Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009)
Most-watched TV show last decade? “American Idol.” Second most-watched TV show last decade? “American Idol.”
The Fox show that searches for America’s next singing superstar also occupies eight of the Top 10 spots in the decade’s most-watched list, which is based on Nielsen ratings from 2000 to 2009.
But which season of “American Idol” was most watched? That would be Season 5 won by Taylor Hicks. An average of 31 million viewers tuned in each Tuesday for the performance show (No. 1 on the list), while 30 million returned on Wednesday for the results show (No. 2). 
Keeping “Idol” from a Top 8 clean sweep was CBS’s reality competition show, “Survivor.”
Season 2 of “Survivor” set in the Australian Outback and won by Tina Wesson is No. 3 on the list with an average of 29.8 million watchers each week. And Season 1 set in Borneo and won by Richard Hatch is No. 6 with 28.3 million watchers.
CBS’s crime drama “CSI” is the only other show to make the decade’s Top 15. It averaged 26.3 million total viewers for Season 5 and 26.2 million for Season 6 — placing it at No. 12 and 13 on the list.
Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009)
Show (Season, Network), Total Viewers
1. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2006, Fox) 31.0 million
2. American Idol (Wednedays in 2006, Fox) 30.0
3. Survivor: Australian Outback (2000-01, CBS) 29.8
4. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2008, Fox) 28.9
5. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2007, Fox) 28.6
6. Survivor: Borneo (Summer 2000, CBS) 28.3
7. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2008, Fox) 27.9
8. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2007, Fox) 27.8
9. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2005, Fox) 27.4
10. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2004, Fox) 25.7
11. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2009, Fox) 26.5
12. CSI (2004-05, CBS) 26.3
13. CSI (2002-03, CBS) 26.2
13. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2009, Fox) 26.2
15. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2005, Fox) 26.0
16. CSI (2003-04, CBS) 25.6
17. CSI (2005-06, CBS) 25.0
18. Friends (2001-02, NBC) 24.5
19. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2004, Fox) 24.3
20. CSI (2001-02, CBS) 23.7
21. Desperate Housewives (2004-05, ABC) 23.4
22. Joe Millionaire (2002-03, Fox) 22.8
23. ER (2000-01, NBC) 22.4
24. ER (2001-02, NBC) 22.1
24. Desperate Housewives (2005-06, ABC) 22.1
26. American Idol (Wednesdays in 2003) 21.9
27. Friends (2002-03, NBC) 21.8
28. Dancing With the Stars (Fall 2007) 21.7
29. American Idol (Tuesdays in 2003) 21.5
29. Survivor: All Stars (Spring 2004, CBS) 21.5
29. NCIS (Fall 2009, CBS) 21.5
32. Friends (2003-04, NBC) 21.4
33. Survivor: Thailand (Fall 2002, CBS) 21.2
34. Survivor: Palau (Spring 2005, CBS) 20.9
35. Survivor: Marquesas (Spring 2002, CBS) 20.8
36. Survivor: Africa (2001-02, CBS) 20.7
36. Survivor: Pearl Islands (Fall 2003, CBS) 20.7
36. The Apprentice (2003-04, NBC) 20.7
39. Dancing With the Stars (2008-09, ABC) 20.2
40. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Wednesdays in 2000-01, ABC) 20.1
41. Everybody Loves Raymond (2001-02, CBS) 20.0
41. ER (2002-03, NBC) 20.0
41. Dancing With the Stars (2006-07, ABC) 20.0
44. Survivor: Amazon (Spring 2003) 19.9
45. Friends (2000-01, NBC) 19.7
45. Grey’s Anatomy (2005-06, ABC) 19.7
45. Dancing With the Stars (Spring 2008, ABC) 19.7
48. Survivor: Vanuatu (Fall 2004, CBS) 19.6
48. Dancing With the Stars Results (Fall 2007, ABC) 19.6
50. ER (2003-04, NBC) 19.5
51. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Sundays in 2000-01, ABC) 19.4
52. CSI (2006-07, CBS) 19.2
53. Everybody Loves Raymond (2000-01, CBS) 19.1
54. CSI (2008-09, CBS) 19.0
55. CSI: Miami (2004-05, CBS) 18.9
56. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesdays in 2000-01, ABC) 18.8
56. Without a Trace (2004-05, CBS) 18.8
56. Dancing With the Stars 4 (2006-07, ABC) 18.8
59. Law & Order (2001-02, NBC) 18.7
59. Without a Trace (2005-06, CBS) 18.7
61. Friends — 8:30 p.m. (2001-02, NBC) 18.6
61. Dancing With the Stars 3 Results (2006-07, ABC) 18.6
63. Everybody Loves Raymond (2002-03, CBS) 18.5
63. Dancing With the Stars (2005-06, ABC) 18.5
65. The Practice (2000-01, ABC) 18.3
65. Survivor 11: Guatemala (2005-06, CBS) 18.3
67. Dancing With the Stars Results (Spring 2008, ABC) 18.2
67. Dancing With the Stars” (Fall 2009, ABC), 18.2
69. CSI: Miami (2003-04, CBS) 18.1
70. Grey’s Anatomy (2004-05, ABC) 18.0
70. CSI: Miami (2005-06, CBS) 18.0
72. NCIS (2008-09, CBS) 17.9
73. CSI (2000-01, CBS) 17.8
73. Grey’s Anatomy (2006-07, ABC) 17.8
75. Law & Order (2000-01, NBC) 17.7
75. House (2006-07, Fox) 17.7
75. Desperate Housewives (2007-08, ABC) 17.7
78. House (2007-08, Fox) 17.6
79. Dancing With the Stars Results (2006-07, ABC) 17.5
79. The Mentalist (2008-09, CBS) 17.5
81. Everybody Loves Raymond (2003-04, CBS) 17.4
82. Will & Grace (2000-01, NBC) 17.3
82. Law & Order (2002-03, NBC) 17.3
82. Will & Grace (2001-02, NBC) 17.3
85. The West Wing (2001-02, NBC) 17.2
85. House (2005-06, Fox) 17.2
87. The West Wing (2000-01, NBC) 17.0
87. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Thursdays in 2000-01, ABC) 17.0
87. “The Mentalist” (Fall 2009, CBS) 17.0
87. “NCIS: Los Angeles” (Fall 2009, CBS) 17.0
91. Without a Trace (2003-04, CBS) 16.9
91. Everybody Loves Raymond (2004-05, CBS) 16.9
93. Will & Grace (2002-03, NBC) 16.8
93. Dancing With the Stars (June-July 2005, ABC) 16.8
95. The Bachelorette (2002-03, ABC) 16.7
95. CSI (2007-08, CBS) 16.7
97. Temptation Island (2000-01, Fox) 16.6
97. My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance (2003-04, Fox) 16.6
97. Survivor 12: Panama (2005-06, CBS) 16.6
100. Leap of Faith (2001-02, NBC) 16.5
100. CSI: Miami (2002-03, CBS) 16.5
102. Dancing With the Stars Results (2008-09, ABC) 16.4
103. Becker (2001-02, CBS) 16.3
103. Desperate Housewives (2006-07, ABC) 16.3
103. “CSI” (Fall 2009, CBS) 16.3
106. “Dancing With the Stars Results” (Fall 2009, ABC) 16.1
107. Two and a Half Men (2004-05, CBS) 16.2
107. CSI: Miami (2006-07, CBS) 16.2
107. Grey’s Anatomy (2007-08, ABC) 16.2
110. Becker (2000-01, CBS) 16.1
110. The Apprentice 2 (2004-05, NBC) 16.1
112. Frasier (2000-01, NBC) 15.9
112. Scrubs (2002-03, NBC) 15.9
112. Law & Order (2003-04, NBC) 15.9
112. Lost (2004-05, ABC) 15.9
116. 60 Minutes (2000-01, CBS) 15.8
116. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2004-05, ABC) 15.8
116. Survivor 13: Cook Islands (2006, CBS) 15.8
119. Desperate Housewives (2008-09, ABC) 15.7
119. “Desperate Housewives” (Fall 2009, ABC) 15.7
121. “Grey’s Anatomy” (Fall 2009, ABC) 15.6
121. “House” (Fall 2009, Fox) 15.6
121. Just Shoot Me (2000-01, NBC) 15.6
121. Will & Grace (2003-04, NBC) 15.6
121. Deal or No Deal (2005-06, NBC) 15.6
NOTE: Total viewers is based on TV ratings released by Nielsen Media Research.
For a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2001-02, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2002-03, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2003-04, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2004-05, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2005-06, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2006-07, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2007-08, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2008-09, click here
For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2009-10 (through Dec. 20), click here
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Comments
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2001-02, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2000-01, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]
Taylor was always the brightest star to be seen on AI and continues to shine! Love him, his brand, his music, his own-man mentality! Congrats to being #1 (and #2)!
TAYLOR, YOU DID IT! YOU MADE US PROUD, WEEK AFTER WEEK, NO MATTER WHAT THE MEDIA SAYS NOW! CONGRATULATIONS! AND ENJOY YOUR FAME!
Season 5 American Idol had an amazing cast headed by Taylor Hicks. Somehow, AI got everything right that year. I still follow Taylor Hicks and several of the other contestants. The Taylor Hicks season was a fabulous year that will never be surpassed.
Yes,the moment Taylor opened his mouth and let his soul seep thru every note he sang…He enchanted us all. Taylor was the best thing to happen to me in the last 10 years. I will be grateful to Idol for the gift of Taylor and my SoulPatrol4ever family. Long after Idol is history…my friends and family have been made richer because of Taylor Hicks. No matter how TPTB wish to squash the flames of the SoulPatrol…we are still here and we still LOVE and respect Taylor Hicks.
Season 5 of AI was the best ever, and Taylor Hicks is the best ever artist to come out of that show. It was a season packed with super talents, and likeable contestants.
Season 5 was the best ever. The best winner and the best contestants. Taylor Hicks has brought sunshine into my live. His music still gives me chills. If you are a Taylor Hicks fan, you will love his new DVD: Whomp at the Warfield.
Jazz, soul, funk, country, rock, blues = WHOMP All of the songs are fantastic. Also, a great interview with 2 extra songs. Taylor sure can sing and put on a wonderful performance. Worth the money. 5 stars.
I must echo each & every word that Carole posted above. Season 5 will go down in history & Never be repeated. Tremendous talent shone that year! As a live performer, Taylor Hicks cannot be outdone. Energized with Raw talent, needing no ‘bells or whistles’ to command a crowd.
‘Whomp At The Warfield’ showcases Taylor’s ability to please any crowd; so don’t make the mistake of attempting to place him into any genre. He is Not ‘boxed’ talent.
Taylor brightens up my day, every day. He is THE BEST. I wish this artcle could be posted everywhere to remind viewers just how special Mr. Hicks is.
American Idol is reality TV show. I like this show. It is singing show. It is best stage of home singer.
I can’t believe so many people were enthralled by American Idol. What a waste of air (and air time).
Desperate Housewives is one that I can think have money troubles and Tom and Lynette did too. It’s kinda ironic considering they are supposed to be 5 years into the future.
[...] a list of the Decade’s Top 125 Most-Watched TV Shows (2000-2009), click here For a list of Top 20 Most-Watched TV Programs in 2001-02, click here For a list of Top 20 [...]