Big Bang “most loved” TV show

It’s an interesting theory…

The Big Bang Theory is Australia’s “most loved” television show, according to Roy Morgan Research.

It has pipped Packed to the Rafters in a study of Australians aged 14+ years asked about the show they “really love to watch.”

Two and a Half Men was voted third.

1 Big Bang Theory 13.9%
2 Packed to the Rafters 13.6%
3 Two and a Half Men 11.7%
4 Top Gear 11.6%
5 NCIS 11.3%
6 Spicks & Specks 11.0%
7 MasterChef Australia 10.9%
8 Bones 9.7%
9 Criminal Minds 9.4%
10 How I Met Your Mother 9.4%

According to the data MasterChef has dropped from second place from a year earlier, while Underbelly and Midsomer Murders are out of the top ten while Criminal Minds and How I Met Your Mother make an appearance.

Top Gear is tops with men while Rafters leads the pack amongst women. Blokes also like The Simpsons, Family Guy and the cricket, while women enjoy the crime/murder mystery genre (Bones, Criminal Minds, Midsomer Murders) and medical dramas such as Doc Martin and Grey’s Anatomy.

George Pesutto from Roy Morgan Research says: “There’s been quite a shake-up among the TV programs that people really love to watch, with Big Bang Theory knocking out Two and a Half Men as the #1 most loved TV show.

“In the latest 2011 data we’re seeing a number of programs with declining “really love to watch” numbers, particularly compared to the last couple of years.

“Since 2009 we’ve been seeing fewer men nominate some of the long standing favourites – such as The Simpsons and Cricket – as TV programs that they really love to watch.

“Whilst Top Gear remains a perennial favourite among men, its stable mate Top Gear Australia doesn’t fare so well, with less than 5% of men saying they really love to watch the Australian edition, compared to more than 17% for the British version.

“These results have implications for advertisers thinking about audience engagement and  wanting to be involved with TV programs that garner loyal, engaged, committed viewers – particularly male audiences.”

The results also contrast with television ratings, with Big Bang rarely winning at 7pm and Top Gear driven off Nine’s list of hot shows.

I can’t help but wonder when the questions were posed to the respondents.

Ask the same questions when Australia’s Got Talent was on air or the day after an episode of Paper Giants and I suspect it would net some different answers. Had Underbelly even been on air at the time?

Despite frequent questions about OzTAM’s pool, I suspect it is a more comprehensive reflection of our year-long tastes.

Still it’s interesting anecdotal results. What do you reckon?