Nielsen Multiplatform Ratings confirm major viewership success for Tracker and High Potential in 2025 - Here's what we know

The data concurs with the story: Tracker and High Potential are definitely the drama series with the greatest impact among the networks for the year 2025! The Nielsen multiplatform figures for the 2024-2025 TV season indicate that a huge audience consumed the two programs together when the figures of live, recorded, and streamed viewing were aggregated.

Tracker was at the top of the Nielsen charts for broadcast shows, while High Potential was either very close or even slightly higher than it at times, depending on how the data was averaged for the period.

So, which of the two shows can be said to be the leading one for the year? When the Nielsen data is interpreted, it gives different answers. Some rankers declared Tracker as the leading broadcast series based on full-season averages, while others indicated High Potential slightly ahead when focusing on fall-only or episode-specific metrics.

Even though there are discrepancies, the wider conclusion is already drawn: taking multiplatform viewing into consideration, both series were the indisputable kings of broadcast television in 2025.

What the Nielsen’s multiplatform ratings actually measure?

Nielsen’s multiplatform ratings are aimed at showing how viewers consume television across different platforms instead of being solely dependent on same-day broadcast ratings numbers. The methodology integrates live TV viewing with delayed viewing through DVR, on-demand services, and streaming, all measured within a 35-day window after an episode’s original airing.

This Live+35 framework creates a more complete picture of the program’s total audience, as it includes viewers who watch the episode much later than the initial broadcast.

The placement of Tracker in the Season 2024-25

During the complete 2024-25 season, Tracker was always among the highest-rated series in the Nielsen multipatform reports. The series boasted a number of about 17.5 million total viewers per episode on average in the year-to-date counts, combining the audiences of both linear and streaming platforms.

These numbers very often put Tracker at the top of the broadcast rankings especially in reports where full-season averages were prioritized over shorter viewing periods.

How High Potential stood in the same ratings?

High Potential was almost equal to Tracker during the same time frame, with the average viewing figures usually hovering around 16.5 million per episode. In some Nielsen datasets, particularly those that concentrated on the fall season or on specific episodes, the series was slightly ahead of Tracker.

Other accounts talked of the two shows being almost equal, thus reflecting how close the difference between their audience numbers usually was.

The reason for the difference in rankings

The main factor explaining the difference in the rankings between Tracker and High Potential is the way Nielsen’s data is cut and made available. Some rankings are based on season-to-date averages, while others emphasize the performance during the fall only or a certain group of episodes.

Shifts also happen when it comes to whether reports give priority to total viewers or certain measurement windows. Hence, minor fluctuations in rankings do not signify conflicting data but rather show methodological subtlety.

How they stacked up against other broadcast shows?

In addition to Tracker and High Potential, other broadcast dramas have also been doing well on all platforms at the same time. For example, Matlock was nearly as good as the top two, getting around 16.1 million viewers in the same rough way across all platforms.

Squid Game and similar series, when they were considered as streaming-only titles, they surpassed broadcast programs in total viewership. However, Tracker and High Potential were among the best in the rankings of their respective networks.

This difference shows that there still exists an audience for broadcast television in a viewing landscape that is increasingly dominated by streaming platforms.

What the 2025 data ultimately shows?

The Nielsen multiplatform ratings for 2025 demonstrate that broadcast dramas still have the potential of being huge hits if their delayed and online viewership is fully accounted for. Tracker and High Potential were the two dominant broadcast players of the year, with only a small ranking difference caused by measurement scope rather than substantial audience gaps.

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Finally, the data illustrates the competitiveness at the top of broadcast television in a multiplatform viewing scenario has grown close.

Also read: Tracker Season 3 Episode 9 "Good Trouble" cast and characters: Here's who brought the CBS action drama to life

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