The 2019-20 prime time TV season ended with a whimper: Several shows ended earlier than usual, after the coronavirus pandemic shut down production in March. And some summer staples (“The Bachelorette,” “Big Brother”) have been put on ice.

But a look at Nielsen ratings shows that once again, crime does pay on TV: Three of the top five dramas focused on law enforcement. Yet the season lacked comedy firepower: “Young Sheldon” is the only sitcom to land in the top 25 shows. And few reality shows drew the kind of audiences “American Idol” and “Survivor” once did, relative to other shows. 

On cable, ESPN’s May documentary “The Last Dance” was the big draw, but HBO lacked a hit, at least by traditional TV measurement standards. (The figures below, in millions, count TV viewing within seven days of initial airdate, but don’t include streaming.)