“Tracker” is back. So do viewers of the hit CBS drama. Star Justin Hartley returned on October 19 with 12.97 million viewers, according to Nielsen Live+7 Days multiplatform data. That’s a 17% increase from the Season 2 premiere of “Trackers” a year ago, according to CBS.
“Tracker” was one of four CBS shows in the top five so far this fall, according to the latest multiplatform seven-day viewership chart for the 2025-2026 broadcast season (entertainment only; that doesn’t include sports, which dominate primetime).
CBS waited until mid-October to bring back most of its scripted series, naming the week of October 12th “CBS Premiere Week.”
Besides “Tracker,” other shows that have fared well so far include “Matlock,” which averaged 10.7 million viewers after two episodes. “60 Minutes” is an annual news magazine. 8.9 million viewers across four episodes. And then there’s the newcomer “Boston Blue,” a spin-off of “Blue Bloods,” which was released on October 17 and garnered 8.64 million viewers.
The Boston Blue’s numbers were a 6% increase compared to the previous year’s Blue Bloods’ season average. Among other series premieres, “Sheriff Country” (a spinoff of “Fire Nation”) on Oct. 17 averaged 7.73 million viewers (up 35% from last year’s season average for previous time slot holder “SWAT”), and new comedy “DMV” started on Oct. 13 with 6.6 million viewers, an increase of 46% over last year’s time slot holder “Poppa’s House”‘s season average.
Among other CBS returners, the season 23 premiere of NCIS averaged 8.6 million viewers. The Season 5 premiere of “Ghost” averaged 8.27 million viewers. The first two episodes of “Elsbeth” Season 3 averaged 8.26 million viewers.
Additionally, the season 2 premiere of the comedy “Georgie and Mandy’s First Wedding” averaged 7.85 million viewers, and the season 8 premiere of “FBI” averaged 7.58 million viewers.
Thanks to the return of these series, CBS now leads entertainment productions in live+7 ratings decline, with an average multiplatform total of 6.8 million viewers, followed by ABC (6.5 million), NBC (5.7 million) and Fox (3.1 million), according to CBS.
