Republicans and Democrats Agree on ‘The Walking Dead’ But Not ‘Game of Thrones’ A new study shows a stark partisan divide when it comes to TV favorites

Andrew Lincoln on 'The Walking Dead,' left; Sophie Turner on 'Game of Thrones.' PHOTO: AMC/HBO

By MICHAEL CALIA Jul 20, 2016 11:30 am ET With the Republican National Convention already under way and its Democratic counterpart lined up for next week, the U.S. has a powerful case of political fever. So it’s as good a time as ever to measure television-watching tastes along party lines. Research firm E-Score did just that and came across some intriguing findings that were released Wednesday morning. The good news is that Republicans and Democrats can indeed find common ground. Members of both parties love AMC‘s smash zombie hit“The Walking Dead,” CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” and the CW‘s action drama “Supernatural,” which topped the GOP list.

There are some stark differences, however, particularly when it comes to “Game of Thrones.” Democrats love the HBO fantasy phenomenon, which comes in first place on the left- leaning list. It’s nowhere to be found on the Republican Top 10, however. The E-Score study concludes that Democrats have more of a taste for series with ethnically diverse casts and are drawn more toward series they described as “sexy” and “emotionally involving.” Republicans, likewise, prefer “family friendly” and “funny” shows, as well as programs with strong “good vs. evil” themes.

Also according to the survey, Democrats are more eclectic in their network choices, with only ABC showing up twice on the left-leaning list. Republicans tend to like shows airing on the CW (three entries) and CBS (four entries). E-Score said it analyzed more than 750 programs on broadcast and cable networks, as well as streaming services, with Americans of voting age who identify as either Republican or Democrat. The firm then ranked shows described as “one of my favorites” by each group.

Here are rankings, by party:

Republicans Democrats 1. Supernatural (CW) 1. Game of Thrones (HBO) 2. The Walking Dead (AMC) 2. The Haves and the Have Nots (OWN) 3. Scorpion (CBS) 3. Supernatural (CW) 4. Arrow (CW) 4. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 5. The Flash (CW) 5. Suits (USA) 6. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 6. The Walking Dead (AMC) 7. NCIS (CBS) 7. How to Get Away With Murder (ABC) 8. Blue Bloods (CBS) 8. Doctor Who (BBC America) 9. Grimm (NBC) 9. Empire (Fox) 10. Last Man Standing (ABC) 10. Nashville (ABC)

Source: