The world of daytime television is a fascinating arena, and the latest ratings reveal some intriguing trends. In the week of July 20-24, 2026, the battle for viewers' attention was intense, with several shows vying for top spot. Here's a breakdown of the key players and their performance.
The Top Performers
"The View": This talk show concluded its 29th season with a bang, marking multi-week highs in key demographics. It was the only scripted series to see week-to-week gains among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54, rising to 0.26 and 0.36 ratings, respectively. This is a significant achievement, especially considering the competition.
"General Hospital": Despite a slight decline in Total Viewers, this long-running soap opera remains a force to be reckoned with. It ranked No. 1 on Hulu's Top 15 Today TV chart for three out of seven days, showcasing its enduring popularity.
"The Bold and the Beautiful": This soap opera continued its upward trajectory, marking the largest year-over-year gain among soaps in Total Viewers. It's a consistent performer, with a minor week-to-week drop of 3,000 viewers.
"The Young and the Restless": Another long-standing favorite, this soap opera averaged over three million viewers for the 26th consecutive week. It saw a week-to-week gain of 12,000 viewers and a significant year-over-year increase of 157,000.
The Contenders
"Beyond the Gates": This soap opera held its ground, even with its week-ago performance among Women 18-49. It tied for last place with "GMA3" but remained up over the same week last year among Total Viewers for the 20th consecutive week.
"The Price is Right": This game show continues to be a summer staple, with more viewers tuning in for repeats than many weeks of originals. The second half-hour saw a significant year-over-year increase of 741,000 viewers.
"NBC News Daily": This news program tied with "General Hospital" in the Women 18-49 category and saw a substantial year-over-year increase of 441,000 viewers.
The Contenders' Struggles
"Let's Make a Deal" and "The Price is Right": These game shows aired amended repeats, which means their reported performance doesn't factor into their weekly or season averages. This is a common issue with repeats, as they don't reflect the show's true popularity.
"General Hospital": While it saw a week-to-week decline in Total Viewers, it remains a strong contender on Hulu, ranking No. 1 for three days.
In conclusion, the world of daytime television is a dynamic and competitive landscape. The ratings reveal a mix of long-standing favorites, rising stars, and shows struggling to maintain their audience. As the season progresses, we can expect further shifts and surprises as viewers' preferences evolve.
