I've been thinking about this for awhile, but what are some popular television programs that show an excessive drop in the ratings from one season to the next.

For example:

Who's The Boss (#19) in season 7 to #76 in season 8
The Jeffersons (#19) in season 10 to #52 in season 11
Growing Pains (#27) in season 6 to #76 in season 7
AfterMASH (#15) in season 1 to #72 in season 2
Alice (#25) in season 8 to #58 in season 9
Coach (#6) in season 6 to #53 in season 7
Coach (#15) in season 8 to #64 in season 9
A Different World (#17) in season 5 to #71 in season 6
Major Dad (#9) in season 3 to #69 in season 4
Designing Women (#6) in season 6 to #67 in season 7
Murder She Wrote (#8) in season 11 to #58 in season 12
Wagon Train (#1) in season 5 to #25 in season 6
Hope & Gloria (#14) in season 1 to #98 in season 2
Veronica's Closet (#5) in season 2 to #82 in season 3
Mork & Mindy (#3) in season 1 to #27 in season 2
Family Ties (#2) in season 5 to #17 in season 6
The Golden Girls (#10) in season 6 to #30 in season 7
The Fall Guy (#22) in season 4 to # 72 in season 5 (Wikipedia article factually incorrect)

Anymore?


**Frequently edited to add more shows on the list**

**Thanks all for the updates**

Sources: The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present, TV Guide - The Best and Worst of TV (1985-1985 season), TV Guide - The Best and Worst of TV (1987-1988), USA Today --published list of entire ratings from season 1992-1993, TV Guide - The Best and Worst of TV (1985-1986)

I wonder how many of these shows declined in viewers because of the quality of the show or a change in timeslot?

I know Designing women was cancelled for low ratings but that was mainly because they moved it to a different time slot, to friday, which is the death slot for all shows.

Off the top of my head, I remember The O.C. had a drop off. I mean it scored during season 1 but not so much season 2.

Family Ties fell from 2nd place in S5 to 17th in S6, with 47% drop from previous season.

Laverne & Shirley fell from 1st place in S4 and was not in top 30 for next season.

The Drew Carey Show has to qualify. I remember it being so big near the beginning and near the end it was completely forgotten.

#19 was still pretty good for the Jeffersons in season 10


But here is another drop off in the ratings for the Jeffersons. After finishing at #4 after season 1

season 2...#21
season 3...#22
season 4...#56

just shoot me had a pretty big ratings drop between its next to last season and its last season

Even the great shows have crappy ratings in the last season


Maude..........#78

Sanford and Son..........below #30



All in the Family was one of the only shows to still be in the top ten during it's last season at #10

Even the great shows have crappy ratings in the last season


Maude..........#78

Sanford and Son..........below #30



All in the Family was one of the only shows to still be in the top ten during it's last season at #10

Thank, I'll try and add more...on a separate note, Your right, it's hard to stay on top...I can only think of a few other shows that ended their run in the top 10:

1. Everybody Loves Raymond
2. Cheers
3. Seinfeld
4. I Love Lucy
5. The Andy Griffith Show
6. MASH
7. The Lucy Show
8. Bridget Loves Bernie (1 and only season)
9. Funny Face (1 and only season)
10. Friends
11. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
12. Who Want's To Be A Millionaire?

I wonder how many of these shows declined in viewers because of the quality of the show or a change in timeslot?

I know Designing women was cancelled for low ratings but that was mainly because they moved it to a different time slot, to friday, which is the death slot for all shows.

Yes, practically all of them are time slot changes, some stayed on the same night though, like "The Golden Girls" and "A Different World"

Meanwhile, "Wagon Train" fell after moving from NBC to ABC, although it was the same time slot.

#19 was still pretty good for the Jeffersons in season 10


But here is another drop off in the ratings for the Jeffersons. After finishing at #4 after season 1

season 2...#21
season 3...#22
season 4...#56

S1 aired after All in the Family, next season CBS moved AITF to Monday while The Jeffersons took Saturday 8pm slot.

Empty Nest had huge drop after GG ended.

S4 - 45
S5 - 62
S6 - 118

Empty Nest had huge drop after GG ended.

S4 - 45
S5 - 62
S6 - 118

NBC tried really, really hard with Saturday evenings after the Golden Girls was done..

But what about the Golden Girls spin-off on CBS that next season?

Yikes, #64!

The pic upload is from a USA today article for the final Nielsen rating period for the 1992-93 season.

**If you update WIKI on a regular basis do NOT mistake ratings with viewers for future generations.**

Funny how times have changed
A show with a rating of 10.0 would be a smash hit these days. Back then, it was a cause for cancellation

LOL. True.