On Broadcast TV, Reboots and Reality Reign Supreme in July 2021
In television in 2021, what’s old is new again. Reboots and reunion episodes are popping up all over the place, from the epic Friends Reunion on HBO Max to the reboot of Gossip Girl on Netflix and Punky Brewster on Peacock. But reboots are not just the domain of streaming TV. The networks are also getting into the act with a re-imagining of The Wonder Years expected to hit ABC this Fall. But this summer, Kung Fu, and Dynasty on the CW gave us a glimpse into the power and popularity of such remakes, taking spots one and three on the Attention Index.
Kung Fu, the top attention-grabbing show in primetime Broadcast television in July of 2021 is a remake of the 1970’s classic of the same name with a modern twist and efforts to make it more representative, with a female Asian lead in the new story. The 13-episode series wrapped in July. Our research shows that it is typical for programming to see an increase in attention for the penultimate and final episodes of episodic television, and Kung Fu was no exception, appearing on our Top Ten for the first time this month.
A number of other shows on the Broadcast Top Ten for Attention are standard staples on these lists, including The Bachelorette (ABC), Big Brother (NBC), and America’s Got Talent (CBS) all making the list.
July 2021 Attention Scores Shows that Cable TV Continues To Deliver Highly Engaged Audiences
TVision data consistently shows that cable TV delivers higher attention levels, on average than its broadcast counterparts. While cable audiences may be smaller, these viewers are generally more intentional as they seek out niche content that is highly relevant to their interests. The July 2021 data shows the same results with three programs performing above 50%, including The Machines That Built America, on The History Channel, Fasten Your Seatbelt on A&E, and Grown-ish on Freeform.
HGTV programming often makes our Cable Top Ten list and this month is no exception. Given the booming housing markets in many locations across the United States this year, it’s not surprising that viewers are turning to real-estate programming, including Beachfront Bargain Hunt, My Lottery Dream Home, and House Hunter’s International.
Reality television also draws attention on Cable TV with the television institution that is Real Housewives of Beverly Hills making our Top Ten list as well as Doubling Down With the Derricos, TLC’s latest peek at the life of a large family. For the full list of the top cable shows by attention, read below.
TV Ad Attention measures how effectively an ad or ads held viewers’ Attention while they aired. It is measured as the percentage of all ad impressions in which the viewer was looking at the TV screen for two or more seconds.
Broadcast Top 10 | July 2021
