Classic TV Ratings and Rankings: 1956-57 Season

1956-57 was one of the early years of the growing Westerns trend hitting TV. ABC alone, had FIVE western TV series, but only THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP (#18) makes the top 30. CBS's sophomore western, GUNSMOKE, it the top show in the genre, making the top 10, at #8.

I LOVE LUCY regained its title as the #1 program on TV. The $64,000 QUESTION fever cooled off, just a bit, but was still a force at #4. CBS added a second $64,000 game show in $64,000 CHALLENGE (#22) to its hot Sunday night line up and it was an instant hit.

1956-57 was ALL about CBS. All four hours of its Sunday night lineup, eight programs, were top 30 shows. In all, CBS had the top eight programs, nine of the top 10, and 24 of the top 30. ABC placed two shows on the chart, leaving NBC with just 4 programs in the top 30. NBC's fall from dominate to also-ran, was quick. Just three season earlier, NBC had 15 top 30 programs.

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings

(38.9 million television homes)

1. I Love Lucy (CBS) - 43.7
2. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) - 38.4
3. General Electric Theater (CBS) - 36.9
4. The $64,000 Question (CBS) - 36.4
5. December Bride (CBS) - 35.2
6. Alfred Hitchcock Presents (CBS) - 33.9 
7. I've Got a Secret (CBS) - 32.7

8. Gunsmoke (CBS) - 32.7
9. The Perry Como Show (NBC) - 32.6
10. Jack Benny Program (CBS) - 32.3
11. Dragnet (CBS) - 32.1
12. Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (CBS) - 31.9
13. Disneyland (ABC) - 31.8
14. The Millionaire (CBS) - 31.8
15. The Red Skelton Show (CBS) - 31.4 
16. The Lineup (CBS) - 31.4
17. You Bet Your Life (NBC) - 31.1
18. The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (ABC) - 31.0
19. The Ford Show w/ Tennessee Ernie Ford (NBC) - 30.7

20. People Are Funny (NBC) - 30.2
21. The $64,000 Challenge (CBS) - 29.7
22. The Phil Silvers Show (CBS) - 29.7
23. Lassie (CBS) - 29.5
24. Private Secretary (CBS) - 29.0
25. What's My Line? (CBS) - 28.9
26. Climax! (CBS) - 28.9
27. Shower of Stars (CBS) - 28.9
28. The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (CBS) - 27.8
29. The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS) - 27.6
30. Name That Tune (CBS) - 27.2