Season 28 of The Bachelor starts on ABC Monday, January 22. Joey Graziadei, a teaching tennis pro from Collegeville, Pennsylvania, meets the 32 women who will compete for his love and attention. 

The women include Evalin, a nanny from San Antonio; Katelyn, a radiochemist from Santa Fe; Kelsey, an actor from Los Angeles; Lauren, a nurse from Philadelphia; Madina, a mental health therapist from Charlotte; Samantha, a football cheerleader from Miami; Sydney, a vintage store owner from Newport; and Zoe, an artist from Atlanta. 

ABC said the 32 women will be the most to ever arrive at the mansion on the first night. 

Graziadei was on season 20 of The Bachelorette. ABC said Graziadei “stole hearts all over America…with his loyalty, thoughtfulness and compassion. Before his emotional exit, audiences saw Graziadei open up about his family values and how those closest to him have influenced his desire to find lasting love.”

Graziadei is looking for a life partner “who is outgoing, caring, and shares his love for adventure and exploring the outdoors,” according to ABC. 

The Bachelor is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Jodi Baskerville and Jeff Thomas are executive producers.

The Golden Bachelor, which saw 71-year-old Gerry Turner mix and mingle with 22 women ranging from 60 to 75, recently concluded. 

Joey Graziadei, one of the suitors on season 20 of The Bachelorette, will be the leading man on season 28 of The Bachelor. A teaching tennis pro, Graziadei is from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He is 28. 

Season 28 starts on ABC next year. 

ABC said Graziadei “stole hearts all over America on season 20 of The Bachelorette with his loyalty, thoughtfulness and compassion. Before his emotional exit, audiences saw Graziadei open up about his family values and how those closest to him have influenced his desire to find lasting love.”

Season 20 of The Bachelorette, with Charity Lawson the star, ended August 21. 

Graziadei is into hiking, surfing and taking in sunsets. “As the Bachelor, Graziadei is looking for a life partner who is outgoing, caring, and shares his love for adventure and exploring the outdoors,” according to ABC. 

The Bachelor is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Jodi Baskerville and Jeff Thomas are executive producers.

Season 27 of The Bachelor begins on ABC Monday, January 23. Zach Shallcross is the bachelor, and 30 women will battle for his attention.

The contestants include Anastasia, a content marketing manager from San Diego; Brooklyn, a rodeo racer from Stillwater, Oklahoma; Cat, a dancer from New York; Genevie, a neonatal nurse from Baltimore; and Viktoria, a nanny from Austria.

Shallcross, 26, was on season 19 of The Bachelorette. From Anaheim Hills, California, he splits his time between Texas and Southern California.

Some of the women, including Brooklyn, Cat, Bailey from Nashville, Brianna from Jersey City, and Christina from Nashville, met Shallcross on Bachelorette: After the Final Rose.

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. Mike Fleiss, Nicole Woods, Bennett Graebner, Louis Caric, Peter Geist, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Jodi Baskerville and Jeff Thomas are the executive producers. ■

ABC has renewed unscripted series America’s Funniest Home Videos, American Idol, The Bachelor, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Shark Tank. AFHV gets season 33, American Idol sees season six on ABC, after 15 on Fox, The Bachelor rolls into season 27, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune will have season three, and Shark Tank is up to 14.

Alfonso Ribeiro hosts America’s Funniest Home Videos. Vin Di Bona Productions produces.

American Idol wraps season 20 May 22. Fremantle and 19 Entertainment produce.

Jesse Palmer hosts The Bachelor. Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television produce.

Pat Sajak and Vanna White host Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Sony Pictures Television produces.

Shark Tank will go live for its season premiere, a first for the show. MGM Television produces in association with Sony Pictures Television. ■

Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of March 21-27, showcasing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and network and show TV ad impressions insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 19 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament continues to be a cut above other programming, with 5.13% of TV audiences tuned in from March 21-27. That was No. 1 on the week — nearly 5x more than the No. 2 program, the PGA Tour’s WGC Match Play.

Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:

• This year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament has recorded more watch-time gains, jumping from 0.53% to 0.62% of minutes watched week-over-week.
• The Oscars starred on Sunday night, landing at No. 5 for watch-time on the week.
• Along with the Oscars, there were two additional week-over-week newcomers to our top 25 most-watched rankings — Forensic Files (up from No. 36) and NCIS: Los Angeles (from No. 40).
• Speaking of, there are 10 different procedurals featured among this week’s top 25 programs, led by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit at No. 3.

CBS stays top-dog in our ranking of the most-watched networks, with 8.85% of minutes watched from March 21-27. Of course, that’s due in large part to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, with two more rounds of games from Thursday through Sunday.

More insights around the most-watched networks from March 21-27:

• With TBS and CBS splitting Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games for the men’s tournament, TBS moves up to No. 6 by minutes watched in our network ranking.
• News remains a focus, as Fox News and CNN remain in the top 10 by watch-time, while MSNBC rises from No. 18 to No. 15 week-over-week.
• Paramount Network leaned into Yellowstone once again to fuel a leap from No. 40 to No. 24 by week-over-week watch-time.
• INSP also emphasized Westerns (Gunsmoke, in particular) to power its own climb from No. 27 by minutes watched from March 14-20, to No. 25 this week.

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

Even with fewer tournament games than the previous week, men’s college basketball still outpaced all other programming in terms of delivering TV ad impressions from March 21-27, with 7.52 billion -- or 14.1% of all impressions for the week.

More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions:

• The Oscars sit securely at No. 5 by impressions, with over 788 million, despite fewer ad airings than any other program in this week’s top 25.
• News stays front-and-center, with nearly half of our weekly rankings occupied by news-related programs (led by Good Morning America at No. 3).
• With both the men’s and women’s tournaments in later rounds, SportsCenter also received a boost by airing highlights from all of the action, as ESPN’s flagship show increased week-over-week impressions by 38%.
• After The Bachelor’s latest season wrapped up, American Idol came for the reality TV crown, landing at No. 13 by impressions this week (up from No. 22 the previous week).

CBS stays entrenched at No. 1 in our ad-impressions-by-network ranking for March 21-27, with nearly 21% of TV ad impressions.

Additional insights around the top networks by impressions from the week:

• TBS rises week-over-week as the network climbs to No. 6 by impressions due primarily to NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games.
• ESPN2 impressions jump by over 19% week-over-week due in part to the network’s emphasis on NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament games.
• Spring training powered MLB Network impression increases as well, up almost 24% compared to the previous week’s totals.

Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of March 14-20, showcasing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and network and show TV ad impressions insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 19 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

With both the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments in full swing, basketball has audiences fixated on TV. From March 14-20, the men’s tournament tallied 9.21% of total TV minutes watched — No. 1 for the week, and 9x more than No. 2 show, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:

CBS remains atop our ranking of the most-watched networks, with 9.79% of minutes watched from March 14-20. That’s up from 6.87% the previous week, in part powered by the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

More insights around the most-watched networks from March 14-20:

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

Men’s college basketball delivered 13.68 billion TV ad impressions from March 14-20 — 23.1% of all impressions on TV for the week, which is No. 1 among all programming, by far.

More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions during the week:

CBS remains No. 1 in our ad-impressions-by-network ranking from March 14-20, with over 22.3% of TV ad impressions — more than double the total for the No. 2 network, ABC.

Additional insights around the top networks by impressions from the week:

Below is a snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Mar. 7-13, showcasing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and network and show TV ad impressions insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 19 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

Conference championship games powered men’s college basketball to a watch-time win in the final week before the NCAA Tournament. From March 7-13, games scored 3.77% of total TV minutes watched — No. 1 for the week, and significantly higher than the sport’s 2.12% watch-time from the previous week.

Some additional insights about the top programming on TV:

• Combined, the 2022 Players Championship and Live From The Players coverage accounts for 1.51% of minutes watched on the week (more than every program but men’s college basketball).

• With basketball highlights galore, SportsCenter watch-time also leaps — from No. 15 to No. 8 week-over-week.

ª Diners, Drive-ins and Dives pulls in at No. 19 by minutes watched, up from No. 29 the previous week.

• Castle climbs week over week, from No. 41 to No. 25.

CBS rides men’s college basketball games and the NCAA Tournament Selection Show (among other programs) to No. 1, with 6.87% of minutes watched from Mar. 7-13. That’s up two places from the previous week, when CBS collected 6.31% of watch-time.

More insights around the most-watched networks from Mar. 7-13:

• Lifetime is new to our ranking this week, progressing from No. 26 to No. 24 by minutes watched week-over-week.

• While cable news viewership remains high, all three of the big networks see modest week-over-week ranking declines (Fox News from No. 1 to No. 4, CNN from No. 6 to No. 7, and MSNBC from No. 9 to No. 12).

• TV Land climbs from No. 23 to No. 20 on the back of syndicated sitcoms like Everybody Loves Raymond, Two and a Half Men and The King of Queens.

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

Even before brackets are filled out, men’s college basketball has been delivering billions of TV ad impressions. From March 7-13, games accounted for over 3.4 billion impressions — 6.6% of the total, and No. 1 overall among all programming.

More data about the top programs by TV ad impressions during the week:

• With new episodes on both Monday and Tuesday night, The Bachelor gave ABC and its advertisers a rose with over 605 million impressions.

• News programs remain a fixture for impressions, making up more than half of the top 25 shows by impressions (led by Good Morning America at No. 3).

• American Idol’s latest season remains a fixture in our rankings, sitting at No. 18 this week.

• SportsCenter TV ad impressions jump week-over-week, peaking on Selection Sunday, which as a single day accounted for nearly 28% of the program’s impressions for the time frame.

CBS is No. 1 in our ad-impressions-by-network ranking from Mar. 7-13, with 14.8% of TV ad impressions due in part to men’s college basketball action and, of course, the NCAA Tournament selection show.

Additional insights around the top networks by impressions from the week:

• With the ongoing war in Ukraine, cable news continues to deliver, as Fox News Channel, CNN and MSNBC combine for more than 22.5% of the week’s TV ad impressions.

• Sports-focused networks retain their own popularity as ESPN, Fox Sports 1, ESPN2, Big Ten Network and Golf Channel all appear in this week’s rankings (along with numerous other networks that also air live sports as part of their programming).

• Speaking of: TNT is No. 12 by impressions, predominantly on the back of live NBA and NHL games, which accounted for over 85% of impressions for the network on the week.

• TLC’s 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days delivered over 49% of the network’s impressions for Mar. 7-13, with about 3x the number of impressions of TLC’s No. 2 show, Dr. Pimple Popper.

Clayton Echard will be the bachelor when The Bachelor kicks off season 26 on ABC Jan. 3. Echard was on the current season of The Bachelorette, with Michelle Young at the center. 

ABC said “he showed off his rugged good looks and Viking-level athleticism while managing to charm even the harshest of critics—a group of fifth-grade students. He is a puppy-loving goofball with a heart of gold (and surprisingly good dance moves) who is ready to find the love of his life.”

ABC added that Echard’s dismissal from The Bachelorette revealed a “genuine desire” to find a partner and start a family, making him a logical choice to be on The Bachelor. 

A walk-on on the football team at the University of Missouri, Echard had a brief stint in the NFL with the Seahawks, playing tight end. He works in medical sales and is getting his MBA. 

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. ■ 

ABC has shared the first batch of its mid-season premiere dates, which includes The Bachelor on Jan. 3. Comedy Abbott Elementary airs Tuesday, Dec. 7, then moves to its regular time period Tuesday, Jan. 4. Quinta Brunson is behind the series, about a group of passionate teachers, and a tone-deaf principal, navigating the Philadelphia school system. 

Quiz show The Chase starts Jan. 5, along with the winter returns of comedies The Goldbergs, The Wonder Years, The Conners and Home Economics.  

Women of the Movement, about Mamie Till-Mobley seeking justice for son Emmett Till, premieres Thursday, Jan. 6. There are six episodes. 

Adrienne Warren plays Mamie and Cedric Joe plays Emmett. Marissa Jo Cerar created the series.  

Drama Promised Land, about two Latinx families vying for power in California’s Sonoma Valley, starts Monday, Jan. 24. John Ortiz, Cecilia Suarez and Augusto Aguilera are in the cast. 

Matt Lopez wrote the project and executive produces. 

Jesse Palmer will host the next season of ABC’s The Bachelor, which premieres in early 2022. An ESPN analyst since 2007, Palmer signed an extension and will continue in the sports studio during the current college football season. 

ABC and ESPN share a parent company in The Walt Disney Co. 

Palmer was the bachelor on The Bachelor in 2004, which was the fifth season. The 2022 season will be season 26. 

“For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” Palmer said. “Falling in love is one of life’s greatest gifts, and I am humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host this season to offer the newest Bachelor advice gained from firsthand experience and I am grateful to play a small part in his journey.”

Palmer hosted The Proposal and The Ultimate Surfer on ABC along with entertainment strip DailyMail TV. He was a special contributor on Good Morning America while contributing to various ABC News platforms. 

He spent five years in the NFL as a quarterback. 

Chris Harrison departed the host job at The Bachelor and The Bachelorette this past summer following controversial statements he made in an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay on Extra. 

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon.

Chris Harrison, longtime host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, has exited the franchise. He’s been host of the unscripted staples since 2002. 

“Chris Harrison is stepping aside as host of The Bachelor franchise. We are thankful for his many contributions over the past 20 years and wish him all the best on his new journey,” said Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment in a statement. 

Season 17 of The Bachelorette premiered on ABC June 7. Former Bachelorettes Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams filled in for Harrison, who announced in February he was stepping back following controversial statements he made in an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay on Extra, which saw him defend The Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after photos surfaced of her at a plantation-themed fraternity event in 2018. 

Harrison apologized at the time. "This historic season of The Bachelor should not be marred or overshadowed by my mistakes or diminished by my actions," Harrison said on Instagram. 

Deadline previously reported of Harrison signing off from the Bachelor franchise. 

Harrison also hosted summer series Bachelor in Paradise. He hosted The Miss America Pageant from 2011 to 2017 and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? from 2015 to 2019.

This is a quick snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Mar. 22-28, revealing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and the top shows and networks by TV ad impressions with insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 17 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

For the second week in a row, March Madness led for watch-time, capturing 4.78% of all minutes watched during the week. PGA Tour golf swung into second place (1.16%), while the NCAA women’s basketball tournament took No. 6 (0.74%) and NBA games were right behind with 0.71% of watch-time. American Idol, which was previously not in the top 50 shows watched, broke into the ranking at No. 16 (0.46%).

CBS maintained its hold on first place for the network ranking (8.27% of minutes watched), with an assist from March Madness games, CBS This Morning and The Price Is Right. Marathons of Ridiculousness helped move MTV into the ranking, up to No. 24 from No. 27 the previous week, while Lifetime benefited from reruns of Rizzoli & Isles, taking No. 23 with 1.10% of the week’s watch-time.

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

College basketball was the primary driver of impressions during the week, but its 7 billion was a 24.37% decrease from the previous week. PGA Tour golf and NBA basketball also made the top five shows by impressions, with 906.1 million and 627 million, respectively, while women’s college basketball games came in at No. 7 (568.6 million). The top non-news or sports show by impressions was American Idol (623.9 million); others included The Price Is Right (542.3 million), The Young and the Restless (510.3 million), General Hospital (386.1 million), The Voice (366.8 million), Let’s Make a Deal (328.5 million) and Days of our Lives (326.9 million).

There was no shuffling among the first eight positions of the network ranking week-over-week: CBS led the pack with 9.9 billion impressions, followed by ABC (6 billion) and NBC (4.6 billion). Not only did March Madness deliver half of the total impressions on CBS (4.5 billion), games also accounted for 94.5% of all of the impressions from new programming on TBS, and 41.3% of TNT’s impressions. History Channel had a 54.17% week-over-week increase in impressions, moving from No. 28 the previous week up to No. 17, thanks in part to the Barrett-Jackson Live Auction. Hallmark also saw an increase in impressions, up 14.8% to 310.4 million, fueled by the network’s new original movie Don't Go Breaking My Heart (183.9 million impressions) and a new episode of When Calls the Heart (110 million impressions).

This is a quick snapshot of TV by the numbers for the week of Mar. 15-21, revealing the most-watched shows and networks using glass-level data from Vizio’s Inscape, and the top shows and networks by TV ad impressions with insights via iSpot.tv.

Most-Watched Shows and Networks

Via Inscape, Vizio’s TV data product with glass-level insights from a panel of more than 17 million active and opted-in smart TVs. Data is linear, live TV only and includes all episode types (new and reruns). Rankings are by percent share duration (i.e., time spent watching).

March Madness captured the most watch-time during the week by far, accounting for 6.65% of all minutes, with 3.17% coming from games broadcast on CBS. Other sports-related programming that rose up the ranking included NBA basketball, PGA Tour golf and SportsCenter. Police procedurals Chicago P.D., Blue Bloods and NCIS moved up the chart, while shows that slipped week-over-week included Friends, Two and a Half Men, Home Town and The Voice. 

Also Read: NCAA March Madness Tourney Generating Record Ad Sales, Execs Say

The 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament helped propel CBS into first place, with the network capturing 8.25% of all minutes watched during the week. March Madness also fueled a few other networks’ move up the ranking, including TBS (2.75% of watch-time), TNT (2.10%) and truTV (1.07%). Bravo got a slight bump up, taking No. 22 with 1.13% of minutes watched, thanks in part to reruns of Below Deck Mediterranean.

Top Shows and Networks by TV Ad Impressions

Via iSpot.tv, the always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company. Rankings are by TV ad impressions, for new episodes only. 

Thanks to March Madness, college basketball games generated an astounding 9.3 billion TV ad impressions — nearly as many as CBS had in total for new episodes (10.1 billion). It was the only programming to receive over a billion impressions for the week; Good Morning America took second place with 883.3 million, a 15.92% increase from the previous week. The Bachelor saw an 81.89% week-over-week increase in impressions, up to 567.4 million, while The Voice’s 430.6 million impressions constituted a 26.76% decrease from the previous week.

CBS had nearly twice as many TV ad impressions (10.1 billion) as the second-place network, ABC (5.2 billion), and half of those impressions came from college basketball. MSNBC saw a 59.73% increase in impressions week-over-week, up to 3.1 billion and edging out CNN (2.5 billion impressions). After a week off the ranking, TBS came back strong with 2.3 billion impressions, primarily fueled by March Madness games. TNT and truTV also benefited from the tournament, with 1.5 billion and 840 million impressions, respectively.

ABC won the Monday ratings race thanks to the finale of The Bachelor. ABC scored a 1.3 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and an 8 share. In second was NBC at 0.9/5. 

ABC had The Bachelor across prime. Bachelor Matt James gave his final rose to...spoiler coming...Rachael Kirkconnell, who stirred up controversy when photos surfaced of her at a plantation-themed fraternity event in 2018. Last week’s two hours of Bachelor got a 1.2. 

NBC had two hours of The Voice at 1.0 and 1.1, up a tick from last week’s 1.1, then Debris at a flat 0.4. 

CBS tallied a 0.5/3 and Fox a 0.4/2. CBS had The Neighborhood down 13% to 0.7 and Bob Hearts Abishola at a level 0.6. All Rise and Bull both got their usual 0.4s. 

Fox had a 9-1-1 rerun and the premiere of America’s Most Wanted at 0.4. 

Telemundo and Univision both rated a 0.3/2. Telemundo had Exatlon Estados Unidos, La Suerta De Loli and Buscando A Frida all at a level 0.3. 

On Univision, Vencer El Desamor was down 20% to 0.4 and Te Acuerdas De Mi scored a flat 0.3. La Hija Del Embajador went up 50% to 0.3. 

The CW was at 0.1/1. The season starter for Bulletproof got a 0.1, as did Black Lightning, which lost a tenth.  

ABC won the Monday ratings battle, as The Bachelor led the way. ABC rated a 1.0 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 6 share. That barely beat Fox at 0.9/6. 

The Bachelor went up 14% to 1.2 across two hours and The Good Doctor shot up 20% to 0.6.

Fox had 9-1-1 at a flat 1.0 and 9-1-1: Lone Star grew 13% to 0.9.

NBC got a 0.8/5. The Voice dropped 9% to 1.0 across two hours and Debris lost 33% from its premiere for a 0.4.

CBS scored a 0.5/3. The Neighborhood tallied a 0.8 and Bob Hearts Abishola a 0.6, both comedies flat. Reruns of The Equalizer and Bull followed. 

Telemundo and Univision both did a 0.3/2. On Telemundo, Exatlon Estados Unidos, La Suerte De Loli and Buscando A Frida all got a level 0.3. 

On Univision, Vencer El Desamor went up 25% to 0.5. Te Acuerdas De Mi did a flat 0.3 and La Hija Del Embajador dropped 33% to 0.2.

The CW scored a 0.2/1. All American posted a 0.3 and Black Lightning a 0.2, the pair both up a tenth. 

ABC won the Monday ratings derby, with The Bachelor leading the way. ABC rated a 1.0 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 6 share. In second was Fox at 0.9/6. 

The Bachelor got a 1.2 across two hours, down a little from last week’s 1.3 and 1.4. The Good Doctor shed 17% for a 0.5.

Fox had 9-1-1 at 1.0 and 9-1-1: Lone Star at 0.8, the pair flat. 

CBS and NBC both scored a 0.5/3. On CBS, The Neighborhood dropped 11% to 0.8 and Bob Hearts Abishola lost 25% for a 0.6. All Rise and Bull both got a 0.4, the pair both down a tenth. 

NBC had two hours of Ellen’s Game of Games at 0.5 and 0.6, virtually level with last week, and The Wall at a flat 0.5. 

Univision got a 0.4/3 and Telemundo a 0.3/2. Univision had Vencer El Desamor at a flat 0.5 and Te Acuerdas de Mi up 33% to 0.4. Dulce Ambicion got a level 0.3. 

On Telemundo, Exatlon Estados Unidos, La Suerte de Loli and Buscando A Frida all got a flat 0.3. 

The CW tallied a 0.2/1. All American shed 33% for a 0.2 and Black Lightning did a flat 0.1. 

ABC won the Monday ratings battle, with The Bachelor leading the net to the win. ABC rated a 1.1 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 6 share. That topped Fox’s 0.9/5. 

The Bachelor did a 1.3 and 1.4 across two hours, virtually flat with last week’s 1.3, and The Good Doctor lost 14% for a 0.6.

Also Read: Chris Harrison Steps Aside From 'The Bachelor'

Fox had 9-1-1 at 1.0 and 9-1-1: Lone Star at 0.8. Both were down a tenth. 

NBC was next at 0.5/3. Ellen’s Game of Games grew 20% to 0.6 and two hours of The Wall went up 25% to 0.5.

CBS and Univision both rated a 0.4/2. CBS had reruns. 

On Univision it was Vencer El Desamor up 25% to 0.5 and Te Acuerdas de Mi and Dulce Ambicion at 0.3s, Te Acuerdas virtually flat with its premiere and Dulce level with its last airing. 

Telemundo had a 0.3/2. Exatlon Estados Unidos scored a 0.3, as did La Suerte de Loli and Buscando a Frida. All three were level with last week. 

The CW rated a 0.2/1. All American posted a flat 0.3 and Black Lightning lost a tenth from its premiere for a 0.1. 

Chris Harrison, host of The Bachelor, is “stepping aside” from the show, according to his post on Instagram, in the wave of controversy stemming from his defense of Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s behavior.  

Photos surfaced of Kirkconnell at a plantation-themed fraternity event in 2018. Harrison appeared on Extra and asked the public to be more lenient with Kirkconnell. 

"This historic season of The Bachelor should not be marred or overshadowed by my mistakes or diminished by my actions," Harrison said on Instagram. 

Matt James is the bachelor this season, representing the first time a Black man has been the star of The Bachelor. 

“To the Black community, to the BIPOC community, I am so sorry,” Harrison wrote. “My words were harmful. I am listening, and I truly apologize for my ignorance and any pain it caused you.”

Harrison will not host the After the Final Rose live special following the season finale. “I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before,” he said. 

Kirkconnell, 24, also apologized on Instagram. 

The current season began Jan. 4. 

Harrison also hosts The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. 

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton, Nicole Woods, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Louis Caric and Peter Geist are the executive producers.

ABC and Fox split the Monday ratings win. The Bachelor paced ABC and 9-1-1 did so on Fox. Both nets scored a 1.0 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 6 share. In second was CBS at 0.6/4. 

The Bachelor fell 7% to 1.3 across two hours and led into a Good Doctor rerun. 

9-1-1 shot up 22% to 1.1 on Fox and 9-1-1: Lone Star grew 13% to 0.9.

ABC won the ratings race the week before. 

On CBS, The Neighborhood rated a flat 0.9 and Bob Hearts Abishola went up 14% to 0.8. All Rise got a 0.5 as did Bull, the dramas flat. 

NBC weighed in at 0.5/3. Ellen’s Game of Games dropped 17% to 0.5 and The Wall lost 33% for a 0.4. A Weakest Link rerun followed. 

Telemundo and Univision both rated a 0.3/2. Telemundo had Exatlon Estados Unidos, La Suerte de Loli and Buscando a Frida all at 0.3, Exatlon down a tenth and the other two level. Univision had Vencer El Desamor down 20% to 0.4 and the two-hour premiere of Te Acuerdas de Mi at 0.3 and 0.2. 

The CW got a 0.2/1. All American rated a flat 0.3 and the premiere of Black Lightning posted a 0.2. 

ABC had the winning score in Monday prime, with The Bachelor setting the pace. ABC scored a 1.1 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 7 share. In second was Fox at 0.9/5. 

The Bachelor got a flat 1.4 across two hours and led into a Good Doctor rerun. 

Fox had 9-1-1 down 25% at 0.9 and 9-1-1: Lone Star fell 20% to 0.8. 

NBC was next at 0.6/4. Ellen’s Game of Games rated a flat 0.6, and The Wall went up a tenth to 0.6. Weakest Link got a flat 0.5. 

Univision scored a 0.4/2 and CBS and Telemundo both got a 0.3/2. On Univision, Vencer El Desamor shot up 25% to 0.5 and Imperio de Mentiras and Dulce Ambicion both rated a level 0.3. 

CBS had reruns across prime. 

On Telemundo, Exatlon Estados Unidos did a virtually flat 0.4 and it was flat 0.3s for La Suerte De Loli and Buscando a Frida. 

The CW rated a 0.2/1. Special All American Stories did a 0.2 and a Batwoman repeat followed.

ABC had the winning score in Monday’s prime, with a booming The Bachelor setting a hot pace. ABC scored a 1.2 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 7 share. That squeaked by Fox, which had a 1.1/6.

Ratings were pretty strong for the night. Two hours of The Bachelor rated a 1.4 on ABC and The Good Doctor got a 0.7. Both were up a tenth from last week. 

On Fox, 9-1-1 rated a 1.2, level with its premiere, and 9-1-1: Lone Star lifted 11% to 1.0.

CBS posted a 0.6/4 and NBC a 0.6/3. CBS had The Neighborhood at 0.9 and Bob Hearts Abishola at 0.7, both up a tenth of a point. All Rise and Bull both got a level 0.5. 

On NBC, Ellen’s Game of Games got a 0.6 and The Wall a 0.5, the pair flat. A Weakest Link rerun closed out prime. 

Telemundo rated a 0.4/2 and Univision a 0.3/2. Telemundo had the El Domo del Dinero finale at 0.3 and the Todo Por Mi Hija season-ender at 0.5. Also with a season finale was Falsa Identidad at 0.4. All three were up a tenth from last week. 

Univision had Vencer El Desamor down 20% to 0.4, Imperio de Mentiras at a flat 0.3 and Dulce Ambicion 50% larger at 0.3. 

The CW tallied a 0.2/1. All American went down 25% from its premiere to a 0.3 and a Batwoman repeat followed. 

ABC won the Monday ratings derby, with The Bachelor setting the pace. ABC rated a 0.9 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 5 share. In second was NBC at 0.5/3. 

The Bachelor posted a 1.1 across two hours after last week’s 1.3 and 1.2, and The Good Doctor slid 29% to 0.5.

On NBC, it was 0.5s for Ellen’s Game of Games, The Wall and Weakest Link. Ellen’s was  down from its 0.6/0.5 two-hour run a week ago while The Wall and Weakest Link stayed level. 

CBS, Fox and Univision all rated a 0.4/2. CBS and Fox had reruns across prime. 

Univision had Vencer El Desamor down 20% to 0.4 and Imperio de Mentiras and Dulce Ambicion both at a flat 0.3. 

Telemundo got a 0.3/2. El Domo del Dinero got a 0.2 and Todo Por Mi Hija a 0.4, both flat. Falsa Identidad shot up 50% to 0.3. 

The CW got a 0.1/0. Special All American Stories, hosted by Yogi Roth and Spencer Paysinger, got a 0.1. A Penn & Teller: Fool Us rerun followed. 

B&C has partnered with always-on TV ad measurement and attribution company iSpot.tv to bring you a weekly chart we call Promo Mojo: exclusive data showing the top five TV promos ranked by ad impressions. Our data covers the seven-day period through Jan. 3.

On the strength of 453.8 million TV ad impressions, a VH1 promo for RuPaul’s Drag Race takes first place.

Traditional broadcast networks grab the next three slots in our ranking, with NBC hyping Ted Danson vehicle Mr. Mayor in second, Fox promoting Mayim Bialik sitcom Call Me Kat in third, and ABC giving some love to The Bachelor in fourth. Closing out the top 5: a TBS promo for Go-Big Show, an unconventional talent competition featuring Snoop Dogg, Rosario Dawson, Jennifer Nettles and Cody Rhodes as judges.

Notably, the Kat spot has the highest iSpot Attention Index (121) in our ranking, meaning viewers were on average highly likely to watch it all the way through (vs. interrupting it by changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV).

1) RuPaul's Drag Race, VH1

Impressions: 453,823,103

Interruption Rate: 3.66%

Attention Index: 106 (6% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 88%, Local 11%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,564,334

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $781,175

2) Mr. Mayor, NBC

Impressions: 416,648,344

Interruption Rate: 1.67%

Attention Index: 114 (14% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 91%, Local 7%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $5,204,024

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $1,648,261

3) Call Me Kat, Fox

Impressions: 353,972,365

Interruption Rate: 1.34%

Attention Index: 121 (21% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 86%, Local 12%, VOD/OTT 2%

In-network Value: $3,342,336

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $2,191,814

4) The Bachelor, ABC

Impressions: 294,970,489

Interruption Rate: 1.32%

Attention Index: 108 (8% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 89%, Local 10%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $4,160,434

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $955,606

5) Go-Big Show, TBS

Impressions: 294,234,121

Interruption Rate: 2.14%

Attention Index: 107 (7% fewer interruptions than avg.)

Imp. Types: National 96%, Local 3%, VOD/OTT 1%

In-network Value: $3,239,602

Out-of-network Est. Spend: $3,466,717

*Data provided by iSpot.tv, TV Ad Measurement for Disruptive Brands*

Impressions - The total impressions within all US households including National Linear (Live & Time-shifted), VOD+OTT, and Local.

Attention Score - Measures the propensity of consumers to interrupt an ad play on TV. The higher the score, the more complete views. Actions that interrupt an ad play include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV.

Attention Index - Represents the Attention of a specific creative or program placement vs. the average in its respective industry. The average is represented by a score of 100, and the total index range is from 0 through 200. For example, an attention index of 125 means that there are 25% fewer interrupted ad plays compared to the average.

Imp. Types - Impression types tracked include National (Live + Time-shifted), Local, VOD & OTT. See below for further details.

In-network Value - Estimated media value of in-network promos.

Out-of-network Spend - The estimated amount spent on TV airing time for this promo's spots during a given date range.

National: Live - A national promo which was viewed during live linear television broadcast or same day, via DVR or on-demand.

Local - A promo that was aired during a local ad break slot.

VOD - This includes promos that run in on-demand content past three days (i.e. do not contain the linear promo load)

OTT - On-demand streaming content (i.e. Hulu, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Chromecast).

ABC had the top score in Monday’s prime, with the season premiere of The Bachelor leading the way. ABC rated a 1.0 in viewers 18-49, per the Nielsen overnights, and a 6 share. Virtually tied for second were CBS at 0.6/4 and NBC at 0.6/3. 

The Bachelor got a 1.3 and 1.2 across two hours, and the premiere of The Hustler scored a 0.5. The Bachelor opened at 1.8 a year ago. 

CBS had The Neighborhood at 0.7 and Bob Hearts Abishola at 0.6. All Rise and Bull both posted a 0.5. All four were up a tenth from their last fresh airings. 

On NBC it was two hours of Ellen’s Game of Games at 0.6 and 0.5 and The Wall at 0.5. Both were season premieres.  

Univision scored a 0.4/2. Vencer El Desamor got a flat 0.5 and it was 0.3s for Imperio de Mentiras and Dulce Ambicion, Imperio down a tenth and Dulce flat. 

Fox and Telemundo both got a 0.3/2. On Fox, the LA’s Finest finale went up 50% to 0.3 and a Masked Dancer rerun followed. 

On Telemundo, El Domo del Dinero got a 0.2 and Todo Por Mi Hija a 0.4, the pair level. Falsa Identidad went down 33% to 0.2. 

The CW scored a 0.1/1 with repeats. 

The 25th edition of The Bachelor starts on ABC Jan. 4. Matt James is the bachelor and 32 women vie for his affection. 

After the two-hour season premiere, 24 hopeful contestants will remain. 

Chris Harrison hosts. 

The contestants include Alicia, a ballerina from New York City; Carolyn, a journalist from Los Angeles; Chelsea, a model from Brooklyn; and Magi, a pharmacist from Ethiopia. 

Matt James, 29, played football and studied economics at Wake Forest. A real estate broker, he lives in New York. 

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton, Nicole Woods, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Louis Caric and Peter Geist are the executive producers.

Season 25 of The Bachelor premieres on ABC Monday, Jan. 4. Matt James, who previously appeared on The Bachelorette as a prospective suitor, is the bachelor. 

ABC has revealed start dates for several other unscripted shows. The network kicks off a new game show block Thursday, Jan. 7. Celebrity Wheel of Fortune is hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White. The Chase is hosted by Sara Haines of The View and features Jeopardy! standouts James Holzhauer, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. That one sees three competitors face off against the Chaser, a ruthless quiz genius. The Hustler, which “breaks the game show mold by featuring one player who secretly already knows the answers,” according to ABC, is hosted by Craig Ferguson. 

All three are new shows and debut that night. 

To Tell the Truth returns Tuesday, Jan. 26, with Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris. It is season six. 

The new season of American Idol is on Sunday, Feb. 14. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Ryan Seacrest and Bobby Bones return to Idol for its fourth season on ABC. 

Matt James will be the man in demand when season 25 of The Bachelor rolls in 2021. James is the first black bachelor in the history of the show.

“Matt has been on our radar since February, when producers first approached him to join Bachelor Nation, as part of Clare’s season,” said Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment. “When filming couldn’t move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor. We know we have a responsibility to make sure the love stories we’re seeing onscreen are representative of the world we live in, and we are proudly in service to our audience. This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take action with regard to diversity issues on this franchise. We feel so privileged to have Matt as our first Black Bachelor and we cannot wait to embark on this journey with him.”

James, who is from North Carolina and lives in New York, shared the news on Good Morning America June 12. He’s 28 and is a real estate broker, entrepreneur and community organization founder. He played football at Wake Forest University and had short stints with the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the NFL, according to Wake Forest Magazine. 

Chris Harrison hosts The Bachelor. Next Entertainment produces the show in association with Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton, Nicole Woods, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Louis Caric and Peter Geist are the executive producers. 

At press time there were over 75,000 signatures on a change.org petition to add more diversity to the ABC Bachelor franchise.

The goal is 150,000 signatures, according to the site.

The campaign was started by the Bachelor Diversity Campaign.

Their beef with the beefcake is that there have been 40 bachelors, but only one of them has been black.

It says that it is time for ABC and producer Warner Bros. to use The Bachelor platform to diversify the stories of families and relationships.

The petition has a baker's dozen asks, including adding a black bachelor for season 25, then cast a black indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) lead in at least 35% of the shows going forward, and diversity behind the camera as well as in front of it.  

It also asks the folks signing the pledge to promise to show "zero tolerance" for racism "online, offline, and everywhere."

Remaining in the public eye, and utilizing a recently established $25 million credit line earmarked for program acquisition, Tubi has announced the licensing of reality series “The Bachelor” for its ad-supported streaming platform.

The deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution will not only include “select” early seasons of the hit ABC reality show, but also spinoff series “The Bachelorette.”

“‘Bachelor’ Nation will soon get to see how it all started when both debut seasons launch on Tubi,” said Adam Lewinson, chief content officer for Tubi, in a statement. “This massive franchise strengthens our larger content partnership with Warner Bros. and marks the first of many big reality series we’re bringing to the service.”

Related: Tubi Takes $25M Loan, Prepares to Spend More Than $100M on Content

Tubi was in M&A talks with Viacom, shortly before the media giant paid $340 million to buy another AVOD platform, Pluto TV.

Shortly after that January Viacom announcement, Tubi touted the establishment of a $25 million loan, earmarked as part of a "nine-figure initiative" to grow its programming library.

Tubi announced a content licensing deal for a bunch of NBCUniversal archival shows two weeks ago. And it’s likely to keep on trickling out these series licensing announcements, as Tubi seeks to keep its name "out there" amid a wave of acquisition rumors for AVOD assets.

For example, Sinclair Broadcast Group is rumored to be shopping for an AVOD platform, with its name tied to Xumo in recent weeks. 

USA Network’s WWE Monday Night Raw series was the most social television show last week, according to Nielsen.

The live, three hour show drew 2.3 million combined Facebook, Instagram and Twitter interactions to top all cable and broadcast shows for the week of March 4 to March 10, according to Nielsen’s Social Content Ratings.

ABC’s March 10 episode of American Idol was second with 1.2 million interactions, followed by ABC’s March 4 The Bachelor show, with 1 million interactions. USA’s March 5 WWE SmackDown! (954,000) and ABC’s March 6 American Idol (912,000) rounded out the top five most social TV shows of the week, according to Nielsen. 

Last night’s WWE Monday Night Raw telecast marking the USA Network show’s 25th anniversary pinned down more than 2 million social media interactions, according to Nielsen.

The show generated 2.3 million Facebook and Twitter interactions throughout its three-hour episode last night, besting all television shows, according to Nielsen’s Social content Ratings Daily Top Five list, according to Nielsen.

ABC’s The Bachelor came in a distant second with 422,000 social media interactions, followed by VH1’s Love & Hip Hop Miami and Love & Hip Hop, and Fox News Channel’s Hannity.

ESPN’s telecast of the North Carolina-Virginia Tech college basketball game was the most social live sports event for the night, according to Nielsen.

The made-for-TV couple from this season’s edition of The Bachelor — Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell — will be getting the hottest and most buzzworthy wedding gift that television can give: a spinoff series.

Their new series Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After — premiering this fall on Freeform, sister cable network to The Bachelor’s home of ABC — will join a multitude of spinoffs from successful reality series franchises across the cable dial. In many cases, these off shoots perform as well or better than their parent shows in the ratings.

More than one-third of cable’s top 30 reality shows for the period of June 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016, were reality franchises and their respective extension shows, according to Nielsen. Such extensions, which can potentially cannibalize viewers from their parent series, were once considered a risky play for networks. Now, they are sought-after content with built-in brand recognition and an audience base that can be lured in without a great deal of marketing effort.

“Spinoffs are so big these days because it’s so hard to launch new series today … there’s so much content to choose from and it’s so hard to reach people with new ideas and a new series,” Shari Levine, executive vice president of production for Bravo, said. “When you are doing a spinoff you’re delivering a show to a ready-made viewer that’s somewhat susceptible. You don’t have to explain the concept to them. Half of the marketing is done for you.”

Related:'Deadliest Catch’ Hooks a Spinoff [subscription required]

For some cable franchises just one or two spinoff shows aren’t enough to satisfy the appetite of loyal viewers. Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise — which follows the lives of affluent housewives from various parts of the country — has branded a whopping nine separate series over the past decade.

GETTING HARDER TO ‘KEEP UP’

E! later this year will launch its limited reality series Rob & Chyna, focusing on the lives of celebrity couple Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna, another spinoff from the long-running series Keeping Up With the Kardashians.

VH1’s Love & Hip Hop, which chronicles the lives and relationships of hip hop and R&B musicians, has spawned three spinoff series: Love & Hip Hop: New York, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and Love & Hip Hop Hollywood.

And the Atlanta version has spun off two series of its own, K Michelle: My Life and Stevie J & Joseline: Go Hollywood. And despite all the iterations from the original franchise, it seems viewers are singing the praises of virtually all of these series. Current seasons of Love & Hip Hop, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and Love & Hip Hop Hollywood all finished among the top 15 most-watched reality series over the past year, according to Nielsen. The sixth season of parent franchise Love & Hip Hop averaged 3.3 million viewers (on a live-plus-7-day basis), topped only by the fourth season of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta, which drew 3.6 million viewers.

Brand recognition is paramount when trying to break through in crowded television marketplace, E! and Esquire Network president Adam Stotsky said. Once a brand is established with viewers, he said, the ability to extend it over a multitude of programs gives networks a leg up on the competition.

E!’s Kardashians empire remains strong and fertile, according to Stotsky. Flagship Keeping Up With the Kardashians is still among the most-watched shows on cable, averaging 2.9 million viewers over the past year, besting all of its franchise extensions, which include I Am Cait, Kim and Khloe Take the Hamptons and Dash Dolls, as well as new series Revenge Body With Khloe Kardashian, to launch later this year.

“Given that competitive landscape and the marketing challenges faced in launching new franchises and brands from scratch, working off an existing base where viewers know who these characters are and the world they live in is like makes for an easier entry point for consumers, and alleviates some marketing pressure for the networks,” Stotsky said.

Still, a franchise extension isn’t a slam dunk. Producers must still find a viable new setting, location or character around which to build a spinoff series.

“You have to listen to your audience because they vote with their thumbs on the remote controls everyday,” Stotsky added. “It’s a balancing act — on the one hand, the opportunity to extend versus the risk of cannibalization and oversaturation, and that’s something we monitor.”

Discovery Channel decided to bring back contestants from its popular survival-themed series Naked and Afraid, challenging them to endure a much longer and tougher survival challenge in the buff via sophomore spinoff series Naked and Afraid XL, Denise Contis, executive vice president of development and production for Discovery, said. The result was another hit series for the network, with Naked and Afraid XL garnering 3.8 million viewers during its freshman run, beating out its predecessor’s 2.7 million viewers.

“The spinoff is authentically motivated by the contestants themselves, who are looking to push themselves even further,” Joe Boyle, executive producer of both series, said. “Instead of just that process of learning to work with one other human being, they’re learning to survive and work with a number of other human beings and the ramifications of that. It gives us a much larger playing field in terms of character development.”

EXTENSIONS OF ANOTHER KIND

Other networks are doing more unconventional franchise extensions. AMC, which this July will debut the Stephen David-produced Making of the Mob: Chicago — a spinoff of last year’s Making of the Mob: New York — also looked to basic cable’s top-rated scripted series, zombie thriller The Walking Dead, to beget Talking Dead, the reality genre’s most-watched series over the past year. The live recap talk show, hosted by Chris Hardwick, drew 6.3 million viewers during the period, according to Nielsen.

TV One is doing the complete opposite of AMC: It’s spinning off an episode of Unsung, its unscripted docuseries on popular R&B artists, into an original telefilm. An Unsung episode on the 1990s R&B singer Miki Howard served as the basis for Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story. Its June 12 debut drew more than 2 million viewers across multiple viewings, setting a network ratings record for an original film, said D’Angela Proctor, head of original programming and production for the African-American-targeted TV One.

As long as networks are serving viewers with unique content that fits within the confines of a particular franchise, there’s no such thing as too many spinoff s, Bravo’s Levine said. Along with the Housewives franchise, Bravo has already built multiple shows around such franchises as Million Dollar Listing, Married to Medicine and Below Deck.

“As long as it’s working, there isn’t a limit, but I don’t think you know until you actually do it,” she said.

Freeform has greenlit a The Bachelor spinoff titled Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After, starring the series's most recently engaged couple, former Bachelor star Ben Higgins and fiancée Lauren Bushnell.

The Freeform reality series will follow the couple as they navigate the real world after the spotlight, and lush settings, of The Bachelor. Higgins will explore politics while Lauren establishes her post-Bachelor identity.

The series is scheduled to air in October, Karey Burke, Freeform's executive VP, programming and development, said. 

“Ben and Lauren are the biggest Bachelor couple of the last 10 years,” Burke added. “Their romance captured everyone’s attention, and we are delighted to continue their story on Freeform.”

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

We tv in February will create its own version of the Bachelor featuring an available African-American male looking for love in Match Made In Heaven, the female-targeted network said Thursday.

The series, which debuts Feb. 4, stars real estate magnate Shawn Bullard as he seeks the help of a Pastor to choose a love connection between 24 women living under one roof, said network officials.

The announcement comes as ABC was questioned about the lack of diversity among contestants for its series the Bachelor during ABC's Television Critics Association Winter press tour presentation Wednesday. 

The eight-hour episodes of Match Made In Heaven will be produced by Glassman Media.