The 2014-2015 TV season for the major networks may have come to an end last month, but that doesn’t mean that the cable dramas came to an end. There were plenty of new episodes to watch as well as new made-for-TV movies and mini-series too.
First, here are the ratings for the cable dramas:
CABLE DRAMAS
MONDAYS:
Bates Motel – The A&E series aired the final two episodes of its current, third season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 4 – 1.7 million
May 11 – 1.7 million (Season Finale)
This averages out to 1.7 million viewers for May. A&E has not announced if Bates Motel has been renewed for a fourth season yet.
The Returned – This Americanized version of the French original aired the final two episodes of its debut season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 4 – 935,000 viewers
May 11 – 945,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This averages out to 940,000 viewers for May. The Returned has yet to be renewed by A&E.
Turn: Washington’s Spies – The AMC period piece drama aired four new episodes of its current, second season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 4 – 631,000 viewers
May 11 – 741,000 viewers
May 18 – 760,000 viewers
May 25 – 723,000 viewers
This averages out to 714,000 viewers for May. The final two episodes of Turn: Washington’s Spies aired on AMC in June and those ratings will be included in next month’s report.
TUESDAYS:
Finding Carter – The MTV drama aired four episodes of its current, second season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 5 – 661,000 viewers
May 12 – 723,000 viewers
May 19 – 577,000 viewers
May 26 – 543,000 viewers
This averages out to 626,000 viewers for May. Two new episodes aired in June with the season finale of Finding Carter set to air on MTV on Tuesday, June 16 at 10 PM.
If Loving You Is Wrong – The OWN drama aired the final five episodes of its debut season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 5 – 2 million
May 12 – 2.1 million
May 19 – 2.2 million
May 26 – 2 million (Season Finale)
This averages out to 2.1 million viewers for May. If Loving You Is Wrong has been renewed for a second season on OWN, but a return date has yet to be announced.
WEDNESDAYS:
Ripper Street – The BBC America period piece drama aired four new episodes of its current, third season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 5 – 83,000 viewers
May 12 – 183,000 viewers
May 19 – 271,000 viewers
May 26 – 147,000 viewers
This averages out to 171,000 viewers for May. Two new episodes of Ripper Street aired in June with the season finale set to air on BBC America on Wednesday, June 17 at 10 PM.
The DirecTV drama Full Circle: Chicago Payback aired the final four episodes during May; but ratings for those episodes could not be tracked down.
THURSDAYS:
Dig – The USA Network drama aired its season finale on May 7, earning 1.1 million viewers. There are no reports if the network will bring Dig back for a second season.
Olympus – The Syfy drama aired three new episodes of its debut season during the month, moving to a new timeslot on May 21. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 7 – 576,000 viewers
May 14 – No episode aired
May 21 – 582,000 viewers (New Timeslot)
May 28 – 368,000 viewers
This averages out to 717,000 viewers for May. A new episode of Olympus aired on Syfy on June 4 with another new episode set to air on Thursday, June 11 at 11 PM.
The Red Road – The SundanceTV drama aired its final episode of its second season on May 7, earning 183,000 viewers. Sadly, the network has pulled the plug on the show.
Lost Girl – The Canadian series aired the first eight episodes of its final season on Syfy from April 17 through May 15 before moving to its new night starting on Thursday nights on May 21 following through to its mid-season finale on June 4. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
April 17 – 654,000 viewers
April 24 – 610,000 viewers
May 1 – 555,000 viewers
May 8 – 510,000 viewers
May 15 – 463,000 viewers
May 21 – 881,000 viewers
May 28 – 583,000 viewers
June 4 – 710,000 viewers (Mid-Season Finale)
This averages out to 621,000 viewers for that time period. Lost Girl will return for its final eight episodes on Syfy hopefully later this year.
FRIDAYS:
Bitten – The second season of this Canadian series also aired on Syfy, starting with its two-hour premiere on April 17 through its two-hour finale on June 5, airing 10 episodes during that time period. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
April 17 (Hour 1) – 439,000 viewers
April 17 (Hour 2) – 561,000 viewers
April 24 – 587,000 viewers
May 1 – 473,000 viewers
May 8 – 486,000 viewers
May 15 – 588,000 viewers
May 22 – 469,000 viewers (New Timeslot)
May 29 – 383,000 viewers
June 5 (Hour 1) – 537,000 viewers
June 5 (Hour 2) – 491,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This averages out to 501,000 viewers for that time period. Bitten has yet to be renewed for a third season by its home network in Canada.
SATURDAYS:
When Calls the Heart – The Hallmark Channel drama aired five hours of new episodes during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 2 – 1.4 million
May 8 – No episode aired
May 16 – 1.6 million (Two-Hour Airing)
May 23 – 1.5 million
May 30 – 1.6 million
This averages out to 1.2 million viewers for May. A new episode aired on June 6 with the two-hour season finale of When Calls the Heart set to air on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, June 13 at 8 PM.
Outlander – The final four episodes of the debut season of the Starz drama aired during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 2 – 1 million
May 9 – 1.1 million
May 16 – 1 million
May 23 – No new episode aired
May 30 – 981,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This average out to 1 million viewers for May. Outlander will return for a second season on Starz presumably in early 2016.
Orphan Black – The BBC America drama aired five new episodes of its current, third season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 2 – 443,000 viewers
May 9 – 406,000 viewers
May 16 – 460,000 viewers
May 23 – 393,000 viewers
May 30 – 372,000 viewers
This averages out to 415,000 viewers for April. A new episode of Orphan Black aired on BBC America on June 6 with another new episode set to air on Saturday, June 13 at 9 PM.
SUNDAYS:
The Royals – The first scripted drama on E! aired the final three episodes of its debut season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 1.2 Million
May 10 – 1.2 million
May 17 – 1.1 million (Season Finale)
This averages out to 1.2 million viewers for May. The Royals will return to E! for a second season in November.
Mad Men – The final three episodes EVER of the AMC period piece aired during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 1.8 million
May 10 – 1.9 million
May 17 – 3.3 million (Series Finale)
This averages out to 2.3 million viewers for May.
Salem – The WGN America thriller aired five new episodes of its second season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 334,000 viewers
May 10 – 245,000 viewers
May 17 – 321,000 viewers
May 24 – 310,000 viewers
May 31 – 394,000 viewers
This averages out to 321,000 viewers for May. A new episode of Salem aired on WGN America on June 7 with the next new episode set to air on Sunday, June 14 at 10 PM.
The Lizzie Borden Chronicles – The TV version of the made-for-TV movie aired the final four episodes of its debut season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 817,000 viewers
May 10 – 581,000 viewers
May 17 – 773,000 viewers
May 24 – 705,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This averages out to 719,000 viewers for May. Lifetime has yet to renew The Lizzie Borden Chronicles for a second season.
Game of Thrones – The HBO critically-acclaimed series aired five new episodes of its current, fifth season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 6.8 million
May 10 – 6.6 million
May 17 – 6.2 million
May 24 – 5.4 million
May 31 – 7 million
This averages out to 6.4 million for May. A new episode of Game of Thrones aired on HBO on June 7 with the next new episode set to air on Sunday, June 14 at 9 PM.
Penny Dreadful – The Showtime thriller series returned for a second season on May 3, airing five episodes during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
May 3 – 575,000 viewers (Season Premiere)
May 10 – 536,000 viewers
May 17 – 639,000 viewers
May 24 – 640,000 viewers
May 31 – 712,000 viewers
This averages out to 620,000 viewers for May. A new episode of Penny Dreadful aired on Showtime on June 7 with the next new episode set to air on Sunday, June 14 at 10 PM.
Halt and Catch Fire returned for the start of its second season on AMC on May 31, earning 659,000 viewers. A new episode aired on June 7 with the next new episode of Halt and Catch Fire set to air on AMC on Sunday, June 14 at 10 PM.
MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES AND MINI-SERIES
There were only a little over a handful of made-for-TV movies and/or mini-series that aired on the cable networks during May. Here is a list of those for which ratings could be found:
Texas Rising (History Channel) [Mini-Series] – 4.1 million (May 25) and 3.4 million (May 26)
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe (Lifetime) – 2.3 million (May 30) and 2.1 million (May 31)
Kidnapped: The Hannah Anderson Story (Lifetime) – 1.8 million
Just the Way You Are (Hallmark) – 1.7 million
Bessie (HBO) – 1.3 million
Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.1 million
Nightingale (HBO) – 219,000 viewers
And here is a list of those that aired during May for which ratings could NOT be found:
Call the Midwife (PBS)
Gourmet Detective (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Grace of Monaco (Lifetime)
Love By Design (UP Channel)
Mothers of the Bride (UP Channel)
Mr. Selfridge (PBS)
Wolf Hall (PBS)
Ratings results for the cable dramas, the mini-series and the made-for-TV movies that are set to air in June that can be tracked down will be provided as soon as possible in July.
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