By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
With your broadcast-TV favorites on holiday break, TVLine has been looking at how each network’s shows are stacking up thus far in the 2021-22 TV season. Having already sized up Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS, we now wrap things up with The CW.[pmc_inline_gallery]
Listed below is the average DEMO RATING for each series on The CW (including Live+7 DVR playback, since the networks do take that metric into consideration at renewal/cancellation time). Alongside that column you will find the TOTAL AUDIENCE for each program, as well as any noteworthy PERFORMANCE NOTES.
Each program’s RANK (far left) represents what is perhaps the most critical measure — how it is faring in the coveted 18-49 demo compared to other shows on The CW, since come springtime heads must roll to make room for shiny-and-new pilots. (Any ties in the demo were “broken” by total viewership, because I decided so.)
Note: As Midseason Report Cards go, The CW proved to be a bit of an odd bird, since some summertime scripted series’ spilled over a bit into fall, others started late…. So for clarity, the number of qualifying fall episodes for scripted shows has been denoted in a lovely light gray.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Though Walker‘s audience slipped 30 percent vs. its noteworthy freshman run, it’s still putting up strong numbers for The CW. And All American‘s performance (both linear and via streaming) continues to be a touchdown, ergo the upcoming Homecoming spinoff…. The Flash hasn’t quantifiably faded as much as some assume, but the more “super” stories may be Stargirl (which dipped only a bit transitioning into the heat of fall) and Legends of Tomorrow (whose audience grew versus the spring/summer Season 6)…. Is anyone else agog that a nostalgia magnet like Legends of the Hidden Temple hasn’t clicked?… Midseason looks good, with the likes of Walker and All American to be joined by new seasons of Superman & Lois and Kung Fu — aka two of the network’s most watched series last season.
Which of The CW’s rankings surprises or delights you?
Want scoop on any of the above shows? Email InsideLine@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!
Supergirl down 40% from last season and still in CW’s @ #7…
… and still in CW’s top 10 @7. Ahead of several renewed shows.
Way to go Nancy… improving on the deadly time slot you were given, considering that was CW’s lowest rated hour for several seasons running.
I think Flash has faded more in quality, if not viewership.
Armageddon was essentially the first crossover event since COIE.
That’s been happening (IMO) for a long time. E,g. the seasons with the Thinker and Cicada, there was too much filler rather than genuine buildup to what where supposed to be grave threats and then I quit after the Mirror Master nonsense when the show is basically now the power of Barry and Iris’s love can fix everything.
It’s a crime that Who’s Line draws bigger audiences than Nancy Drew.
Seriously. Whoever is sleeping on Nancy Drew needs to wake up. It’s a fantastic show.
Watched the pilot,did not enjoy the characters or plot.
how anyone can choose to like/dislike a show based on a pilot???. Pilots are done to sell the show… it’s gotten better as it’s gone along… The actors on this show are all good and Kennedy is a young actress who has a big future..
I think it is a highly underrated show.
I agree.
Drew… Nancy Drew. Hmmmm…
.
.
But more viewers than the higher profile Riverdale… or is it RiverVale?
LOL. Any similarity between author and subject are purely coincidental.
.
PS I grew up when original Nancy Drew with Pamela Sue Martin was on the air, and let’s just say when I started to mature and … was different from everyone else … being called gay and “Nancy Drew” was not my favorite thing!!
.
But now, call me what you want! Especially if it’s based on the kick-ass awesome NEW sleuth!
It’s crazy to me that it’s still on. I used to watch the original UK version a LONG time ago and even then it was the same guys, Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie most of the time.
It’s a series many will discover long after it has left the air. Being on the CW will allow it to tell a full complete story. It makes money for the CW given it’s getting a spin off. It has the largest DVR bump and does well on HBO MAX when the season’s end. A lot of these older CW shows should be getting a final season next year. Yes, I watch ND.
So do you think Nancy Drew will definitely get renewed? I’m nervous that we haven’t heard yay or nay yet with the season finale coming next week.
Who’s Line is great. That’s why.
CW has 237 affiliates, so even for a show like Riverdale at least half the markets are drawing fewer than 2,400 live viewers. For Hidden Temple, there are markets where viewership probably is under 1,000.
I think if Hidden Temple could have had a live Audience like the old show it would have. I tried watching it and the set up made it boring to me. If it had a live Audience like the old show and filmed and played out like it. I think it would click.
We’re still in a pandemic. Not going to happen.
I gave up on Nancy Drew this season. The plots and characters got too convoluted and I’d find myself confused. I had about four episodes saved up to watch and realized it felt like a chore so I decided to just drop it. Maybe I’ll binge the season all at once when it’s on HBO Max.
I tried watching Legends of the Hidden Teme and..meh. Loved the original as a kid, but this just missed the mark. Not sure if it’s the lack of audience cheering or what.
All American has become the most reliably good show on CW so I don’t know why I was surprised to see it was number one. I also didn’t realize Riverdale’s ratings had dropped so much, but it is mostly terrible now so that makes sense.
Nancy Drew is really good. Its a ghost story so it gets a little slow at times. Give it another chance. The first season packed a lot in, so it was a lot. Definitely re watch it.
i concur. i really got hooked by the first season story but i’m not very invested in this one. i had five episodes saved up and two weeks off at christmas. didn’t watch a single episode.
I have no idea why an action show turned soap opera like Walker has so many viewers.
I think most of the viewers are Supernatural fans. Because I don’t know who would be watching it if they aren’t. It’s ..not a good show.
probably because it has jared, keegan, and odette but im not really a huge fan of supernatural but i think the show is great
Yay for “Legacies “which has the second largest audience numbers in DVR. Same for “Nancy Drew” which also has the largest audience in DVR numbers. Hope they both get renewed.
Yeah, I was checking the list too for Legacies. The DVR bump renews my faith that others are watching it too. Hope the network takes that into consideration when deciding what gets renewed. Oh, and Happy New Year Erick!
Happy New Year to you as well. In addition to the ratings bump, this season of “Legacies” has been the best season since the first two & it’s been getting a lot of positive buzz as it’s finally becoming the show it should be.
Interesting rankings… baffled by Walker’s popularity, but the Supernatural fans are nothing if not loyal. I didn’t realize Riverdale was now the next to last scripted series… Nancy Drew definitely deserves more viewers though!
.
I know people expect Legends to be canceled every year, but some cast posts really made me wonder this is the final season for real…?
I’m convinced that had “Riverdale” had Supernatural elements from the start, plus had the “Sabrina” crossover a lot sooner, maybe it would be doing better in the ratings.
I’ve never watched an episode of Supernatural or even really knew who Jared Padalecki was until fairly recently, but I fully enjoy the Walker series
so thinking more about Nancy Drew and the ratings … I wonder if TVLine recapped it regularly if that could help expand the TV audience? It’s a critical darling but not popular, so it would need to attract readers to be worth it but I so think it could be …
.
And I do wonder how the spinoff, Tom Swift, will fare in both audience and TVLine recap frequency. Given the ratings for Nancy Drew, it’s somewhat surprising CW gave the greenlight to Tom Swift, but I’m not complaining.
Why would Supergirl be on the list, when it’s finished for good?
Because it spilled into the fall season by 8 episodes, and the article is about fall ratings to date. Thus it gets ranked among the fall series (serving if nothing else to contrast performance of other shows on CW)
The title should have been “CW’s Bad and Worst Performing Shows.” Their top performer is low. I’ve long wondered how they keep going.
Hot take.
Dumb take is more like it.
My top show got a solid 4th, so I am happy.
Theres haters who troll the internet looking for shows , i e whole networks to hate on . There’s a general feeling that they think they’re somehow better at picking shows than those of us who like the shows on the CW .
Here’s a thought , don’t watch !
‘Riverdale’ is rated so low and ‘Dynasty’ is nowhere to be found? Well, at least my beloved ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ is doing better than expected.
Dynasty only had 2 episodes Christmas week.. it picks up in March…
Correct; needed at least 4 episodes to qualify.
CW keeps shows around thanks to the numbers they see on streaming on their app or Netflix/HBO Max. Once upon a time, All American was in danger, but became a smash hit on Netflix, and now it likely won’t end until the creator wants it to lol. I wonder how the shows that go to HBO Max do? The CW to Netflix pipeline saved a lot of these shows, but I wonder if the Netflix to HBO Max shows will do the same? It didn’t help with Katy Keane, but seems like it did for Kung Fu?
Out of the CW shows AA is the one HBO Max can’t wait to take from Netflix.
AA will be on Netflix for years because it’s a part of the old deal.
I am so proud of All American. When it first debuted it seemed like it was in real danger of being cancelled and felt a little off brand from the DC-Berlanti heavy and Julie Plec paranormal shows. But it is truly good — good writing, good acting and good storytelling.
I live All American, bing watched it on Netflix and been watching it every since. Just Love everything about this show!
All American, Roswell, NM, and Nancy Drew are three of my current favorite shows. So happy that AA is doing so well now and that Roswell should hopefully be safe for a little longer being middle of the table. Nancy Drew deserves better, the show is so good! The cast, the writing, and the story arcs are so well-paced and engaging. I just wonder if people gave up on it early as it was a slow starter. Fingers crossed it will still get renewed. It’s such a shame about the Netflix deal, I think it would have done well over there.
All-American draws ~700K a week and gets a spinoff? I thought that was usually done for shows that people actually watched. And while we’re at it, how about that Batwoman? LOLOL!!!
I remember a time when the Flash competed with several programs!! Oh well
It’s in its 8th season. Don’t think many shows keep up quality that long.
The Flash still has gripping storylines, great characters, good acting, and “heroes. ” Love it.
Supergirl lost viewers because CW decided not to promote it. Except to queerbait Supercorp and DANSEN shippers.
Legends of tomorrow got extra viewership because they actually give focus to their lgbtqia pairing of Sara and Ava.
When the shows promote and actually give it’s main characters proper story arcs they do well.
I greatly enjoy All American, and I look forward to its spin-off. In addition, I watch Whose Line is it Anyway, my guilty pleasure. I was looking forward to Painkiller, the Black Lightning spin-off, but I understand that will not occur, too bad.
CW makes a lot of money licensing their low rated shows around the world and for the fact that their budgets are so low. Riverdale’s still standing because of Netflix.
I’m happy to see “Walker” ranking at the top. It is refreshing to me to see a show that centers on family relationships and not all blood and guts, “beat the crud out of the bad guy.”
Sounds boring