Any?

Sisters (NBC)
American Dad (FOX)

Was Quantum Leap ever in top 40?

Today shows usually reach 4-5 seasons to have enough episodes for syndication regardless of their chart position.

St. Elsewhere (NBC, 1982-88) gained a small yet loyal following. Over the course of its six-season run, the series never ranked higher an 49th place in the yearly Nielsen ratings. It also found rather strong audience in the 18-to-49 age demographic, the demographic that is known for a young and affluent audience that TV advertisers were so eager to reach. It also earned critical acclaim during its run, earning 13 Emmy Awards for its writing, acting and directing.

Not sure if St. Elsewhere was the longest-running series on the broadcast TV networks to have never made the Nielsen Top 30.

Quantum Leap was never in the top 30 from one source,but the Associated Press claims it peaked at No.12,an estimated 60 million viewer tuned in,but this was a rerun that aired in 1990
The show averaged a 12.3 Nielsen rating.

THE ODD COUPLE, STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE

THE ODD COUPLE, STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE

Should any shows that aired on The WB, UPN or The CW count!?

Should any shows that aired on The WB, UPN or The CW count!?
sure, why not?

sure, why not?None of WB/UPN/CW shows ever make the top 40. They're netlets that don't come near the big 4 in ratings.

Should any shows that aired on The WB, UPN or The CW count!?

No, because those networks never made the top 40. I would only count NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. Just because those networks are the only ones really capable to have top 40 shows.

Mr. Belvedere - 6 Seasons (March 1985 - July 1990). Best ratings was #45, outside the Top 40.

According to Jim - 8 Seasons (October 2001 - June 2009), never even made a dent in the Top 30, much less Top 40 at all. The only time it even made the Top 50 was in its 4th season, which placed at 47th. And after that, it took a massive nosedive in the ratings into the dreaded 100's.

Melrose Place, closest it ever came was #50. However, it should be noted in terms of the weekly ratings MP was consistently a top 10 performer.

Mr. Belvedere - 6 Seasons (March 1985 - July 1990). Best ratings was #45, outside the Top 40.I'm glad it lasted that long! a very underrated show

Melrose Place, closest it ever came was #50. However, it should be noted in terms of the weekly ratings MP was consistently a top 10 performer.If Melrose Place constantly made the top 10 how was its high only #50?

If Melrose Place constantly made the top 10 how was its high only #50?

Maybe in A18-49.

If Melrose Place constantly made the top 10 how was its high only #50?


It was a very popular show within the weekly ratings, typically a top 10 series. However in the yearly ratings it was never higher than #50. You have to remember shows got much higher ratings back in the 90's so a show that was a top 10 hit in the weekly ratings may not have necessarily placed as high in the overall yearly ratings.

According to Jim - 8 Seasons (October 2001 - June 2009), never even made a dent in the Top 30, much less Top 40 at all. The only time it even made the Top 50 was in its 4th season, which placed at 47th. And after that, it took a massive nosedive in the ratings into the dreaded 100's.

It amazes me that According to Jim lasted as long as it did considering that it was never a huge ratings success and not that many people will openly admit to actually liking it. ATJ just strikes me as one of those shows that the network keeps around as long as possible in hopes or reaping the benefits of syndication profits. I also suspect that ABC didn't have much else to offer sitcom-wise during the early 2000s.

I've only seen the Top 30 in bookx, and I know that Leave It to Beaver & The Brady Bunch never got into the Top 30 in any season yet lasted 6 & 5 seasons respectively. I Dream of Jeannie did make Top 30 (but not Top 25) in its 1st & 4th seasons.

ATJ I also suspect that ABC didn't have much else to offer sitcom-wise during the early 2000s.


Exactly! this was during a time period when ABC had a serious comedy drought... After "Dharma & Greg" left the air and until "Modern Family" debut, ABC had a very serious issue developing comedy series, with the most successful during this time period being "Ugly Betty" and "Samantha Who"... Betty was a hit for a short time but faded quickly, and Samantha Who they had killed by moving it to Thursday nights.

Hang Time of TNBC was alright. It was a kids show in the beginning until it became a real general audience type of show in the end.

St. Elsewhere (NBC, 1982-88) gained a small yet loyal following. Over the course of its six-season run, the series never ranked higher an 49th place in the yearly Nielsen ratings. It also found rather strong audience in the 18-to-49 age demographic, the demographic that is known for a young and affluent audience that TV advertisers were so eager to reach. It also earned critical acclaim during its run, earning 13 Emmy Awards for its writing, acting and directing.

Not sure if St. Elsewhere was the longest-running series on the broadcast TV networks to have never made the Nielsen Top 30.

Ummm... With all due respect, don't report something you know nothing about. St. Elsewhere was a huge show when it first aired.

It's the tiniest huge show ever, then.

Wikipedia's annual TV schedules have Nielsen ratings for the Top 30 shows each year. St. Elsewhere isn't included for its first three seasons, so it was out of the top 30. After those seasons, Wikipedia gets a little more expansive in what it includes:

1985-86, No. 53
1986-87, No. 55
1987-88, No. 48

I also dug up a 1983-84 article that St. Elsewhere was the lowest rated show to be renewed, at No. 70.

So what?

The original MacGyver on ABC Network (seven seasons, 1985-1992) never ranked in the Nielsen Top 30 year-end ratings, either, even while it was the lead-in to Monday Night Football.

The Big Bang Theory barely made a dent in the ratings in its first few seasons.

Season 1: 68 (lower than St. Elsewhere)
Season 2: 40
Season 3: 12
Season 4: 13

Also, I wish the thread's title said "...never made the Top 30 in the Nielsens" instead of "40", because most sources only have 30 positions for the Nielsen Year-end rankings.

It amazes me that According to Jim lasted as long as it did considering that it was never a huge ratings success and not that many people will openly admit to actually liking it. ATJ just strikes me as one of those shows that the network keeps around as long as possible in hopes or reaping the benefits of syndication profits. I also suspect that ABC didn't have much else to offer sitcom-wise during the early 2000s.

Indeed! ABC was in development hell when it came to new sitcoms after the 1990s-early 2000s ended.

Even George Lopez, which had 6 seasons in a 5-year span didn't make much of a dent in the ratings either in its initial ABC run.

Barney Miller

It was a very popular show within the weekly ratings, typically a top 10 series. However in the yearly ratings it was never higher than #50. You have to remember shows got much higher ratings back in the 90's so a show that was a top 10 hit in the weekly ratings may not have necessarily placed as high in the overall yearly ratings.


That makes no sense. The annual ratings are a compilation of weekly ratings. You can't consistently be in the top 10 for 52 weeks and not make the top 50 in annual ratings. It isn't mathematically possible. The only possibility for that to happen is if the show was only on for part of the year.

MacGyver ran for 7 seasons on ABC (1985-1992), but never made the Top 40.
*1985-86: #47, 14.6 rating, 22 share
*1986-87: #45, 14.6 rating, 22 share
*1987-88: #53, 12.9 rating
*1988-89: #42, 13.6 rating
*1989-90: #47, 12.3 rating, 20 share
*1990-91: #52, 11.5 rating
*1991-92: #64, 9.6 rating, 16 share

Indeed! ABC was in development hell when it came to new sitcoms after the 1990s-early 2000s ended.

Even George Lopez, which had 6 seasons in a 5-year span didn't make much of a dent in the ratings either in its initial ABC run.

ABC in the early 2000's was interesting because they had several to me great shows that mostly never caught on. If I recall, when John Ritter died in 2003 they were worried because at the time 8 Rules was their most popular show. Then when Desperate Housewives and Lost premiered they got more traction, which increased once Modern Family premiered. ABC seems to be heading that way again as most of their sitcoms once again doing the same thing.

Anyway, I believe Married With Children never made the top 40 and the Brady Bunch I can't remember their highest rating but it was low.

ABC in the early 2000's was interesting because they had several to me great shows that mostly never caught on. If I recall, when John Ritter died in 2003 they were worried because at the time 8 Rules was their most popular show. Then when Desperate Housewives and Lost premiered they got more traction, which increased once Modern Family premiered. ABC seems to be heading that way again as most of their sitcoms once again doing the same thing.

Anyway, I believe Married With Children never made the top 40 and the Brady Bunch I can't remember their highest rating but it was low.


Indeed, following the surprise success of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" in 1999, ABC saw increased success and ratings for all shows on ABC rose as a result of it airing five nights a week. But then when the show suddenly fell out of popularity ratings for all ABC shows took a nosedive dramatically and ABC fell to fourth place in the ratings and stayed there until they had surprise success in the 2004-2005 season with the launches of "Desperate Housewives", "Lost", "Grey's Anatomy" all of which became breakout successes for the network; particularly in the coveted 18-49 demographics.