American television viewership is in transition, adopting the streaming approach of “what I want, when I want it, where I want it,” that disrupted the recording industry in the ‘90’s. Still, at some point, 90% of all viewers plop themselves into comfortable seating to watch linear, “live,” television as it’s happening, and according to Neilson, the most watched programs are one-time, single shows.
Sports and a few sitcoms and procedurals still attract an audience.
As the time-shifting trend and streaming gain in popularity, in 2020 there is one show that has rapidly risen to the top. The first season of Kevin Costner’s “Yellowstone” got mixed reviews, but 5.1 million came in to watch Paramount Network’s breakout hit, and it became the most-watched series of the year.