Top Shows on TV: May 2017

Written by TVSA Team from the blog Primetime TV Viewing Figures on 07 Jun 2017
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These are the primetime adult television viewing figures for May 2017.

If you can't see the listing below, then click this link to access them in a document instead: Top shows on TV: May 2017

If you're unable to see either of the above documents, this is an overview of the Top 5 shows for each channel/broadcaster:

SABC1

Show	Viewers
Generations the Legacy	8,519,244
Uzalo	8,395,550
Skeem Saam	7,207,694
23rd Sama Awards 2017	4,472,361
Xhosa News	4,450,716

SABC2

Show	Viewers
Muvhango	5,810,438
Lotto Draw Live	4,640,704
Vodacom Millionaires	4,499,413
Vodacom Siyakha	4,333,781
Ngwanaka Ngwanaka O Kae	2,704,250

*Please note: there's an error in the BRC's Top 20 SABC2 report and the Lotto has been included twice so we've removed the second instance to give an accurate reflection of the Top 5.

SABC3

Show	Viewers
Isidingo:the Need	1,561,183
Cj7	1,086,536
Africa United (Mov)	754,450
News	586,552
The Bold and the Beautiful	585,828

e.tv

Show	Viewers
Scandal	4,458,988
Rhythm City	3,41,9990
Wwe Wrestling Raw	2,691,084
A Good Day to Die Hard	2,568,401
E News Direct Headlines	2,554,920

*Please note: there's an error in the BRC's e.tv report too and Scandal! has been included twice so we've removed the second instance to give an accurate reflection of the Top 5.

DStv

Show	Viewers
Our Perfect Wedding	1,269,355
Igazi	1,185,786
Isibaya	994,369
Date My Family	963,783
The Queen	747,144

Special Notes

Second column for DStv

If you've been wondering why the DStv document has two sets of ratings, wonder no more.

The second column (on the right hand side) reflects ratings that only takes the DStv universe into account, as if all other broadcasters don't exist.

In other words, the audience share of each show reflects the total percentage of viewers who watched a show in relation to all viewers who were watching DStv at the time instead of all viewers who were watching TV at the time (which the first column reflects.)

e.g. using Our Perfect Wedding on 28 May 2017 as an example:

11,8% of people who were watching TV at time were tuned into Our Perfect Wedding.
27,5% of people who were watching DStv at the time were tuned into Our Perfect Wedding.

The ARs and viewership are adjusted accordingly to reflect this.

In a nutshell: the second column is an entity unto itself, specifically for DStv.

For an explanation of the TAMS, please see: The TAMS ratings explained.

Channels in this post: SABC1, SABC2, SABC3, e.tv, Mzansi Magic, SuperSport HD, kykNET

11 Comments

Goku
07 Jun 2017 12:55

isibaya Is way too below and I think it's overrated I also think seem saam is the better soapie on SABC 1

max85
07 Jun 2017 14:25

Isibaya has being boring lately .no wonder it has lost a few viewers .Igazi doing well ,there will be a third season for sure .Generation still number 1.i guess with Broken Vows doing so badly it had to happen .isidingo still gaining viewers nice .muvhango down from the six million mark .i am glad Mina Nawe is doing well .i love that show

Show-Time
07 Jun 2017 18:13

I'm satisfied by Isidingo and Generations ruling their respective channels as I'm a die-hard and regular viewer of both soaps. Nice one!

qavile
07 Jun 2017 20:36

i feel bad for #BrokenVows really. .

deziclesthagawd
08 Jun 2017 11:17

Broken Vows aka Broken Ratings lol. Sorry not sorry.

fratpack9
09 Jun 2017 03:04

Rather late than never right? So here goes nothing...

Generations definitely on its way to reclaim its number 1 spot. Great times ahead.

#isidingo. Congratulations to isidingo for making it in ratings. Can we talk about about how bold the writers of isidingo are, tackling some of South Africa's sensitive topics. May it continue to thrive.

#Skeemsaam definitely owning the 6:30 pm timeslot. Can someone give the girl who plays the role of Rachel an award already.

#Harvest. I'm not surprised for not seeing Harvest making it on the top 20 list on eTV. Harvest is such a bad show just like it's predecessor Hustle. The fact that the producers of Harvest have an army of paid twitter on their payroll to make the show trend every week, gives a clear indication about how bad this show is. Paid twitter can't even begin save this show - Masasa, and Vatiswa together also can't save it. I love them, but they can't save it. If only tweets were used as a measure to reflect real audience viewers.....LOL

#TheQueen. Funny how this show was sold out to be this top class, high quality drama. As of late, we being fed sub-par, redundant storylines. There's no character development in this show. Sometimes writers/producers must leave room for a character to grow instead of just focusing of "on what the character does next". Subtle misogynistic storylines made me quit watching this show. Bummer...

#BoneOfMyBones was yet another boring show. It's premise resonated that much of skeem saam when it first started. I hate it when writers create one dimension characters.

#7delaan. Okay, a lot of people keep on saying how much they hate those American fake accents. But i love those accents, i think they are impeccable, especially Matt's. I just think he pull his fake american perfectly. LOL.

#KeepingScore. Something definitely odd with the story continuity of this show. Still pursuing the very same themes since the show has started? Blessers/blesses, steroids. It's as if the show has come to a stand still. Also, can the actors stop shouting at each other scene after scene after scene, and actually act.

Isikizi can someone stop airing this show already. I hate Mcethe's (sp) nonsensical killings. Truth is, I actually loved the first season of isikizi, and i think was greatly executed. The channel should have commissioned a new show instead of renewing isikizi for season two.

I can't wait for the new season of Isithunzi. Especially my favourites Thuso, and Makgotso. This show is so great. I've also watched Amazon's Good Girls Revolt, and i can tell you this: we need more shows like isithunzi, and GoodGirlsRevolt!

max85
09 Jun 2017 07:00

Lol Fratpack9 are u sure u are not Phil Mphela .your analysis is so prutal .twitter would be so mad about the Queen .i was saying for me The Queen has become a comedy show .we laugh daily .i think the Headwriter Phathu loves compliments too much .he is all about twitter butt kissing .Bone of my Bones is headwritten by one of the writters of skeemsaam/igazi/the Queen Sipho Tshapu i think he tried too much to copy skeem saam when it started it fell flat on his face .i love #Harvest ,the reason for low ratings is the timeslot for me .it plays too late

qavile
09 Jun 2017 08:17

lol @frat myb i don't know what makes a gr8 show bt i think @Harvest is a gr8 show myb its bcz of featuring heavyweights bt i like the plot. .#Isikizi i actually like mchethe and he brings tension on the show cz tina&phila's acting is horrible this season myb its directors fault bt agree. .im sorry bt #Igazi vatiswa villain this season is boring and her acting questionable. .. i feel like masasa is a one dimensional actress and she is tembeka everywhere #NB im not saying dts bad bt ..i have to say connie ferguson kills them all when it comes to acting bt she is the type people will never notice

deziclesthagawd
09 Jun 2017 08:41

I love @fratpack! lol such a detailed analysis. I can't watch tv beyond 9pm. My brain gets too tired of sitting in front of the telly. So no Harvest for me.

max85
09 Jun 2017 16:09

I loved the first season of Isikizi ,the second season is painful to watch .that Phila Madlingozi is horrible on the show

fratpack9
10 Jun 2017 02:47

max85 Lol. thank God I'm not Philmphela he's part of Paid/Promo twitter i was talking about. He will promote a bad show simply because his twitter "friends" are involved. At times i can't even deal with his hypocrisy. The way i don't care about what Phathu thinks, or tweets. The guy thinks his views are the way. People really tolerating him on twitter. You will see the shade thrown at him after he tweets.
i hear Sipho is head currently heardwriting a new drama series. Lol. God must just save us already, i know its going to be a bad show- his work has proved to have been sub par.

But, enough about discussing people... i don't know Max, you are saying Harvest could have made top 20 if it was in a better timeslot? Just like Broken Vows (Broken Ratings), and Hustle could've made top 20 if there were aired in a better timeslot? Hmm... I wonder what is an ideal timeslot to broadcast such shows.

The truth is, Umlilo used make it on the list of Top 20 ratings for eTV, competing with Muvhango for its audience share. Zbondiwe used to make it on the list of etv top 20 at some stage it it even dethroned Rhythm City pulling over 3 mil ratings, still broadcasting at 9:35pm, Just like Harvest, and Hustle.

But, its still early days to judge Harvest. And also, i hear there was a technical error on Brcsa ratings report for etv as it provided ratings highliting Scandal twice. Seeing that the Brcsa provided only 19 tv shows, maybe Harverst could've been the 20th show to make it right after Z'bondiwe. I still say, harvest is bad show, just like The Road, filled with alot of events, and no story.

@Deziclesthagawd can we admit that Shonda Rhimes has mastered the art of telling a story through flashbacks? On Harvest, its the soap-operatic scenes that get to me really. Those long stares, and emotional beats why write them in a drama series? They belong in soaps operas.

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