No surprise that sporting events dominated cable televisions most viewed shows during 2010. The only non-sports events in the top 25 were an iCarly special episode, the 2010 Video Music Awards, and an episode of The Deadliest Catch.
| Rank | Date | Program | Net | Avg. Viewership (million) |
| 1 | 10/25/10 | GIANTS/COWBOYS | ESPN | 17.989 |
| 2 | 9/27/10 | PACKERS/BEARS | ESPN | 17.487 |
| 3 | 10/11/10 | VIKINGS/JETS | ESPN | 17.375 |
| 4 | 12/20/10 | BEARS/VIKINGS | ESPN | 17.094 |
| 5 | 12/28/09 | VIKINGS/BEARS | ESPN | 17.056 |
| 6 | 12/6/10 | JETS/PATRIOTS | ESPN | 16.578 |
| 7 | 9/20/10 | SAINTS/49ERS | ESPN | 15.157 |
| 8 | 11/8/10 | STEELERS/BENGALS | ESPN | 15.053 |
| 9 | 11/15/10 | EAGLES/REDSKINS | ESPN | 15.044 |
| 10 | 9/13/10 | RAVENS/JETS | ESPN | 15.001 |
| 11 | 10/4/10 | PATRIOTS/DOLPHINS | ESPN | 13.994 |
| 12 | 1/18/10 | ICARLY | NAN | 12.383 |
| 13 | 1/31/10 | 2010 AFC-NFC PRO BOWL | ESPN | 12.367 |
| 14 | 9/12/10 | 2010 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS | MTV | 12.063 |
| 15 | 11/1/10 | TEXANS/COLTS | ESPN | 11.954 |
| 16 | 12/13/10 | RAVENS/TEXANS | ESPN | 11.927 |
| 17 | 9/13/10 | CHARGERS/CHIEFS | ESPN | 11.922 |
| 18 | 10/22/10 | YANKEES-RANGERS 6 | TBSC | 11.910 |
| 19 | 11/22/10 | BRONCOS/CHARGERS | ESPN | 11.720 |
| 20 | 11/29/10 | 49ERS/CARDINALS | ESPN | 11.218 |
| 21 | 7/8/10 | LEBRON – THE DECISION L | ESPN | 9.956 |
| 22 | 9/6/10 | BOISE ST/VIRGINIA TECH | ESPN | 9.902 |
| 23 | 10/19/10 | RANGERS-YANKEES 4 | TBSC | 9.849 |
| 24 | 10/18/10 | TITANS/JAGUARS | ESPN | 9.674 |
| 25 | 7/13/10 | DEADLIEST CATCH | DISC | 9.606 |
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And to answer the inevitable commenter plea “What about the list without all the sports?” Here’s the top 25 non-sports cable telecasts for 2010, packed with the heavily viewed TNT duo of The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles.
| Rank | Date | Program | Net | Avg. Viewership (million) |
| 1 | 1/18/10 | ICARLY | NAN | 12.383 |
| 2 | 9/12/10 | 2010 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS | MTV | 12.063 |
| 3 | 7/13/10 | DEADLIEST CATCH | DISC | 9.606 |
| 4 | 9/6/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 9.380 |
| 5 | 8/9/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 9.340 |
| 6 | 9/6/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 9.302 |
| 7 | 7/30/10 | ICARLY | NICK | 9.074 |
| 8 | 9/3/10 | CAMP ROCK 2 – FINAL JAM | DSNY | 9.063 |
| 9 | 7/12/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 9.049 |
| 10 | 8/30/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.992 |
| 11 | 9/13/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.899 |
| 12 | 7/12/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.826 |
| 13 | 7/19/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.788 |
| 14 | 8/23/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.759 |
| 15 | 8/9/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.699 |
| 16 | 9/18/10 | FRED: THE MOVIE | NICK | 8.650 |
| 17 | 9/13/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.542 |
| 18 | 8/23/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.450 |
| 19 | 8/30/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.424 |
| 20 | 8/2/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.414 |
| 21 | 8/16/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.396 |
| 22 | 7/26/10 | RIZZOLI & ISLES | TNT | 8.332 |
| 23 | 6/4/10 | ICARLY MOVIE: IPSYCHO | NICK | 8.293 |
| 24 | 8/16/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.242 |
| 25 | 8/2/10 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 8.234 |
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And after Robert pointed me to a spreadsheet I had overlooked, here’s the top 25 cable programs in 2010 for adults 18-49 viewership.
| Rank | Date | Program | Net | Adults 18-49 Viewership (million) |
| 1 | 9/27/10 | Packers/Bears | ESPN | 9.445 |
| 2 | 10/25/10 | Giants/Cowboys | ESPN | 9.399 |
| 3 | 10/11/10 | Vikings/Jets | ESPN | 9.363 |
| 4 | 12/6/10 | Jets/Patriots | ESPN | 8.308 |
| 5 | 9/13/10 | Ravens/Jets | ESPN | 8.260 |
| 6 | 11/15/10 | Eagles/Redskins | ESPN | 8.242 |
| 7 | 12/20/10 | Bears/Vikings | ESPN | 8.081 |
| 8 | 11/8/10 | Steelers/Bengals | ESPN | 8.080 |
| 9 | 12/28/09 | Vikings/Bears | ESPN | 8.048 |
| 10 | 9/20/10 | Saints/49ers | ESPN | 8.034 |
| 11 | 9/12/10 | 2010 Video Music Awards | MTV | 7.897 |
| 12 | 10/4/10 | Patriots/Dolphins | ESPN | 7.389 |
| 13 | 9/13/10 | Chargers/Chiefs | ESPN | 7.224 |
| 14 | 11/1/10 | Texans/Colts | ESPN | 6.525 |
| 15 | 11/22/10 | Broncos/Chargers | ESPN | 6.088 |
| 16 | 7/13/10 | Deadliest Catch | DISC | 5.966 |
| 17 | 12/13/10 | Ravens/Texans | ESPN | 5.920 |
| 18 | 11/29/10 | 49ers/Cardinals | ESPN | 5.768 |
| 19 | 7/8/10 | Lebron – The Decision | ESPN | 5.714 |
| 20 | 1/31/10 | 2010 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl | ESPN | 5.610 |
| 21 | 10/18/10 | Titans/Jaguars | ESPN | 5.563 |
| 22 | 12/5/10 | Walking Dead | AMC | 5.441 |
| 23 | 9/9/10 | Jersey Shore 2 | MTV | 5.389 |
| 24 | 9/30/10 | Jersey Shore 2 | MTV | 5.277 |
| 25 | 9/2/10 | Jersey Shore 2 | MTV | 5.226 |
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All are individual broadcast “Most Current” measurement, which are Live+7 Day Ratings for most shows except the late December football games, for which they are Live + Same Day ratings.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2011 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
