This table displays the top-rated primetime television series of the 1997–98 season as measured by Nielsen Media Research.[1] [2]
| Rank | Program | Network | Viewers (in millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seinfeld | 34.1 | ||
| 2 | ER | 30.2 | ||
| 3 | Veronica's Closet | 24.4 | ||
| 4 | Friends | 24.0 | ||
| 5 | Touched by an Angel | 21.8 | ||
| 6 | Monday Night Football | 21.0 | ||
| 7 | Union Square | NBC | 19.9 | |
| 8 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 19.8 | |
| 9 | CBS | 19.4 | ||
| 10 | Home Improvement | ABC | 18.4 | |
| 11 | The X-Files | 17.1 | ||
| 12 | Just Shoot Me! | NBC | 17.0 | |
| 13 | The Drew Carey Show | ABC | 16.7 | |
| 14 | Frasier | NBC | 16.7 | |
| 15 | King of the Hill | FOX | 16.3 | |
| 16 | Dateline NBC — Monday | NBC | 15.4 | |
| 17 | Dateline NBC — Tuesday | NBC | 15.3 | |
| 18 | The Simpsons | FOX | 15.3 | |
| 19 | NYPD Blue | ABC | 15.0 | |
| 20 | 20/20 — Friday | ABC | 15.0 | |
| 21 | Walker, Texas Ranger | CBS | 14.4 | |
| 22 | NBC | 14.2 | ||
| 23 | Primetime Live | ABC | 14.2 | |
| 24 | Law & Order | NBC | 14.1 | |
| 25 | Dharma & Greg | ABC | 13.9 | |
| 26 | CBS | 13.9 | ||
| 27 | 20/20 — Monday | ABC | 13.9 | |
| 28 | Cosby | CBS | 13.8 | |
| 29 | Soul Man | ABC | 13.6 | |
| 30 | Hiller and Diller | ABC | 13.5 |