Classic TV Ratings and Rankings: 1964-65 Season

The golden era of westerns may have past, but NBC's BONANZA became the #1 series for the 1964-65 season, over taking THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (#12)unfortunately for NBC, BONANZA is the network's only top 10 show, and one of just three in the top 20 (DISNEY at #11, and mid-season series BRANDED at #14).

CBS still dominates the charts, but ABC is picking up steam. It has the #2 show of the season, freshman sitcom BEWITCHED, and places four programs in the top 10. Freshman Drama PEYTON PLACE airs twice a week and dows very well on both Thursdays (#9) and Tuesdays (#20).

This is also the year both THE MUNSTERS and THE ADAMS FAMILY debut. both are hit series, but CBS' THE MUNSTERS has the edge by ranking #18 to ABC's THE ADAMS FAMILY at #23.

Sitcoms are beginning to surge. No less than 14 sitcoms are ranked in the top 30 shows, all by either ABC or CBS. NBC scored 0 comedy hits in 1964-65.

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings
(Households with TVs - 52.7 million)

1. Bonanza (NBC) - 36.3 
2. Bewitched (ABC) - 31.0
3. Gomer Pyle, USMC (CBS) - 30.7
4. The Andy Griffith Show (CBS) - 28.3
5. The Fugitive (ABC) - 27.9
6. The Red Skelton Hour (CBS) - 27.4
7. The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS) - 27.1
8. The Lucy Show (CBS) - 26.6
9. Peyton Place [Thurs] (ABC) - 26.4
10. Combat! (ABC) - 26.1
11. Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (NBC) - 25.7
12. The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS) - 25.6
13. My Three Sons (ABC) - 25.5
14. Branded (NBC) - 25.3
15. Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) - 25.2
15. Petticoat Junction (CBS) - 25.2
17. Lassie (CBS) - 25.1
18. The Munsters (CBS) - 24.7
18. Gilligan's Island (CBS) - 24.7
20. Peyton Place [Tues] (ABC) - 24.6
21. Jackie Gleason and his American Scene Magazine (CBS) - 24.4
22. The Virginian (NBC) - 24.0
23. The Adams Family (ABC) - 23.9
24. My Favorite Martian (CBS) - 23.7
25. Flipper (NBC) - 23.4
26. I've Got a Secret (CBS) - 23.0
27. Gunsmoke (CBS) - 22.6
28. The Patty Duke Show (ABC) - 22.4
29. McHale's Navy (ABC) - 22.3
30. The Lawrence Welk Show (ABC) - 22.0