The Data Stream: TV Ratings and Analysis

Numbers, analysis and enthusiasms about what and how we watch stuff on TV, by Rick Porter.

Featured

Confessions of a Cancel Bear, Vol. 3: Streaming video killed the (minor) internet star

Apr 26, 2026

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8 min read

Confessions of a Cancel Bear, Vol. 3: Streaming video killed the (minor) internet star

Discourse about shows is still often insane, but the environment that allowed TV by the Numbers and the Bear to thrive doesn't exist anymore.

Apr 19, 2026

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5 min read

Confessions of a Cancel Bear, Vol. 2

My three years as the internet persona that mauled underperforming TV shows.

Apr 12, 2026

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9 min read

Confessions of a Cancel Bear, Vol. 1

The history of TV by the Numbers and how I came to run the site and its most famous feature.

Articles

Streaming top 10s: 'Little House,' big numbers

Aug 13, 2026

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3 min read

Streaming top 10s: 'Little House,' big numbers

Plus all-time highs for two library show perennials.

Weekly on-air ratings, Aug. 3-9, plus some 'Lowdown' news

Aug 12, 2026

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3 min read

Weekly on-air ratings, Aug. 3-9, plus some 'Lowdown' news

Preseason football tops the primetime charts for the week.

The week ahead, Aug. 10-16: 'Lanterns' are lit

Aug 10, 2026

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3 min read

The week ahead, Aug. 10-16: 'Lanterns' are lit

'Reacher' is back too.

Aug 9, 2026

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5 min read

First-half highlights

'Stranger Things' and 'The Pitt' are the biggest original streaming shows in the first six months of 2026.

Weekly on-air ratings, July 27-Aug. 2: A 'Millionaire'-to-one coincidence

Aug 5, 2026

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3 min read

Weekly on-air ratings, July 27-Aug. 2: A 'Millionaire'-to-one coincidence

It's another ho-hum summer period on traditional TV.

The week ahead, Aug. 3-9: Somehow, 'Ted Lasso' returns

Aug 3, 2026

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4 min read

The week ahead, Aug. 3-9: Somehow, 'Ted Lasso' returns

An extremely busy Wednesday balances out a relatively thin calendar the other six days.