The Nielsen family appeared in the Dinosaurs episode The Family Challenge. They are a family of mammals who competed against the Sinclair family on The Family Challenge. TV is their life, and due to the frequency of how often they watch television, along with the Sinclair's lack of television for a month, they naturally beat the Sinclairs. The name is a reference to Nielsen Ratings, a system used in broadcasting that often refers to those participating as "Nielsen families."