE-11/25 | NBC | 11520 | 13313 | 1793 | 16% |
| 19 | VOICE-TUE-11/26 | NBC | 10339 | 12002 | 1663 | 16% |
| 20 | DRACULA-11/29 | NBC | 2842 | 4410 | 1568 | 55% |
| 21 | MOM-11/25 | CBS | 7356 | 8910 | 1554 | 21% |
| 22 | BROOKLYN NINE-NINE-11/26 | FOX | 3691 | 5240 | 1549 | 42% |
| 23 | Dancing with the Stars-11/25 | ABC | 14612 | 15812 | 1200 | 8% |
| 24 | ORIGINALS-11/26 | CW | 2379 | 3554 | 1175 | 49% |
| 25 | Supernatural-11/26 | CW | 2392 | 3393 | 1001 | 42% |
(Chart from TV By The Numbers)
Over one million gain in viewers? For a typical episode? If you look back at the chart just a few seasons ago, DVR ratings were in the 500,000 to 600,000 range at their highest. I don’t think we’ve ever seen that 1 million mark cracked (not to say it’s never been done, it’s just never been shared).
It should also be noted that the 18-49 increases were 45% this week, jumping from 1.1 to 1.6. On any other week, that number wouldn’t have even made this chart! However, looking at our live ratings chart again, a 1.6 is a pretty high rating for this show, DVR or not.
Considering DVR use was far less in earlier seasons than it is now, a 1.6 (except for season one which gets it’s own category since it was on the old WB network) has been a rarity for any “Supernatural” episode aired on The CW, live and DVR. It was reached three times in season two, none in season three, three times in season four, and NONE in any other season until season 8, when ratings rose dramatically. Even then season eight only got a 1.6 with DVR+7 only once.
Season seven’s highest rating with DVR was the season premiere. That was a 1.3. Season six with DVR hit 1.3 a few times, but never higher.
However, while demo has been great, it’s the overall ratings that have been REALLY impressive. In Season Nine, overall ratings have ranged from 2.01 million to 2.59 million. Going through the chart, what was the last season that had that range for live viewers (never dipping below 2 million)? Season five. However, when DVR was factored into season five, guess what the ratings averaged? Removing the season premiere, 3.2 million. See what “Rock and a Hard Place” got? 3.39 million.
So, when did “Supernatural get 3.39 million live? That was a pretty routine thing in season four. Factoring in DVR, season four has been the highest rated season (minus season one, that disclaimer thing). Season two was very close, but since DVR numbers weren’t tracked, it wasn’t a relevant metric at the time and we can only go off live ratings that year.
You know what though? Ratings for CW shows are getting around 20 to 25% overall gains for online viewing too (some shows have upwards of 30%, but I’m pretty certain Supernatural is not one of those shows). We don’t know the real numbers, but let’s do a conservative estimate. 2.25 million live + SD, times 20% is 450,000. Add that to 3.39 million? We’re at season four range, definitely well beyond season three, and easily matching or besting season two.
So what do all these numbers mean? Without having concrete, comparable figures of all numbers from all seasons, we can at least conclude with the sketchy info we have that season nine is turning out so far to be one of “Supernatural’s” highest rated seasons, for the CW anyway. All this in a time when ratings for other shows are drastically going down and DVR gains for some shows are reaching 100 percent. Not bad for a show that for the same ratings almost got cancelled in season two, huh?
Well done Supernatural fans!
Here’s all the charts on TV By The Numbers:
Thank you for putting this together, Alice.
I’m way impressed with our numbers this season, and I’ve become quite the ratings junky myself. This is a fascinating chart and look at what’s happening with viewership. I wonder, as we get closer to the spring side of the season how these numbers will shift and what the trends will be.
All in all, way to go Supernatural!
Thank you for putting this together, Alice.
I’m way impressed with our numbers this season, and I’ve become quite the ratings junky myself. This is a fascinating chart and look at what’s happening with viewership. I wonder, as we get closer to the spring side of the season how these numbers will shift and what the trends will be.
All in all, way to go Supernatural!
OK Alice, I confess, I am one of those that watches every episode over and over and over so I guess the list for those that watch within 7 days after live airing is where I fall into.
These numbers are awesome! I still take offense that those of us over 49 don’t get considered but my DVR has to count for something no matter how old I am (it’s only a number people keep telling me). 🙂
I am just so thrilled to know that it is okay to be obsessed with a show because these numbers don’t lie so I am proud to be a part of such an amazing show. Thanks for sharing and putting together this info Alice. You are awesome too! 😆
OK Alice, I confess, I am one of those that watches every episode over and over and over so I guess the list for those that watch within 7 days after live airing is where I fall into.
These numbers are awesome! I still take offense that those of us over 49 don’t get considered but my DVR has to count for something no matter how old I am (it’s only a number people keep telling me). 🙂
I am just so thrilled to know that it is okay to be obsessed with a show because these numbers don’t lie so I am proud to be a part of such an amazing show. Thanks for sharing and putting together this info Alice. You are awesome too! 😆
Thanks for this, Alice! As I think you know, I’m an SPN ratings junkie also. I was so excited when I saw this today.
Almost as good as these current numbers was the Top 100 Cable Shows 18-49 for the entire day of Friday, December 13, 2013. There was a Supernatural Marathon (7th season episodes) on TNT that day, and 4 of those [u]7th season[/u] SPN episodes made it into the Top 100 of all cable shows that day, 2 of them getting a .5, the other 2 getting a .4 (which is better or at least equal to some new episodes of some CW shows). The total viewers for these 4 episodes alone was almost 3.6 million viewers. Warner Brothers must be loving these syndication numbers.
I would love to see all of the ratings for days when there is an SPN marathon on TNT! The article is at tvbythenumbers.com at:
[url]http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/12/16/friday-cable-ratings-gold-rush-tops-night-bering-sea-gold-friday-night-smackdown-nba-basketball-more/222719/[/url]
Thanks again, Alice!
Thanks for this, Alice! As I think you know, I’m an SPN ratings junkie also. I was so excited when I saw this today.
Almost as good as these current numbers was the Top 100 Cable Shows 18-49 for the entire day of Friday, December 13, 2013. There was a Supernatural Marathon (7th season episodes) on TNT that day, and 4 of those [u]7th season[/u] SPN episodes made it into the Top 100 of all cable shows that day, 2 of them getting a .5, the other 2 getting a .4 (which is better or at least equal to some new episodes of some CW shows). The total viewers for these 4 episodes alone was almost 3.6 million viewers. Warner Brothers must be loving these syndication numbers.
I would love to see all of the ratings for days when there is an SPN marathon on TNT! The article is at tvbythenumbers.com at:
[url]http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/12/16/friday-cable-ratings-gold-rush-tops-night-bering-sea-gold-friday-night-smackdown-nba-basketball-more/222719/[/url]
Thanks again, Alice!
Thanks for putting this together. I wonder how many new viewers are finding the show first on Netflix or TNT? The CW never seems to do heavy advertising for Supernatural as it does for some of its newer shows. (Or is that just my imagination?) Anyway it’s good news!
Thanks for putting this together. I wonder how many new viewers are finding the show first on Netflix or TNT? The CW never seems to do heavy advertising for Supernatural as it does for some of its newer shows. (Or is that just my imagination?) Anyway it’s good news!
This is exciting news! Despite my problems with what they are doing with Sam, I confess- I’m loving this season! It’s the most suspenseful and exciting, and thus satisfying, in years and years. And it’s so great to hear the show getting more successful in response.
This is exciting news! Despite my problems with what they are doing with Sam, I confess- I’m loving this season! It’s the most suspenseful and exciting, and thus satisfying, in years and years. And it’s so great to hear the show getting more successful in response.
[quote name=”Prix68″]Thanks for putting this together. I wonder how many new viewers are finding the show first on Netflix or TNT? The CW never seems to do heavy advertising for Supernatural as it does for some of its newer shows. (Or is that just my imagination?) Anyway it’s good news![/quote]
My kids found it on Netflix and then convinced me I should watch it. Mostly I think it’s word of mouth via places like FB, Twitter and tumbler. Seem that the show is bigger now than ever, which I love!
[quote]Thanks for putting this together. I wonder how many new viewers are finding the show first on Netflix or TNT? The CW never seems to do heavy advertising for Supernatural as it does for some of its newer shows. (Or is that just my imagination?) Anyway it’s good news![/quote]
My kids found it on Netflix and then convinced me I should watch it. Mostly I think it’s word of mouth via places like FB, Twitter and tumbler. Seem that the show is bigger now than ever, which I love!
Like you Alice, I go to TV By The Numbers and watch the ratings not only for Supernatural, but for other shows I like. It seems like every time Supernatural does well, some person says something incredibly silly about how the CW will probably renew for season 10, but it will only be a short season. Then I laugh because the CW isn’t exactly swimming in ratings hits and even when Dawn Ostroff ran the network and didn’t want Supernatural because it didn’t fit into her concept of how the CW should look, she still couldn’t cancel our show because the ratings were simply too good. I know we will get a season 10 and then if they can keep the Js on board, possibly even more.
I’m so proud of how Supernatural is doing.
Like you Alice, I go to TV By The Numbers and watch the ratings not only for Supernatural, but for other shows I like. It seems like every time Supernatural does well, some person says something incredibly silly about how the CW will probably renew for season 10, but it will only be a short season. Then I laugh because the CW isn’t exactly swimming in ratings hits and even when Dawn Ostroff ran the network and didn’t want Supernatural because it didn’t fit into her concept of how the CW should look, she still couldn’t cancel our show because the ratings were simply too good. I know we will get a season 10 and then if they can keep the Js on board, possibly even more.
I’m so proud of how Supernatural is doing.