Classic TV Ratings and Rankings: 1962-63 Season

The 1962-63 season was a season of change major ups and downs. First, last season's #1 program, WAGON TRAIN dropped all the way down to #25 for this season. The biggest drop of a top thirty program. HAZEL, last season's top comedy, dropped 11 spots to #15, and became only the 6th most viewed comedy.

On the flip side, Second year comedy THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW rose from below the top 30 in 1961-'62 to a top 10 program in '62 - '63.

On the network side, CBS dominates the ratings. Every night of the week the network has at least one program in the top 30. In all, CBS has 21 programs in the chart below. This includes eight of the ten most viewed series of the season.

Comedy fueled the domination by CBS. Not just traditional sitcoms like THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, but the reality series CANDID CAMERA and the comedy/variety program THE RED SKELTON HOUR. GUNSMOKE is the only drama within the eight programs CBS had in the top 10.

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings

1. The Beverly Hillbillies (CBS) - 36.0
2. Candid Camera (CBS) - 31.1
2. The Red Skelton Hour (CBS) - 31.1
4. Bonanza (NBC) - 29.8
4. The Lucy Show (CBS) - 29.8
6. The Andy Griffith Show (CBS) - 29.7
7. The Danny Thomas Show (CBS) - 28.7
7. Ben Casey (ABC) - 28.7
9. The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS) - 27.1
10. Gunsmoke (CBS) - 27.0
11. The Jack Benny Program (CBS) - 26.2
11. Dr. Kildare (NBC) - 26.2
13. What's My Line (CBS) - 25.6
14. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) - 25.3
15. Hazel (NBC) - 25.1
16. I've Got a Secret (CBS) - 24.9
17. Jackie Gleason and his American Scene Magazine (CBS) - 24.1
18. The Defenders (CBS) - 23.9
19. Lassie (CBS) - 23.3
19. The Gary Moore Show (CBS) - 23.3
19. To Tell The Truth (CBS) - 23.3
22. Rawhide (CBS) - 22.8
23. Perry Mason (CBS) - 22.4
24. Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (NBC) - 22.3
25. Wagon Train (ABC) - 22.0
26. The Virginian (NBC) - 21.7
27. Route 66 (CBS) - 21.3
28. My Three Sons (ABC) - 21.0
29. Have Gun, Will Travel (CBS) - 20.8
30. The Flintstones (ABC) - 20.5