ARTICLE: ‘General Hospital’ Sets New Season Highs In Key Demos, Ranks No. 2 Among Soaps, Tops ‘The Bold And The Beautiful’

[Errol]

Daytime broadcast came back strong during the week of August 18-22, 2025 among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 after the daypart experienced its worst week on record in both key sales demographics during the week of August 11-15, 2025. Leading the charge were repeats of “The Price is Right” and original episodes of “General Hospital,” both seeing the largest week-to-week and year-over-year gains.

For the CBS game show, the second half-hour of “The Price is Right” was up +0.10 week-to-week and up +0.07 year-over-year among Women 18-49, while the first half-hour was up +0.08 week-to-week and +0.02. Among Women 25-54, the second half-hour was up +0.11 week-to-week and +0.07 year-over-year. Meanwhile, the first half-hour was up +0.07 week-to-week and +0.01 year-over-year.

At ABC, “General Hospital” ranked a solid second among the network soap operas for the first time since the week of March 11-15, 2024 in Women 18-49 (0.26 rating vs 0.24 rating) and in Women 25-54 (0.37 rating vs. 0.41 rating). With its 0.26 rating among Women 18-49, the long-running soap opera was up +0.10 week-to-week and +0.05 year-over-year among Women 18-49 and up +0.08 week-to-week and year-over-year among Women 25-54 (0.37 rating), marking season highs in both demographics for the series with just four weeks left in the 2024-2025 television season.

Among Total Viewers, “General Hospital” saw the largest week-to-week gain across daytime broadcast, up +97,000, compared to the week of August 11-15, 2025. Also seeing gains were repeats of “Let’s Make a Deal” and “The View,” as well as original episodes of “Beyond the Gates” and “GMA3.”

“The Young and the Restless” was up week-to-week and year-over-year among Women 18-49, and up week-to-week among Women 25-54. Compared to the same week last year, the CBS soap opera was up +135,000 viewers, the largest year-over-year gain across daytime broadcast. On the opposite side, “The Bold and the Beautiful” had the largest year-over-year drop among viewers, down -146,000, though the half-hour series did see week-to-week growth among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 despite a national preemption on Monday, August 18, resulting in episodes being pushed back by a day.

“Beyond the Gates” saw growth week-to-week among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54, up +0.03 and +0.01, respectively. The new soap opera was up among viewers, gaining +11,000, compared to its performance one week earlier.

Wrap-Up

What follows is a breakdown of how the daytime broadcast shows performed during the week of August 18-22, 2025 among Women 18-49 rating, Women 25-54 rating, including week-to-week and year-over-year performance comparisons.

Note*: Figures under the 2024 column for “Beyond the Gates” are compared to the performance of the former time slot occupant, “The Talk,” which aired amended repeats during the comparable week last year. “TODAY with Jenna & Friends” is compared with the performance of its predecessor, “TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.” Meanwhile, “GMA3” is compared with the performance of its predecessor, “GMA3: What You Need to Know.”

With the game show airing amended repeats, demos for “Let’s Make a Deal” were not available. The show also aired amended repeats during the same week last year. “The Price is Right” also aired amended repeats during the comparable week last year, resulting in Households and Total Viewers not being available.

Households and Total Viewers for “TODAY 3rd Hour” and “TODAY with Jenna & Friends” were unavailable at press time.

Week of August 18-22, 2025 Rankers

Women 18-49 Rating

Rank / Show / Network	This Week	Last Week	2024
1. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R	0.42	0.32	0.35
2. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R	0.35	0.27	0.33
3. The Young and the Restless (CBS)	0.27	0.21	0.26
4. General Hospital (ABC)	0.26	0.16	0.21
5. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)	0.22	0.23	0.25
6. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)	0.21	0.17	0.27
7. Beyond the Gates (CBS)	0.19	0.16	N/A*
8. TODAY with Jenna & Friends (NBC)	0.17	0.16	0.21
9. GMA3 (ABC)	0.16	0.13	0.12*
10. View-ABC (ABC) – R	0.14	0.12	0.12
11. NBC News Daily (NBC)	0.10	0.10	0.15
NR. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R	NR*	NR*	NR*
NR. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R	NR*	NR*	NR*

Source: Nielsen (Live+Same Day) – August 18-22, 2025

Women 25-54 Rating

Rank / Show / Network	This Week	Last Week	2024
1. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R	0.59	0.48	0.52
2. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R	0.49	0.42	0.48
3. The Young and the Restless (CBS)	0.41	0.38	0.44
4. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)	0.38	0.36	0.38
5. General Hospital (ABC)	0.37	0.29	0.29
6. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)	0.35	0.34	0.40
7. TODAY with Jenna & Friends (NBC)	0.31	0.26	0.31
8. Beyond the Gates (CBS)	0.29	0.28	N/A*
9. GMA3 (ABC)	0.21	0.19	0.19*
10. View-ABC (ABC) – R	0.20	0.18	0.17
11. NBC News Daily (NBC)	0.17	0.16	0.22
NR. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R	NR*	NR*	NR*
NR. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R	NR*	NR*	NR*

Source: Nielsen (Live+Same Day) – August 18-22, 2025

Households

Rank / Show / Network	This Week	Last Week	2024
1. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R	2.3	2.3	N/A*
2. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R	2.0	2.0	N/A*
3. The Young and the Restless (CBS)	1.9	1.9	1.9
4. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)	1.6	1.6	1.7
5. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R	1.4	1.4	N/A*
6. General Hospital (ABC)	1.2	1.2	1.3
— Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R	1.2	1.2	N/A*
8. Beyond the Gates (CBS)	1.0	1.0	N/A*
9. View-ABC (ABC) – R	0.9	0.8	N/A*
10. GMA3 (ABC)	0.7	0.7	0.8*
— NBC News Daily (NBC)	0.7	0.7	0.7
N/A. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*
N/A. TODAY with Jenna & Friends (NBC)	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*

Source: Nielsen (Live+Same Day) – August 18-22, 2025

Total Viewers (In Millions)

Rank / Show / Network	This Week	Last Week	2024
1. The Price is Right 2 (CBS) – R	3,819	3,882	N/A*
2. The Price is Right 1 (CBS) – R	3,319	3,382	N/A*
3. The Young and the Restless (CBS)	2,937	2,959	2,802
4. The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)	2,426	2,442	2,572
5. Let’s Make a Deal 2 (CBS) – R	2,265	2,210	N/A*
6. Let’s Make a Deal 1 (CBS) – R	1,913	1,896	N/A*
7. General Hospital (ABC)	1,891	1,794	1,955
8. Beyond the Gates (CBS)	1,515	1,504	N/A*
9. View-ABC (ABC) – R	1,290	1,199	N/A*
10. GMA3 (ABC)	1,174	1,136	1,209*
11. NBC News Daily (NBC)	1,101	1,103	1,099
N/A. TODAY 3rd Hour (NBC)	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*
N/A. TODAY with Jenna & Friends (NBC)	N/A*	N/A*	N/A*

Source: Nielsen (Live+Same Day) – August 18-22, 2025

The numbers above are calculated using Live+Same Day viewing and DVR playback, defined as 3:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m., and are courtesy of Nielsen. Ratings are the percentage of TV viewers in the U.S. who tuned into a specific television program.

Beginning August 31, 2020, national ratings include Out of Home (OOH) viewing. Previously, ratings did not include OOH viewing. Averages are based on regular telecasts.

LEGEND

P = Premiere	R = Repeat	S = Special
NR = Not Rated / Not Ranked	N/A = Not Available	* denotes further information

Summary (Preemptions/Schedule Changes)*

• “The Bold and the Beautiful” was preempted nationally on Monday, August 18 due to CBS News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House. The show’s weekly average is based on four days (Tuesday through Friday).
• “GMA3” was preempted nationally on Monday, August 18 due to ABC News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House. The show’s weekly average is based on four days (Tuesday through Friday).
• “Let’s Make a Deal” aired amended repeats. The show’s ratings will not factor into its season average.
• “NBC News Daily” was preempted nationally on Monday, August 18 due to NBC News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House. The show’s weekly average is based on four days (Tuesday through Friday).
• “The Price is Right” aired amended repeats. The show’s ratings will not factor into its season average.
• “The View” aired amended repeats. The show’s ratings will not factor into its season average. The program aired for just 26 minutes on Monday, August 18 before it was broken into with ABC News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House.
• “The Young and the Restless” aired for just 48 minutes on Monday, August 18 before it was broken into with CBS News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House. The show’s weekly average is based on four days (Tuesday through Friday).
• “TODAY with Jenna & Friends” aired for just 7 minutes on Monday, August 18 due to NBC News coverage of Ukraine peace talks that saw President Trump meeting with European leaders at the White House. The show’s weekly average is based on four days (Tuesday through Friday).
• Households and Total Viewers were not available at press time for “TODAY 3rd Hour” or “TODAY with Jenna & Friends” during the week of July 28-August 1, 2025; the week of August 4-8, 2025; the week of August 11-15, 2025 and the week of August 18-22, 2025.

Note: The post ‘General Hospital’ Sets New Season Highs In Key Demos, Ranks No. 2 Among Soaps, Tops ‘The Bold And The Beautiful’ appeared first on the Soap Opera Network website.

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[jasonminer1974]

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[Maxim]

Seeing Bold getting topped by any other soap is music to my ears. Especially in the key demos. That kind of disgusting amateur-hour writing shouldn't be enabled by good ratings. Thank you for the article, @Errol  

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[bongobong]

Is GH's week over week 63% gain in W18-49 a record? Not counting asterisk's (pre-emptions, Olympics, etc) of course.

[Melroser]

B&B is on such a rinse and repeat every day that no one cares. People are sick of Luna. Sick of Taylor/Ridge/Brooke. Sick of Liam/Hope. Nothing new ever happens. The show is hurting BTG because people can't sit through such drivel. 

[Taoboi]

I'm sorry, but good job, GH!!!

 

It's been holding my attention for months after I quit it at the start of the year and is only 2nd to BTG so well done on its gains since B&B (fluff as it's been for the most part for me) has taken yet another dark turn. 

[cityfan01]

Go GH, absolutely well deserved! The show has been firing on all cylinders since about a year ago for me, so I’m thrilled that they are seeing it in the ratings. 

[titan1978]

I took a several month hiatus as well, all I did on SON was bitch and complain about the state of GH and soaps in general. So I stepped away here too. GH is really on fire when you look at the last three years, they finally have a head writing team that allows normal conflict between the characters, and I see cliffhangers many times during the week. It’s not perfect, but it’s probably the best this team is capable of producing and it is watchable, even entertaining!

[Taoboi]

Yep. I believe I took mine a month or so after you took yours. I just...couldn't. For the same reasons. 

 

Then I came back for the Nurse Ball. And it's been watchable and entertaining for me ever since. It does help that they lowered a lot of the show 'tics' I didn't like, and it felt like the writers found actual momentum. And yes! Cliffhangers! It's been surprising me playing catch-up...how bingeable it's been. I actually had to slow down because...life lol. It has come a long way for me since I stopped. And just when I worry they might lose momentum, they do a turn, and it keeps going in an interesting direction that keeps me engage. 

[titan1978]

There are times when I know it’s still not great, but it is at least fun to watch. I will take that over the doldrums and misfires and mess the show had been. It’s fun to watch again.

[CrazySexyQ]

My faith in viewers is restored with Bold's drop in numbers. The show is the worst on the air. 

[Taoboi]

I completely agree. And it is something I didn't think I would ever say again tbh. 

 

 

[J Brooks]

Weird GH viewers didn't even increase 100,000, but the demos went through the roof. Just seems like a one off type deal. Still good to see a soap can do that these days.

[Aback]

I never watched GH before - I was kinda put off by the whole concept of the hospital and the mob scene - but I'm loving it.

[ranger1rg]

Yeah, I'm side-eyeing that increase. Doesn't make much sense.

I'm not complaining, though. I have my doubts, but I hope that lead over B&B last in the coming weeks. Soaps like B&B and Y&R deserve to lose viewers.

Since GH is so close to Y&R in the demos but so far behind in households and overall viewers, it's pretty clear that Y&R's audience is ANCIENT. I can't draw any other conclusion.