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Nielsen Ratings for
Buffy's Third Season


National Ratings for the Third Season

Notes:

1. For the 1998-1999 television season, each ratings point represents 994,000 households or one percent of the nation's estimated 99.4 million television households. So, for example, a rating of 3.4 means that an average of approximately (3.4 x 994,000) = 3,379,600 households were watching Buffy.

2. In the fourth column is the episode's rank among all prime time network shows for the week. For example, 93/112 means that particular episode of Buffy was in 93rd place out of the 112 network prime time shows that week. In the last column is the episode's rank among The WB network's shows for the week. For example, 4/14 means that particular episode of Buffy placed 4th out of the 14 programs on The WB that week. A "(t)" indicates a tie for that position.

3. There is additional information in a second table. The third column of that second table contains the same national household rating as in the first table, but that is followed by the share, both of which are averaged for the entire hour of the episode. Share represents the percentage of households actually watching TV at the time that were in fact watching Buffy. The last two columns contain separate ratings and share for both the first half hour and second half hour of the episode.

4. If you want to compare Buffy's ratings with those of other shows, check out the latest list of national Nielsen ratings from the San Jose Mercury News. In addition, the San Francisco Examiner has a searchable archive where you can find national Nielsen ratings for most weeks of 1998.

5. If you want insight into the way that Nielsen ratings are obtained, here is an article entitled What TV Ratings Really Mean from the official site of Nielsen Media Research.

DateEpisodeNational RatingRank: All Prime Time Shows Rank: All WB Shows
May 25, 1999Band Candy (2nd repeat)3.081/114 (t)5/16 (t)
May 24, 1999Doppelgangland (repeat)2.784/114 (t)8/16 (t)
May 18, 1999Graduation Day (Part 1 of 2)3.682/1144/15
May 17, 1999The Wish (repeat)2.888/1149/15
May 11, 1999The Prom3.887/1224/15
May 4, 1999Choices3.690/1244/15
Apr 27, 1999Bad Girls (repeat)2.898/125 (t)7/15 (t)
Apr 20, 1999The Zeppo (repeat)2.4104/129 (t)11/15 (t)
Apr 13, 1999Helpless (repeat)2.4106/12912/15
Apr 6, 1999Phases (2nd repeat)2.5102/133 (t)8/15 (t)
Mar 30, 1999Gingerbread (repeat)2.795/126 (t)5/15 (t)
Mar 23, 1999Lovers Walk (repeat)2.7101/12810/15
Mar 16, 1999Enemies4.193/130 (t)2/15 (t)
Mar 9, 1999Beauty and the Beasts (repeat)3.395/1303/16
Mar 2, 1999Revelations (repeat)2.5101/12213/15
Feb 23, 1999Doppelgangland4.484/121 (t)2/15
Feb 16, 1999Consequences4.188/1223/15
Feb 9, 1999Bad Girls4.288/125 (t)3/15
Feb 2, 1999Homecoming (repeat)3.393/1236/15
Jan 26, 1999The Zeppo4.194/133 (t)3/16
Jan 19, 1999Helpless4.685/125 (t)2/15 (t)
Jan 18, 1999Band Candy (repeat)2.4106/12514/15
Jan 12, 1999Gingerbread4.291/129 (t)3/15 (t)
Jan 5, 1999Faith, Hope & Trick (repeat)3.093/126 (t)4/15 (t)
Dec 29, 1998Becoming (Part 2 of 2) (2nd repeat)3.191/1254/15
Dec 29, 1998Becoming (Part 1 of 2) (2nd repeat)2.993/125 (t)6/15 (t)
Dec 22, 1998Dead Man's Party (repeat)2.989/1273/15
Dec 21, 1998Amends (repeat)2.298/127 (t)8/15 (t)
Dec 15, 1998Amends4.388/133 (t)3/15
Dec 8, 1998The Wish4.288/128 (t)1/15
Dec 1, 1998Anne (repeat)3.790/126 (t)2/15
Nov 24, 1998Lovers Walk3.776/110 (t)3/15 (t)
Nov 17, 1998Revelations4.492/130 (t)3/15 (t)
Nov 10, 1998Band Candy4.196/1314/15
Nov 3, 1998Homecoming4.395/134 (t)3/15
Oct 27, 1998Halloween (2nd repeat)3.4100/1295/15
Oct 20, 1998Beauty and the Beasts4.394/1314/15
Oct 13, 1998Faith, Hope & Trick3.988/125 (t)4/15 (t)
Oct 6, 1998Dead Man's Party4.385/1264/15
Sep 29, 1998Anne (Season Premiere)4.780/119 (t)2/15


DateEpisodeEntire Hour Rating/ShareFirst Half-Hour Rating/ShareSecond Half-Hour Rating/Share
May 25, 1999Band Candy (2nd repeat)3.0/53.0/53.1/5
May 24, 1999Doppelgangland (repeat)2.7/42.9/42.6/4
May 18, 1999Graduation Day (Part 1 of 2)3.6/63.5/63.8/6
May 17, 1999The Wish (repeat)2.8/42.9/42.8/4
May 11, 1999The Prom3.8/63.6/63.9/7
May 4, 1999Choices3.6/63.6/63.6/6
Apr 27, 1999Bad Girls (repeat)2.8/52.8/52.8/5
Apr 20, 1999The Zeppo (repeat)2.4/42.3/42.4/4
Apr 13, 1999Helpless (repeat)2.4/42.4/42.4/4
Apr 6, 1999Phases (2nd repeat)2.5/4NANA
Mar 30, 1999Gingerbread (repeat)2.7/42.4/42.9/5
Mar 23, 1999Lovers Walk (repeat)2.7/42.6/42.8/5
Mar 16, 1999Enemies4.1/73.8/64.4/7
Mar 9, 1999Beauty and the Beasts (repeat)3.3/53.2/53.4/5
Mar 2, 1999Revelations (repeat)2.5/42.5/42.5/4
Feb 23, 1999Doppelgangland4.4/74.2/74.7/7
Feb 16, 1999Consequences4.1/64.0/64.2/6
Feb 9, 1999Bad Girls4.2/73.9/64.5/7
Feb 2, 1999Homecoming (repeat)3.3/53.2/53.5/5
Jan 26, 1999The Zeppo4.1/63.9/64.3/7
Jan 19, 1999Helpless4.6/74.5/74.8/7
Jan 18, 1999Band Candy (repeat)2.4/42.5/42.3/4
Jan 12, 1999Gingerbread4.2/74.1/64.3/7
Jan 5, 1999Faith, Hope & Trick (repeat)3.0/52.8/43.2/5
Dec 29, 1998Becoming (Part 2 of 2) (2nd repeat)3.1/53.0/53.3/5
Dec 29, 1998Becoming (Part 1 of 2) (2nd repeat)2.9/52.8/53.0/5
Dec 22, 1998Dead Man's Party (repeat)2.9/52.8/53.0/5
Dec 21, 1998Amends (repeat)2.2/32.2/32.2/3
Dec 15, 1998Amends4.3/74.1/74.5/7
Dec 8, 1998The Wish4.2/74.1/74.3/7
Dec 1, 1998Anne (repeat)3.7/63.6/63.8/6
Nov 24, 1998Lovers Walk3.7/63.6/63.9/6
Nov 17, 1998Revelations4.4/74.3/74.5/7
Nov 10, 1998Band Candy4.1/64.0/64.2/6
Nov 3, 1998Homecoming4.3/74.1/64.6/7
Oct 27, 1998Halloween (2nd repeat)3.4/53.4/53.5/5
Oct 20, 1998Beauty and the Beasts4.3/74.0/74.5/7
Oct 13, 1998Faith, Hope & Trick3.9/63.7/64.1/6
Oct 6, 1998Dead Man's Party4.3/74.0/74.5/7
Sep 29, 1998Anne (Season Premiere)4.7/84.4/74.9/8


Overnight Ratings for the Third Season

Notes:

1. The following table contains the overnight household ratings that are based on results from viewing in some of the largest television markets, not the nation as a whole. This means that they cannot be directly compared to the national ratings above. Note that on October 29, 1998, the number of markets used to generate the overnight ratings increased from 40 to 44 with the addition of Las Vegas, NV, Birmingham (Anniston and Tuscaloosa), AL, Providence, RI-New Bedford, MA, and Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC. On April 1, 1999 the number of markets used to generate the overnight ratings increased from 44 to 46 with the addition of Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA, and Oklahoma City, OK. Here is a list of the overnight markets.

2. Buffy's overnight ratings tend to be higher than its corresponding national ratings for a couple of reasons. The WB reaches a higher percentage of households in these larger markets than in the nation as a whole because The WB lacks affiliates in some of the smaller markets. In addition, Buffy just tends to do better in these larger, urban markets.

3. Starting April 1, 1999, each overnight ratings point represents 636,299 households or one percent of the estimated 63,629,850 TV households in the 46 overnight markets. From October 29, 1998, to March 31, 1999, each overnight ratings point represented 623,883 households or one percent of the estimated 62,388,260 TV households in the 44 overnight TV markets. Before October 29, 1998, each overnight ratings point represented 598,402 households or one percent of the estimated 59,840,200 TV households in the 40 overnight TV markets. Share is the percentage of households in these markets actually watching TV at the time that were in fact watching Buffy.

DateEpisode
Overnight Rating/Share
May 25, 1999Band Candy (2nd repeat)3.7/5
May 24, 1999Doppelgangland (repeat)3.2/5
May 18, 1999Graduation Day (Part 1 of 2)4.5/7
May 17, 1999The Wish (repeat)3.4/5
May 11, 1999The Prom4.8/8
May 4, 1999Choices5.2/8
April 27, 1999Bad Girls (repeat)4.3/7
April 20, 1999The Zeppo (repeat)3.2/5
April 13, 1999Helpless (repeat)3.2/5
April 6, 1999Phases (2nd repeat)3.7/6
March 30, 1999Gingerbread (repeat)3.6/6
March 23, 1999Lovers Walk (repeat)4.1/6
March 16, 1999Enemies5.5/8
March 9, 1999Beauty and the Beasts (repeat)4.6/7
March 2, 1999Revelations (repeat)3.8/6
February 23, 1999Doppelgangland6.1/9
February 16, 1999Consequences5.8/9
February 9, 1999Bad Girls6.1/9
February 2, 1999Homecoming (repeat)4.4/7
January 26, 1999The Zeppo5.4/8
January 19, 1999Helpless5.7/9
January 18, 1999Band Candy (repeat)3.0/5
January 12, 1999Gingerbread5.3/8
January 5, 1999Faith, Hope & Trick (repeat)4.5/7
December 29, 1998Becoming (Part 2 of 2) (2nd repeat)3.9/6
December 29, 1998Becoming (Part 1 of 2) (2nd repeat)3.7/6
December 22, 1998Dead Man's Party (repeat)3.8/6
December 21, 1998Amends (repeat)3.2/5
December 15, 1998Amends5.4/9
December 8, 1998The Wish5.9/9
December 1, 1998Anne (repeat)4.4/7
November 24, 1998Lovers Walk5.4/8
November 17, 1998Revelations5.9/9
November 10, 1998Band Candy5.7/8
November 3, 1998Homecoming6.1/9
October 27, 1998Halloween (2nd repeat)4.9/8
October 20, 1998Beauty and the Beasts6.2/10
October 13, 1998Faith, Hope & Trick6.2/9
October 6, 1998Dead Man's Party6.1/10
September 29, 1998Anne (Season Premiere)6.1/10

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