If you’re a scripted series, how big a rating in the adults 18-49 demo do you need as your network is deciding what to cancel?
The answer in most cases now appears to be a paltry 1.3.
The numbers below reflect adults 18-49 ratings as of Thursday May 9, the day the cancellation orgy began. Cancelled series are in red.
NBC
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; older weeks in parentheses)
4.1 (4.3) (4.9) (5.2) (5.0) (4.7) (4.8) (---) (---) The Voice (Mo)
3.7 (3.9) (4.1) (4.6) (4.4) (4.5) (4.1) (---) (---) The Voice (Tu)
2.8 (1.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The Voice (We)
2.5 (1.6) (1.8) (2.8) (2.7) (---) (---) (1.8) (3.7) Saturday Night Live
2.3 (1.8) (1.7) (---) (1.9) (1.8) (0.7) (0.9) (1.9) The Office
2.0 (1.8) (2.0) (---) (2.2) (2.2) (2.6) (---) (---) Revolution
1.9 (1.5) (1.9) (1.1) (0.9) (1.6) (1.7) (1.6) (1.1) Law & Order SVU
--- (---) (---) (---) (1.9) (1.4) (1.3) (1.5) (---) 30 Rock
--- (1.8) (1.9) (1.9) (1.8) (2.0) (1.8) (1.8) (1.7) Parenthood
1.8 (1.7) (1.0) (0.9) (---) (1.6) (1.7) (1.7) (1.1) Chicago Fire
1.8 (1.9) (1.3) (0.7) (1.5) (1.4) (1.4) (1.4) (1.5) Grimm
--- (1.6) (1.3) (0.7) (0.7) (0.9) (1.0) (0.9) (1.1) The New Normal
--- (1.6) (1.3) (1.7) (1.5) (1.5) (---) (---) (1.6) Parks and Recreation
1.5 (1.6) (1.6) (1.8) (1.4) (1.5) (1.6) (1.8) (1.8) Celebrity Apprentice
1.3 (1.2) (1.0) (1.3) (1.2) (1.0) (0.7) (1.1) (1.1) Community
--- (1.2) (1.1) (1.1) (1.2) (1.2) (1.2) (1.1) (1.2) Deception
1.2 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Dateline (Fr)
--- (1.1) (1.0) (1.0) (1.2) (1.1) (0.7) (0.8) (1.3) Guys With Kids
--- (1.1) (1.1) (1.9) (1.0) (0.7) (1.1) (1.1) (1.1) Go On
1.1 (1.1) (1.0) (1.4) (1.7) (1.6) (---) (---) (---) Hannibal
--- (1.1) (0.9) (1.1) (1.3) (1.3) (1.2) (---) (1.5) Off Their Rockers
--- (---) (1.1) (1.2) (1.5) (---) (---) (---) (---) Ready For Love
1.1 (0.9) (1.9) (0.8) (0.7) (0.8) (0.8) (0.6) (0.9) Rock Center
--- (1.0) (1.0) (1.2) (1.3) (1.2) (1.1) (1.2) (1.2) Whitney
--- (1.0) (1.2) (1.2) (---) (1.3) (---) (---) (---) Up All Night
--- (---) (---) (0.7) (0.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) Do No Harm
0.7 (0.7) (---) (0.8) (0.6) (0.7) (0.7) (0.7) (0.8) Fashion Star
--- (0.7) (0.9) (1.0) (0.9) (0.9) (1.0) (---) (1.1) 1600 Penn
0.5 (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.5) (0.9) (1.0) (0.7) (0.9) Smash
The magic number appears to be 1.3 at NBC.
NBC probably didn’t count the last couple of airings of “New Normal” because they immediately followed “The Voice” but did a shockingly poor job of retaining the “Voice” audience.
“The Office” and “30 Rock,” both essentially cancelled this time last year, got a little “final season” boost.
CBS
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; older weeks in parentheses)
4.9 (4.9) (4.5) (3.1) (3.0) (5.2) (---) (---) (4.8) Big Bang Theory
3.5 (3.2) (2.8) (2.4) (2.0) (3.9) (---) (---) (3.3) 2½ Men
3.1 (3.1) (2.8) (2.2) (2.7) (1.4) (3.2) (3.2) (1.9) NCIS
2.7 (2.6) (1.5) (2.4) (1.5) (1.4) (3.0) (2.8) (1.7) 2 Broke Girls
2.6 (2.7) (1.3) (2.7) (---) (1.1) (2.7) (3.0) (1.5) How I Met Your Mother
2.6 (2.4) (2.9) (2.7) (2.6) (2.5) (2.5) (2.6) (2.7) Survivor
2.5 (2.4) (1.4) (1.6) (3.0) (2.8) (1.2) (3.0) (1.8) Criminal Minds
2.4 (2.4) (2.4) (2.3) (---) (2.3) (2.4) (2.3) (2.4) Amazing Race
2.4 (2.2) (2.7) (1.3) (2.7) (1.6) (2.6) (2.9) (1.9) NCIS LA
2.4 (2.4) (2.4) (1.6) (1.8) (2.7) (---) (---) (2.9) Person of Interest
2.3 (2.4) (1.3) (2.2) (---) (1.4) (2.6) (2.4) (1.6) Mike & Molly
2.2 (1.9) (1.5) (---) (2.4) (2.1) (1.3) (2.3) (1.7) CSI
2.1 (2.1) (1.6) (2.1) (---) (1.1) (2.2) (2.3) (2.1) Rules Of Engagement
1.9 (2.0) (2.0) (---) (1.4) (2.1) (---) (---) (2.3) Elementary
1.9 (1.7) (1.2) (1.8) (---) (1.1) (2.1) (2.1) (1.4) Hawaii Five-0
1.7 (1.6) (1.6) (1.4) (---) (0.9) (1.4) (1.7) (1.7) The Mentalist
--- (1.6) (1.5) (1.7) (---) (1.5) (1.7) (1.5) (1.5) The Good Wife
1.3 (1.3) (---) (1.3) (1.5) (---) (---) (1.4) (1.4) Blue Bloods
--- (1.2) (1.2) (1.6) (1.5) (1.0) (1.6) (1.6) (1.4) CSI NY
1.2 (1.3) (1.4) (1.5) (1.5) (1.3) (1.4) (1.7) (1.5) Golden Boy
1.2 (1.5) (1.9) (2.3) (1.4) (2.5) (2.3) (1.6) (1.6) 60 Minutes
1.2 (1.7) (---) (1.5) (1.7) (---) (---) (---) (1.2) Undercover Boss
1.0 (0.9) (1.0) (1.2) (---) (---) (---) (0.9) (0.9) 48 Hours
0.9 (1.0) (0.8) (0.9) (1.5) (1.9) (1.6) (1.6) (1.6) Vegas
1.3 seems to be the magic number for CBS as well (unless you’re “Rules of Engagement,” which I guess didn’t retain enough of the “How I Met Your Mother” audience).
Fox
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; older weeks in parentheses)
--- (3.1) (2.4) (2.5) (2.7) (2.8) (2.4) (2.3) (2.3) The X Factor (Th)
2.9 (2.9) (3.3) (3.4) (3.2) (3.1) (3.2) (3.6) (3.8) American Idol (We)
2.9 (2.6) (2.8) (3.0) (3.2) (2.9) (2.8) (2.9) (3.1) American Idol (Th)
--- (2.7) (2.7) (2.8) (2.9) (2.2) (2.9) (2.6) (2.7) The X Factor (We)
--- (2.7) (2.4) (2.1) (2.2) (2.2) (2.3) (2.5) (2.7) The Following
2.3 (1.9) (1.8) (2.1) (---) (1.3) (2.3) (---) (1.6) American Dad
2.2 (2.6) (1.8) (2.5) (1.7) (1.3) (2.6) (2.4) (2.7) Family Guy
2.1 (2.0) (1.2) (1.1) (2.2) (1.3) (2.2) (2.3) (---) New Girl
2.0 (1.9) (1.8) (2.1) (2.4) (---) (---) (2.0) (2.0) Glee
1.9 (2.0) (2.0) (2.1) (1.9) (2.0) (2.0) (2.0) (2.2) Hell’s Kitchen
1.9 (2.1) (1.6) (1.8) (1.4) (1.4) (1.6) (2.2) (2.2) The Simpsons
1.7 (1.7) (1.7) (1.6) (1.4) (1.2) (1.7) (1.7) (1.8) Bob’s Burgers
1.3 (1.3) (0.9) (0.9) (1.5) (1.3) (1.5) (1.7) (---) Mindy Project
--- (1.3) (---) (---) (---) (1.5) (1.5) (1.6) (1.7) Raising Hope
--- (1.2) (1.1) (1.2) (0.6) (---) (0.8) (0.8) (---) Ben & Kate
--- (1.2) (0.9) (1.2) (1.6) (0.8) (1.0) (1.6) (1.8) Cleveland Show
--- (1.1) (0.8) (---) (---) (1.0) (1.1) (0.9) (---) Fringe
1.1 (1.0) (0.8) (0.9) (0.7) (0.9) (0.9) (1.1) (1.2) Kitchen Nightmares
0.9 (---) (---) (---) (0.8) (0.7) (1.0) (0.9) (1.0) Cops
0.6 (0.6) (---) (---) (0.6) (0.5) (0.7) (0.6) (0.7) Touch
The magical 1.3 can keep you on Fox too. (Which may not be the best news for our friend Kevin Biegel’s “Enlisted,” which now has to follow “Raising Hope” on Fridays.)
ABC
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; older weeks in parentheses)
--- (3.5) (2.8) (2.9) (3.0) (2.7) (2.4) (2.5) (---) The Bachelor
3.3 (3.6) (1.8) (2.0) (3.8) (4.2) (3.2) (1.8) (1.8) Modern Family
3.2 (2.6) (2.8) (0.8) (0.9) (2.6) (2.6) (2.7) (1.1) Scandal
3.1 (3.0) (2.7) (1.1) (1.3) (2.8) (2.9) (3.0) (2.6) Grey’s Anatomy
2.2 (2.0) (2.1) (1.4) (0.6) (0.6) (2.2) (2.3) (2.3) Once Upon A Time
2.0 (2.0) (2.3) (2.0) (1.2) (2.2) (2.1) (2.2) (---) Castle
2.0 (2.1) (2.1) (2.2) (2.1) (2.2) (2.4) (3.2) (---) Dancing/Stars (Mo)
2.0 (2.1) (1.5) (2.0) (2.5) (2.9) (---) (---) (---) How/Parents
1.8 (2.0) (1.2) (---) (2.0) (2.0) (1.8) (1.2) (1.3) The Middle
1.8 (1.7) (---) (0.6) (0.6) (1.5) (1.8) (1.8) (2.0) Revenge
1.7 (1.5) (2.0) (2.2) (2.0) (2.3) (2.4) (2.1) (---) Dancing/Stars
1.7 (2.0) (---) (1.4) (2.1) (1.8) (1.4) (1.5) (2.0) Shark Tank
--- (1.6) (1.4) (1.5) (1.5) (1.3) (1.4) (1.5) (1.4) Last Man Standing
1.6 (1.7) (0.8) (0.8) (1.8) (1.7) (1.5) (0.6) (0.7) Nashville
--- (1.6) (1.8) (1.8) (1.9) (1.5) (1.7) (2.2) (2.0) Suburgatory
1.6 (1.2) (1.7) (1.6) (1.8) (1.4) (1.6) (1.4) (1.6) 20/20 (Fr)
1.5 (1.6) (1.3) (1.0) (1.1) (---) (1.3) (1.5) (1.4) AFH Videos
--- (1.5) (1.4) (1.4) (1.7) (1.7) (1.9) (1.7) (1.7) The Neighbors
1.4 (---) (1.6) (1.4) (1.4) (1.4) (1.6) (1.5) (1.2) Body of Proof
--- (1.4) (1.1) (1.3) (1.4) (1.1) (1.2) (1.3) (1.2) Malibu Country
--- (1.3) (1.2) (1.2) (1.3) (1.6) (1.7) (1.5) (1.7) 666 Park Avenue
1.3 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Wipeout
1.2 (1.5) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Family Tools
--- (1.2) (1.0) (1.2) (1.0) (1.2) (1.0) (1.2) (1.4) Last Resort
--- (1.1) (1.1) (1.5) (1.4) (1.3) (1.4) (1.7) (---) Wife Swap
1.0 (0.9) (1.1) (1.1) (1.2) (1.4) (1.7) (2.6) (---) Splash
--- (1.0) (1.1) (1.4) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Zero Hour
--- (0.8) (0.9) (1.1) (1.1) (1.1) (1.1) (1.0) (1.2) Don’t Trust The B
0.8 (0.6) (---) (0.8) (1.1) (0.8) (0.4) (---) (---) Happy Endings
0.8 (0.7) (---) (0.4) (0.5) (1.0) (1.2) (1.0) (1.1) Red Widow
0.7 (---) (---) (---) (0.6) (---) (0.9) (1.0) (0.8) 20/20
0.4 (0.6) (0.7) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Bet On Your Baby
Sorry, “Body of Proof” and “Malibu Country”! ABC is the most demanding of networks, requiring a 1.5 (unless you’re “How To Live With Your Parents” and not retaining enough of the “Modern Family” audience).
The CW
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; older weeks in parentheses)
1.0 (0.9) (1.0) (0.5) (0.4) (0.8) (1.0) (1.0) (0.4) Supernatural
1.0 (1.0) (1.0) (1.0) (0.3) (0.3) (1.2) (1.3) (1.1) Vampire Diaries
0.9 (0.9) (1.0) (0.4) (0.4) (0.9) (0.9) (1.0) (0.4) Arrow
--- (0.8) (0.6) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.3) (0.4) Gossip Girl
0.5 (0.5) (0.5) (0.6) (0.3) (0.2) (0.6) (0.6) (0.5) Beauty And The Beast
0.5 (0.5) (0.4) (0.5) (0.6) (0.3) (---) (---) (0.2) Hart of Dixie
--- (0.4) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) (0.4) Carrie Diaries
--- (0.4) (0.4) (0.3) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) (0.3) (0.4) Emily Owens MD
0.3 (0.3) (0.3) (0.2) (0.2) (0.3) (0.3) (0.2) (0.3) 90210
0.3 (0.3) (0.3) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Oh Sit!
--- (0.2) (0.1) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.2) (0.3) (0.3) Cult
0.2 (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.4) (---) (0.4) (0.3) Nikita
And, of course, the CW is the least demanding. “Nikita” only needed a 0.2 to snag an order for the 2013-14 season!
