Bonanza chronicles the weekly adventures of the Cartwright family, headed by the thrice-widowed patriarch Ben Cartwright. He had three sons, each by a different wife: the eldest was the urbane architect Adam Cartwright who built the ranch house; the second was the warm and lovable giant Eric "Hoss" Cartwright; and the youngest was the hotheaded and impetuous Joseph or "Little Joe". The family's cook was the Chinese immigrant Hop Sing.
Ratings
| Year | Rank | Audience |
| 1960 | 17 | 11,705,600 |
| 1961 | 2 | 14,566,500 |
| 1962 | 4 | 14,989,400 |
| 1963 | 2 | 19,040,400 |
| 1964 | 1 | 19,130,100 |
| 1965 | 1 | 17,124,300 |
| 1966 | 1 | 16,042,830 |
| 1967 | 6 | 14,450,850 |
| 1968 | 3 | 15,494,500 |
| 1969 | 3 | 14,508,000 |
| 1970 | 9 | 14,363,900 |
| 1971 | 20 | 13,599,900 |