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Network TV Is Officially Back


A crop of new hits and a boost from sibling streamers gave broadcast its biggest year in, well, years.

CBS newcomers Tracker and Elsbeth exploded out of the gate when they launched this past February, dominating their respective Sunday and Thursday time slots and, along with 2022’s Fire Country, giving the network a young stable of drama hits that don’t have the initials of government agencies in their titles. Within a week of premiering new episodes, allthe aforementioned hits bring in anywhere from 7 to 11 million viewers just from linear telecasts and DVR replays — a substantial number, though obviously a lot fewer overall than what similar smashes drew 20 years ago. That’s because many of this year’s class of successful shows will likely go on to become the next generation of catalogue hits — series like Lost, Prison Break, and, yes, Suits — which post huge numbers as binge releases, either on their sibling streamers or when licensed out to platforms such as Netflix or Prime Video.

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