Combining two of the most popular topics of debate around here—divisive demographic studies and even more infuriating personal politics—media-research company Experian Simmons has released a new survey breaking down which television shows are popular along party lines. In summation: Republicans, in general, enjoy crime procedurals and TV shows that are big ratings hits such as American Idol and Dancing With The Stars, while Democrats enjoy watching stuff that is “critically acclaimed” yet under-performing such as 30 Rock, Mad Men, Parks And Recreation, Community, and Friday Night Lights. So basically, Republicans are in tune with the heart of the country and on the side of law and order, while Democrats tend to side with elitists, criminals, and losers. This is probably a sweeping generalization you've heard fatuously declared before, but hey, now it has statistics.
According to John Fetto, Experian Simmons’ senior marketing manager, while the big, Nielsen-friendly shows have fans in both parties, they have above-average scores from “higher concentrations of Republicans” because “Republicans like winners” and enjoy “programs that make people feel good.” However, you should probably take that with a grain of salt: They love the tedious torture of V (presumably because it’s a paranoid parable about the Obama administration).
Meanwhile, self-loathing, insecure Democrats “seem to like shows about damaged people. Those are the kind of shows Republicans just stay away from.” That means liberals enjoy stuff such as Dexter and Breaking Bad, but also Kourtney And Khloe Take Miami—which is telling, we think. Also, the only true crime procedural on the Democrats’ list is Law And Order: SVU, which is the one with the perverts.
Interestingly, one of the Republicans’ top-ranked shows is Modern Family, which, who knows, maybe that bodes well for the future of gay and immigration rights. And not that interestingly, Republicans really, really love babies, gravitating to so-called “breeder” shows like 18 Kids And Counting on TLC, which THR notes has been gradually making itself over as the network of the “heartland” by adding titles like Sarah Palin’s Alaska and Homecoming. Anyway, nothing here you probably couldn’t have already guessed based on some broad generalizations, but here’s the list all the same: