"Though it doesn't snag the Emmy love or buzz of shows like Abbott Elementary and The Bear, the single-camera half-hour has been a quiet ratings smash: Last season, Ghosts averaged 12.1 million multi-platform viewers, per Nielsen, making it network TV's most-watched comedy (tied with CBS's Big Bang Theory spinoff, George & Mandy's First Marriage) and a bigger hit than streaming heavyweights such as The White Lotus and 1923."
"A source tells me this is very much a test: For now, Ghosts is only scheduled to air on these stations for ten weeks, leaving their lineups in mid-December. The hope is that ratings for these local broadcasts will be strong enough to make a case to launch Ghosts into national syndication, most likely in the fall of 2026, when the show will have also built up a library of roughly 90 episodes."
Ghosts returns to CBS after averaging 12.1 million multi-platform viewers last season, making it one of network television's top comedies. The series outperformed several streaming hits and remains a ratings heavyweight despite limited awards buzz. Changing syndication economics have made local stations cautious about off-network sitcoms unless they meet specific pedigree or age criteria. CBS Studios, Lionsgate, and BBC Studios launched a quiet test, airing Ghosts five nights a week on 13 CBS-owned stations and WCIU for ten weeks. The test aims to produce local ratings to justify a national syndication rollout, likely in fall 2026 when the series reaches roughly 90 episodes. The show's single-camera format features rapid-fire jokes and largely self-contained half-hours, aiding syndication appeal.
Read at Vulture
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]