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Episode Guide
Adam, Little Joe, Ben and Hoss!
Bonanza Ratings
These are the ratings Bonanza received during the course of its fourteen year run, based on the Nielsen ratings.  While the shares and percentages fluctuated during all four yearly quarters of each season, the numbers still tell the story.
 
Season One...1959-1960
Number #45, which was out of the
top ten category.

Season Two...1960-1961
Number #17, getting closer to the
top ten category.

Season Three...1961-1962
Number #2 in the top ten ratings,
with the move to Sundays at 9:00 PM.

Season Four...1962-1963
Number #4 in the top ten ratings.

Season Five...1963-1964
Number #2 in the top ten ratings.

Season Six...1964-1965
Number #1 in the top ten ratings,
where it would stay for two more years.

Season Seven...1965-1966
Number #1 in the top ten ratings.

Season Eight...1966-1967
Number #1 in the ratings, although
it was at Number #14 in September-
October, than rose back up to #1.

Season Nine...1967-1968
Number #4 in the ratings, still
in the top ten.  This would
soon change and the ratings would
go back up with the upcoming season ten.

Season Ten...1968-1969
Number #3 in the ratings, a boost
from the previous season, due to a
major change in the series' format
and addition of David Canary as "Candy".

Season Eleven...1969-1970
Number #3 in the ratings, still
holding in the top ten, remarkable.

Season Twelve...1970-1971
Number #9 in the ratings, just
inside the top ten, as this was
Bonanza's last consecutive season,
after David Canary's departure.

Season Thirteen...1971-1972
Number #20 in the ratings, well
out of the top ten category, as
the stories were losing their power
and production was falling behind
at times.  The lowest ratings number
since 1960.

Season Fourteen...1972-1973
In it's first month in September, in
the Top 15, and then by October,
out of the Top 25, and after the
October 31st broadcast into the first
week of November, had sunk to #52
and was cancelled by NBC Television,
a few days later on November 3rd.

Note: Factors attributing to cancellation,
primarily the loss of Dan Blocker and
the move to Tuesday at 7:30-8:30 PM
by the network. They stated they had
other potential new series earlier in the
year for Sunday at 9:00 PM, which was
the series' most successful timeslot.

 
 
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Birth of Bonanza  Bonanza: Cartwright Evolution
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Bonanza: The Lost Episodes Story  Bonanza: The Master Cut
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