Proof That Your Parents are Really Watching 'NCIS'

The greying population loves to throw around accusations that millennials are making the US a less intelligent, hard-working, and prosperous nation, yet somehow these critics are consistently undermined. It must be troubling to find out that millennials are actually beautiful snowflakes dedicated to saving the planet, but here we are. And even something as seemingly soul-crushing as television ratings has shown, once again, that millennials are making smarter choices than their older counterparts. NCIS was just awarded the International Television Audience Award for a Drama TV Series, which is a part of the 54th Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

Why does that matter, you ask?

The award is calculated based on ratings from the broadcast country and over 66 other countries surveyed, and NCIS's win means that it is the most-watched show in those 66 countries combined. Yet, in the US, NCIS is first overall, but fifth with the "target demographic," comprised of ages 18-49, according to the awards. If you look at Nielsen data, NCIS comes in eleventh with the young folks. How interesting, since that demographic is also comprised of primarily those pesky millennials everyone is talking about.

Younger folks value groundbreaking scripted shows like House of Cards and Breaking Bad over the tired, repeated plotlines of NCIS. It's possible that the older generations can relate to the main character of NCIS: the fabulous Leroy Jethro Gibbs. But even if Gibbs is a great example of an active mature professional, NCIS isn't the only place to see older people who are more than just stereotypes. Just look at Jay on Modern Family, or Red on Orange Is the New Black.

However, NCIS is the only place you can see the same tired plot devices of a police procedural, without the intriguing characters in Castle or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. So maybe you should think before you speak, more mature TV-watchers, because we young folks have impeccable taste.