For many television viewers, May sweeps means a whole month of exciting moments before the summer reruns begin. The major networks pull out all of the best programming during May sweeps as they try to win the ratings war.The month long special ratings period which features sitcoms, specials, movies and miniseries, is designed to set advertising rates in more than 200 cities.
Each year, the months of November, February, May, and July are known as the "sweeps" rating periods.
During sweeps, Nielsen ratings determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States. Set meters and People meters are the two types of meters used in the ratings process. Set meters capture what channel is being tuned, while People Meters go a step further and gather information about who is watching in addition to the channel tuned.
Diaries are also used to collect viewing information from sample homes in many television markets, and smaller markets are measured by paper diaries only.
This year, the ratings period for May began April 23 and ends May 20.
Here are a few highlights from the big four networks as they end the TV season with a bang.
(All times are Eastern)
CBS
May 4
DAVID LETTERMAN: A LIFE ON TELEVISION 9:30-11:00 PM
CBS will salute David Letterman and his legendary broadcasting career with David Letterman: A Life On Television, a 90-minute primetime special celebrating his more than three decades in television.
May 5
PERSON OF INTEREST 10:00-11:00 PM
May 6
CRIMINAL MINDS 9:00-10:00 PM
May 7
THE BIG BANG THEORY 8:00-8:30 PM
May 8
HAWAII FIVE-0 9:00-10:00 PM
HAWAII FIVE-0 10:00-11:00 PM - SEASON FINALE
May 10
THE GOOD WIFE 9:00-10:00 PM
May 12
NCIS 8:00-9:00 PM
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS 9:00-10:00 PM
May 13
CSI: CYBER 9:00-10:00 PM
CSI: CYBER 10:00-11:00 PM - SEASON FINALE
May 14
THE ODD COUPLE 8:30-9:00 PM
THE ODD COUPLE 9:00-9:30 PM - SEASON FINALE
ELEMENTARY 10:00-11:00 PM
May 15
THE AMAZING RACE 8:00-9:00 PM
May 17
I Love Lucy (2 New Colorized Episodes) 8 PM
May 18
2 BROKE GIRLS 8:00-8:30 PM
MIKE & MOLLY 8:30-9:00 PM
STALKER 9:00-10:00 PM
NCIS: LOS ANGELES 10:00-11:00 PM
May 20
SURVIVOR 8:00-10:00 PM
May 20
Late Show with David Letterman (Letterman's Final Episode) 11:30-12:30 PM
FOX
May 4
Gotham Season Finale 8 PM
May 5
Weird Loners Season Finale 9PM
New Girl Season Finale 9:30 PM
May 12
American Idol Season Finale Pt. 1 9 PM
May 13
American Idol Season Finale Pt. 2 8 PM
May 14
Wayward Pines Premiere 9 PM
May 17
The Simpsons Season Finale 8 PM
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season Finale 8:30 PM
Family Guy Season Finale 9 PM
May 18
The Following 2-Hr Season Finale 8 PM
May 20
MasterChef 2-Hr Season Premiere 8 PM
ABC
May 5
Forever – SEASON FINALE 10:01-11:00 PM
May 7
Scandal – SEASON FINALE 9:00-10:00 PM
May 10
Once Upon a Time – TWO-HOUR SEASON FINALE 8:00-10:01 PM
Revenge – SEASON FINALE 10:01-11:00 PM
May 11
Castle – SEASON FINALE 10:01-11:00 PM
May 12
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – TWO-HOUR SEASON FINALE 9:00-11:00 PM
May 13
The Middle – SEASON FINALE 8:00-8:30 PM
The Goldbergs – SEASON FINALE 8:30-9:00 PM
Nashville – SEASON FINALE 10:00-11:00 PM
May 14
Grey’s Anatomy – SEASON FINALE 9:00-10:01 PM
American Crime – SEASON FINALE 10:01-11:00 PM
May 15
Shark Tank – SEASON FINALE 8:00-9:00 PM
May 17
America’s Funniest Home Videos 7:00-8:00 PM
The 2015 Billboard Music Awards 8:00-11:00 PM
May 18
Dancing with the Stars 8:00-9:01 PM
The Bachelorette – SEASON PREMIERE 9:01-11:00 PM
May 19
Dancing with the Stars 9:00-11:00 PM
May 20
“500 Questions” – SEASON PREMIERE 8:00-9:00 PM
Modern Family – SEASON FINALE 9:00-9:31 PM
black-ish – SEASON FINALE – 9:31-10:00 PM
NBC
May 16
Preakness Stakes 6 PM