2018 has come to a close just a few days ago, and while there were a little less new episodes of cable dramas during the month because of the holidays, there were still a little over a handful of dramas airing in December as well as plenty of made-for-TV movies too.
First, let’s take a look at how the cable network dramas fared in the ratings for the month of December:
CABLE DRAMAS
MONDAYS:
No cable dramas aired on Monday nights during the month.
TUESDAYS:
No cable dramas aired on Tuesday nights during the month.
WEDNESDAYS:
Vikings – Four new episodes of the fifth season of the History Channel drama aired during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 5 – 1.7 million viewers
December 12 – 1.8 million viewers
December 19 – 1.7 million viewers
December 26 – 1.5 million viewers
This averages out to 1.7 million viewers for December. A new episode of Vikings aired on January 2 with the next new episode set to air on the History Channel on Wednesday, January 9 at 9 PM.
THURSDAYS:
No cable dramas aired on Thursday nights during the month.
FRIDAYS:
Z Nation – The Syfy zombiefest series aired the final four episodes of its fifth and final season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 7 – 465,000 viewers
December 14 – 428,000 viewers
December 21 – 403,000 viewers
December 28 – 483,000 viewers (Series Finale)
This averages out to 445,000 viewers for December.
Van Helsing – The other Syfy thriller series aired four new episodes of its third season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 7 – 381,000 viewers
December 14 – 337,000 viewers
December 21 – 321,000 viewers
December 28 – 383,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This averages out to 381,000 viewers for December. Van Helsing will be back for a fourth season on Syfy sometime next year.
SATURDAYS:
No cable dramas aired on Saturday nights during the month.
SUNDAYS:
Doctor Who – The final two episodes of the latest season of the worldwide hit aired during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 2 – 804,000 viewers
December 9 – 706,000 viewers (Season Finale)
This averages out to 752,000 viewers for December. The ratings for the annual holiday special – airing on New Year’s Day instead of Christmas – will be included in next month’s report, and a new season of Doctor Who – the show’s 12th – will return to BBC America in early 2020.
Outlander – The time-travel, adventure drama aired five new episodes from its fourth season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 2 – 958,000 viewers
December 9 – 1 million viewers
December 16 – 1.1 million viewers
December 23 – 908,000 viewers
December 30 – 1 million viewers
This averages out to 1 million viewers for December. A new episode of Outlander is set to air on Starz on Sunday, January 6 at 8 PM.
Counterpart – The second season of the sci-fi thriller premiered on Starz on December 9, airing four episode during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 9 – 248,000 viewers (Season Premiere)
December 16 – 206,000 viewers
December 23 – 176,000 viewers
December 30 – No Ratings Were Available
This averages out to approximately 210,000 viewers for December. A new episode of Counterpart is set to air on Starz on Sunday, January 6 at 9 PM.
Ray Donovan – The Showtime drama aired four more new episodes of its sixth season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 2 – 1 million viewers
December 9 – 1 million viewers
December 16 – 1 million viewers
December 23 – 930,000 viewers
December 30 – 949,000 viewers
This averages out to 976,000 viewers for December. A new episode of Ray Donovan is set to air on Showtime on Sunday, January 6 at 9 PM.
Dirty John – The Bravo drama aired five new episodes of its debut season during the month. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 2 – 1.2 million viewers
December 9 – 1.3 million viewers
December 16 – 1.1 million viewers
December 23 – 1 million viewers
December 30 – 1.4 million viewers
This averages out to 1.2 million viewers during December. A new episode of Dirty John is set to air on Bravo on Sunday, January 6 at 10 PM.
Berlin Station – The third season of the EPIX spy drama premiered on December 2, airing five episodes during the season, but no ratings could be tracked down. The next new episode of Berlin Station is set to air on EPIX on Sunday, January 6 at 9 PM.
MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES AND MINI-SERIES
There were nearly 40 holiday-themed made-for-TV movies that aired during December. Here are the ratings for those that could be tracked down:
Mingle All The Way (Hallmark Channel) – 3.9 million viewers
Homegrown Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 3.8 million viewers
When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing (Hallmark Channel) – 3.7 million viewers
Christmas Made to Order (Hallmark Channel) – 3.5 million viewers
Welcome to Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 3.4 million viewers
Jingle Around the Clock (Hallmark Channel) – 3.3 million viewers
Entertaining Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 2.7 million viewers
A Majestic Christmas (Hallmark Channel) – 2.6 million viewers
A Gingerbread Romance (Hallmark Channel) – 2.4 million viewers
A Midnight Kiss (Hallmark Channel) – 2.3 million viewers
Northern Lights of Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 2.1 million viewers
Once Upon a Christmas Miracle (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 2.1 million viewers
Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.8 million viewers
Christmas at Grand Valley (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.7 million viewers
Christmas Bells Are Ringing (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.7 million viewers
Christmas Pen Pals (Lifetime) – 1.6 million viewers
A Christmas for the Books (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.5 million viewers
Christmas Wonderland (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.5 million viewers
Small Town Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.4 million viewers
A Christmas in Tennessee (Lifetime) – 1.3 million viewers
A Twist of Christmas (Lifetime) – 1.3 million viewers
Life-Size 2 (Freeform) – 1.3 million viewers
Christmas Around the Corner (Lifetime) – 1.2 million viewers
Memories of Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) – 1.2 million viewers
Hometown Christmas (Lifetime) – 1 million viewers
Santa’s Boots (Lifetime) – 1.1 million viewers
The Christmas Pact (Lifetime) – 1 million viewers
Christmas Lost & Found (Lifetime) – 989,000 viewers
No Sleep Till Christmas (Freeform) – 602,000 viewers
Christmas with a Prince (ION) – 327,000 viewers
Icebox (HBO) – 236,000 viewers
The following holiday-themed made-for-TV movies aired during December, but ratings could not be tracked down for them:
A Christmas in Royal Fashion (ION)
A Snow White Christmas (ION)
Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2018 (PBS)
Christmas Catch (UP TV)
Christmas Cupid’s Arrow (ION)
Christmas on Holly Lane (UP TV)
Hometown Holiday (UP TV)
Rent An Elf (ION)
Also, the debut season of the new Syfy thriller Nightflyers aired over the course of two weeks in early December:
December 2 – 623,000 viewers (DEBUT)
December 3 – 414,000 viewers
December 4 – 390,000 viewers
December 5 – 319,000 viewers
December 6 – 470,000 viewers
December 9 – 424,000 viewers
December 10 – 303,000 viewers
December 11 – 312,000 viewers
December 12 – 274,000 viewers
December 13 – 420,000 viewers (Finale)
This averages out to 353,000 for December. Nightflyers has yet to be renewed by Syfy for a second season.
And, the remaining five episodes of the Showtime mini-series Escape at Dannemora aired during December. The ratings for those episodes are as follows:
December 2 – 559,000 viewers
December 9 – 541,000 viewers
December 16 – 664,000 viewers
December 23 – 586,000 viewers
December 30 – 719,000 viewers (Finale)
This averages out to 614,000 viewers. Showtime has yet to announce if there will be a second season of Escape at Dannemora.
Ratings results for the cable dramas, mini-series and made-for-TV movies that have and will air in January that can be tracked down will be provided as soon as possible in February.
