Rueben's Ramblings

TV ratings, of course, are the life’s blood of every series on the major and cable networks. Every show is at the mercy of the ratings – whether they are the immediate overnight numbers or the combined final ratings along with DVD viewing. But in recent years, the networks have become obsessed with the 18-39 year old viewers. And while those demographics are important to the powers that be, in my personal opinion, they are ageist and exclusive to a great majority of viewers who still matter, especially where the all-important advertising dollars are concerned.

Needless to say, like every year for the past 10 years, I will focus only on the overall viewership (the millions of viewers who watched each show) of the major and cable network dramas. Each section below will feature a list of all the dramas (and dramas only) from highest to lowest rated and a brief explanation of the time period for which each list covers.

Let’s get started!!

The first list is the major network dramas that aired from January through June 2014, covering the last half of 2013-2014 TV season:

NCIS (CBS) – 17.6 million
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 14.8 million
Blue Bloods (CBS) – 11.8 million
Criminal Minds (CBS) and The Blacklist (NBC) – 10.6 million [TIE]
Person of Interest (CBS) – 10.3 million
CSI (CBS) – 9.9 million
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) – 9.8 million
Castle (ABC) – 9.3 million
The Good Wife and The Mentalist (both on CBS) – 9.2 million [TIE]
Scandal (ABC) – 9 million
Resurrection (ABC) – 8.9 million
Elementary (CBS) – 8.5 million
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – 8.1 million
Unforgettable (CBS) – 7.5 million *
Chicago Fire (NBC) – 7 million
Intelligence (CBS) – 6.8 million *
Chicago P.D. (NBC) – 6.4 million
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) and Bones (FOX) – 6.3 million [TIE]
Once Upon a Time (ABC) – 6.1 million
Almost Human (FOX) – 5.9 million *
Revenge (ABC) – 5.5 million
Grimm (NBC) – 5.3 million
The Following (FOX) – 5.2 million
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) – 5.1 million
Believe (NBC) – 5 million *
Nashville (ABC) and Revolution (NBC) * – 4.9 million [TIE]
Hostages (CBS) – 4.8 million *
Sleepy Hollow (FOX) – 4.4 million
Parenthood (NBC) – 4 million
Crisis (NBC) – 3.7 million *
Killer Women (ABC) – 3.4 million *
Betrayal * and Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (both on ABC) * – 3.2 million [TIE]
Rake (FOX) – 3.1 million *
Dracula (NBC) – 2.9 million *
Hannibal (NBC) – 2.7 million
Glee (FOX) and Mind Games (ABC) * – 2.5 million [TIE]
Arrow (The CW) – 2.4 million
The Assets (ABC) – 2.3 million *
Supernatural (The CW) – 2.2 million
The Vampire Diaries (The CW) – 2 million
The Originals and The 100 (both on The CW) – 1.9 million [TIE]
Reign (The CW) – 1.5 million
The Tomorrow People (The CW) – 1.2 million *
Star-Crossed (The CW) – 1 million *
Hart of Dixie (The CW) – 951,000 viewers
The Carrie Diaries (The CW) – 918,000 viewers *
Beauty And the Beast (The CW) – 843,000 viewers

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

The second list covers all of the cable network dramas from that same time period – January through June:

The Walking Dead (AMC) – 13.7 million
Game of Thrones (HBO) – 7 million
Downton Abbey (PBS) – 6 million (approximate)
Major Crimes (TNT) – 5.2 million
Rizzoli & Isles (TNT) – 3.9 million
American Horror Story: Coven (FX) – 3.4 million
Sherlock (PBS) – 3.3 million
Vikings (History Channel) and The Haves and Have Nots (OWN) – 3.2 million [TIE]
White Collar (USA Network) – 2.8 million
Being Mary Jane (BET) and Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) – 2.5 million [TIE]
Suits (USA Network) – 2.4 million
Bates Motel (A&E), True Detective (HBO) and Justified (FX) – 2.3 million [TIE]
Teen Wolf (MTV) – 2.1 million
Dallas * and Perception * (both on TNT) and Mad Men (AMC) – 2 million [TIE]
Fargo (FX) – 1.9 million
Psych (USA Network) * and The Fosters and Switched at Birth (both on ABC Family) – 1.6 million [TIE]
The Americans (FX), Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime) *, Turn (AMC) and When Calls the Heart (Hallmark) – 1.4 million [TIE]
Ravenswood (ABC Family) * and Helix (Syfy) – 1.3 million [TIE]
Being Human * and Warehouse 13 * (both on Syfy) and Twisted (ABC Family) * – 1.1 million [TIE]
Signed Sealed Delivered (Hallmark) * – 1 million (approximate) ^^
Continuum (Syfy) – 844,000 viewers
Penny Dreadful (Showtime) – 840,000 viewers
Bitten (Syfy) – 789,000 viewers
Black Sails (Starz) – 761,000 viewers
Lost Girl (Syfy) – 740,000 viewers (approximate)
Those Who Kill (A&E then moved to Lifetime Movie Network) – 718,000 viewers *
Orphan Black (BBC America) – 555,000 viewers
Salem (WGN America) – 473,000 viewers
Banshee (Cinemax) – 468,000 viewers
Da Vinci’s Demons (Starz) – 351,000 viewers
Atlantis (BBC America) – 246,000 viewers
Ripper Street (BBC America) – 230,000 viewers ^

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ Ripper Street moves from BBC America over to Netflix for its next season
^^ Signed Sealed Delivered has moved over to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries from the Hallmark Channel and will play as numerous made-for-TV movies throughout the year rather than as the series it was original set as

The third list covers all of the dramas that aired on major networks over the summer from about the end of May through about mid-September:

Under the Dome (CBS) – 7.1 million
The Night Shift (NBC) – 6.8 million
Extant (CBS) – 6.1 million
Unforgettable (CBS) – 6 million *
24: Live Another Day (FOX) – 5.7 million
Taxi Brooklyn (NBC) – 5.3 million *
Rookie Blue (ABC) – 4.8 million
Reckless (CBS) *, Black Box * and Motive (both on ABC) – 3.9 million [TIE]
Mistresses (ABC) – 3.7 million
Gang Related (FOX) * and Crossbones (NBC) * – 2.7 million [TIE]
Beauty And the Beast (The CW) – 874,000 viewers

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

The fourth list covers all of the dramas that aired on the cable networks over the summer from about the end of May through about mid-September:

Rizzoli & Isles and Major Crimes (both on TNT) – 5.2 million [TIE]
The Last Ship (TNT) – 4.4 million
True Blood * (HBO) and Longmire * (A&E) ^ – 3.5 million [TIE]
The Haves and Have Nots (OWN) – 3 million
Murder in the First (TNT) – 2.9 million
Perception (TNT) – 2.8 million *
Suits (USA Network) – 2.6 million
Falling Skies (TNT) – 2.5 million
Hit the Floor (VH1) – 2.3 million
Hell on Wheels (AMC), The Strain (FX) and Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family) – 2.2 million [TIE]
Royal Pains (USA Network) – 2 million
Covert Affairs and Rush * (both on USA Network) – 1.7 million [TIE]
The Leftovers (HBO), Dallas * (TNT), Teen Wolf (MTV), Defiance and Dominion (both on Syfy) – 1.6 million [TIE]
Ray Donovan (Showtime), Legends (TNT), The Fosters (ABC Family) and Tyrant (FX) – 1.5 million [TIE]
Satisfaction (USA Network) – 1.4 million
Graceland (USA Network) and Switched at Birth (ABC Family) – 1.3 million [TIE]
Chasing Life (ABC Family) and Franklin & Bash (TNT) – 1.2 million
Witches of East End * (Lifetime), Finding Carter (MTV) and The Bridge * (FX) – 1.1 million [TIE]
Outlander (Starz) – 1 million
Masters of Sex (Showtime) – 800,000 viewers
Halt & Catch Fire (AMC) – 797,000 viewers
The Lottery (Lifetime) – 670,000 viewers *
Power (Starz) – 654,000 viewers
The Knick (Cinemax) – 368,000 viewers
The Divide (WE TV) – 301,000 viewers *
Rectify (Sundance) – 144,000 viewers (approximate)

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ Longmire was picked up Netflix for its third season

NOTE: Ratings for the following cable dramas could not be tracked down: Almighty Johnsons (Syfy), Cedar Cove (Hallmark), The Musketeers (BBC America), Matador (El Rey Network) * and Rogue (DirecTV).

The fifth list covers the cable network dramas that aired from approximately August to mid-December:

The Walking Dead (AMC) – 14.6 million
Sons of Anarchy (FX) – 4.7 million *
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) – 4.1 million
Major Crimes (TNT) – 3.6 million ^
The Librarians (TNT) – 3 million ^
Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – 2 million *
Hell on Wheels (AMC) – 1.9 million
If Loving You Is Wrong (OWN) – 1.7 million
White Collar (USA Network) – 1.6 million *
Homeland (Showtime) – 1.5 million
Z Nation (Syfy) and The Newsroom (HBO) * – 1.4 million [TIE]
Covert Affairs (USA Network) – 1.3 million
Doctor Who (BBC America) 1.1 million (approximate)
Transporter: The Series (TNT) [Season 1] – 1 million
Transporter: The Series (TNT) [Season 2] – 1 million ^
Haven (Syfy) – 857,000 viewers
Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce (Bravo) -829,000 viewers ^
The Affair (Showtime) – 715,000 viewers
Intruders (BBC America) – 403,000 viewers
Atlantis (BBC America) – 273,000 (approximate) viewers
The Missing (Starz) – 219,000 (approximate) viewers

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending
^ there was one other episode of this show that either aired after or had its ratings announced after this annual report had to be posted

NOTE: Ratings for the following cable dramas could not be tracked down: Kingdom (DirecTV) and The Game (BBC America).

The sixth and final list covers all of the major network dramas that aired during the first half of the 2014-2015 TV season, covering September to approximately mid-December:

NCIS (CBS) – 17.3 million
NCIS: New Orleans (CBS) – 15.6 million
Madam Secretary (CBS) – 12.6 million
Blue Bloods (CBS) – 11.0 million
Scorpion (CBS) – 10.8 million
The Good Wife (CBS) – 10.6 million
Criminal Minds and Hawaii Five-0 (both on CBS) – 10.4 million [TIE]
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC) – 10.3 million
Scandal (ABC) and The Blacklist (NBC) – 10.1 million [TIE]
Castle (ABC) and Person of Interest (CBS) – 9.6 million [TIE]
The Mentalist (CBS) – 8.9 million *
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS) – 8.8 million
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) and The Mysteries of Laura (NBC) – 8.6 million [TIE]
CSI (CBS) – 8.2 million
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) – 8 million
Chicago Fire (NBC) – 7.9 million
Stalker (CBS) – 7.7 million
Elementary (CBS) – 7.5 million
Chicago P.D. (NBC) – 7.2 million
Once Upon a Time (ABC) and State of Affairs (NBC) – 6.6 million [TIE]
Gotham (FOX) – 6.5 million
Bones (FOX) – 5.9 million
Nashville (ABC) – 5.5 million
Forever (ABC) – 5.3 million
Resurrection (ABC) and Grimm (NBC) – 5.1 million [TIE]
Revenge (ABC) – 4.8 million
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC) and Sleepy Hollow (FOX) – 4.7 million [TIE]
Parenthood (NBC) – 4.2 million *
The Flash (The CW) – 3.8 million
Gracepoint (FOX) – 3.7 million *
Constantine (NBC) – 3.3 million *
Red Band Society (FOX) – 3.1 million *
Arrow (The CW) – 2.8 million
Supernatural (The CW) – 2.4 million
The Vampire Diaries and The 100 (both on The CW) – 1.7 million [TIE]
The Originals (The CW) – 1.4 million
Reign and Jane the Virgin (both on The CW) – 1.3 million [TIE]

* denotes all those shows that have since been cancelled or came to a planned ending

The final analyses of all these ratings for both the major and cable networks for the entire year are as follows:

1. Just like previous years, CBS is still the number one most watched network with NCIS being the highest rated drama for the entire year of 2014. The network also owns nearly all of the top 10 drama spots on the charts. CBS is also the home of the top new drama of the fall TV season in the form of Madam Secretary. The new thriller Stalker is the only drama on the network that isn’t performing that well in the ratings (at least where the network is concerned).

2. The Shonda Rhimes drama How to Get Away with Murder edged out both Scandal and Castle as the number one show on ABC for the fall. The lowest rated dramas on ABC are Revenge and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; but despite that fact there is a possibility that the network could give both shows one more season in order to give Revenge a 5-season run and give SHIELD support simply because it’s part of the Marvel universe.

3. While Bones has been the top drama on FOX, it was defeated by the new drama Gotham, which took over the lead this fall. FOX has cancelled its new drama Gracepoint and its other new drama Red Band Society is on life support at this point.

4. The Blacklist is still holding strong as the top rated show on NBC, but the surprise of the fall season is how well the much-maligned (at least by critics) new drama The Mysteries of Laura is performing in the ratings. The show most in jeopardy at NBC is the new drama Constantine, which is the lowest rated drama on the network and the series that had its production halted.

5. While Arrow was the number drama on The CW for the 2013-2014 TV season, it has been overtaken by the new spin-off series The Flash, which is now the top rated show on the network. The other surprise for the network is that the new dramedy Jane the Virgin may not be making banner marks in the ratings department (it is currently the lowest rated show on the network tied with Reign), but it sure is getting fan and critical acclaim.

6. As for the cable dramas, The Walking Dead is still the reigning king overall for all of 2014 while CBS’ Under the Dome edged out NBC’s The Night Shift just slightly for the top summer cable series.

There is one last list, though. The following covers all of the made-for-TV movies, mini-series, event series and specials that aired during 2014 on both the major and cable networks for which ratings could be tracked down in time for this report to be posted:

Peter Pan Live! (NBC) – 9.1 million
Flowers in the Attic (Lifetime) – 6.1 million
Christmas Under Wraps (Hallmark) – 5.8 million
Zapped (Disney) – 5.7 million
Cloud 9 (Disney) – 5 million
How to Build a Better Boy (Disney) – 4.6 million
In My Dreams (ABC) – 4.6 million
A Royal Christmas (Hallmark) – 4.5 million
Lizzie Borden: Took An Ax (Lifetime) – 4.4 million
The Christmas Shepherd (Hallmark) – 4.2 million
Christmas at Cartwrights (Hallmark) – 4.1 million
Northpole (Hallmark) – 4 million
Sharknado 2 (Syfy) – 3.9 million
The Gabby Douglas Story (Lifetime) – 3.8 million
One Christmas Eve (Hallmark) – 3.6 million
Rosemary’s Baby (NBC) – 3.5 million
The Christmas Parade (Hallmark) – 3.5 million
The Best Christmas Party Ever (Hallmark) – 3.4 million
Petals on the Wind (Lifetime) – 3.4 million
The Nine Lives of Christmas (Hallmark) – 3.4 million
Angels & Ornaments (Hallmark) – 3.3 million
Debbie Macomber’s Mr. Miracle (Hallmark) – 3.3 million
Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (Lifetime) – 3.2 million
A Cookie Cutter Christmas (Hallmark) – 3.2 million
Klondike (Discovery Channel) – 3.1 million
One Starry Christmas (Hallmark) – 3.1 million
Chance at Romance (Hallmark) – 2.7 million
Blindsided (Lifetime) – 2.5 million
The Good Witch’s Wonder (Hallmark) – 2.5 million
The Good Mistress (Lifetime) – 2.3 million (approximate)
A Day Late and A Dollar Short (Lifetime) – 2.2 million
Stranded in Paradise (Hallmark) – 2.2 million
One Child (Sundance) – 2.2 million
The Trip to Bountiful (Lifetime) – 2.1 million
Big Driver (Lifetime) – 2.1 million
The Girl He Met Online (Lifetime) – 2 million
For Better or For Worse (Hallmark) – 2 million
Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs (Lifetime) – 1.8 million
Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever (Lifetime) – 1.8 million
A Ring By Spring (Hallmark) – 1.7 million
Bermuda Tentacles (Syfy) – 1.7 million
Presumed Dead in Paradise (Lifetime) – 1.7 million
House of Secrets (Lifetime) – 1.6 million
June in January (Hallmark) – 1.6 million (approximate)
The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story (Lifetime) – 1.6 million
Ascension (Syfy) – 1.6 million
The Brittany Murphy Story (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
Status: Unknown (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
Death Clique (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
A Daughter’s Nightmare (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
Return to Zero (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
Killing Daddy (Lifetime) – 1.5 million
The Santa Con (Lifetime) – 1.4 million
The Grim Sleeper (Lifetime) – 1.4 million
A Lesson in Romance (Hallmark) – 1.4 million
Sorority Surrogate (Lifetime) – 1.4 million
Mom’s Day Away (Hallmark) – 1.4 million
The Normal Heart (HBO) – 1.4 million
When Sparks Fly (Hallmark) – 1.4 million
The Mentor (Lifetime) – 1.4 million
Stolen From the Womb (Lifetime) – 1.4 million
The Good Sister (Lifetime) – 1.3 million
Lucky in Love (Hallmark) – 1.2 million
Snakehead Swamp (Syfy) – 1.2 million
Starving in Suburbia (Lifetime) – 1.1 million
Looking for Mr. Right (Hallmark) – 1.1 million (approximate)
Labyrinth (The CW) – 1 million (approximate)
Wally Lamb’s Wishin’ and Hopin’ (Lifetime) – 972,000 viewers
The Color of Rain (Hallmark Movie Channel) – 915,000 viewers (approximate)
Seasons of Love (Lifetime) – 734,000 viewers
The Red Road (Sundance) – 194,000 viewers (approximate)

What shows, made-for-TV movies, mini-series and/or specials have you enjoyed the most throughout the year? Please share.

TOMORROW: Faces of 2014

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