or


[01/05/12 - 09:00 AM]
2011 Ratings Recap: Cable's Scripted Dramas - What's Up? What's Down? What's on Top?
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Please note: As a courtesy, please do not reproduce these comments to newsgroups, forums or other online places. Links only please.

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- 67 scripted dramas made their way to the cable networks in 2011, many of which delivered broadcast-like numbers. So which were the cream of the crop in 2011? Which are tending up? We've broken out our electronic abacus to find out.

SEASON AVERAGE RANKED BY TOTAL VIEWERS (IN MILLIONS)
1. 6.636 - The Closer S7.1 (TNT)
2. 6.453 - The Walking Dead S2.1 (AMC)
3. 6.377 - Rizzoli & Isles S2.1 (TNT)
4. 5.504 - The Closer S7.2 (TNT)
5. 5.181 - Royal Pains S3.1 (USA)
6. 4.971 - True Blood S4 (HBO)
7. 4.932 - Rizzoli & Isles S2.2 (TNT)
8. 4.901 - Burn Notice S5.1 (USA)
9. 4.787 - Falling Skies S1 (TNT)
10. 4.384 - Covert Affairs S2.1 (USA)
11. 4.183 - Necessary Roughness S1 (USA)
12. 4.161 - Suits S1 (USA)
13. 4.075 - Royal Pains S2.2 (USA)
14. 3.912 - White Collar S3.1 (USA)
15. 3.870 - Sons of Anarchy S4 (FX)
16. 3.808 - Law & Order: Criminal Intent S10 (USA)
17. 3.615 - Army Wives S5 (Lifetime)
18. 3.572 - White Collar S2.2 (USA)
19. 3.554 - Fairly Legal S1 (USA)
20. 3.505 - In Plain Sight S4 (USA)
21. 3.288 - Leverage S4.1 (TNT)
22. 3.160 - Hell on Wheels S1.1 (AMC)
23. 3.116 - Pretty Little Liars S1.2 (ABC Family)
24. 3.064 - Memphis Beat S2 (TNT)
25. 2.847 - Psych S6.1 (USA)
26. 2.821 - American Horror Story S1 (FX)
27. 2.780 - Burn Notice S5.2 (USA)
28. 2.757 - Switched at Birth S1.1 (ABC Family)
29. 2.731 - Boardwalk Empire S2 (HBO)
30. 2.724 - Covert Affairs S2.2 (USA)
31. 2.649 - Justified S2 (FX)
32. 2.642 - Pretty Little Liars S2.1 (ABC Family)
33. 2.639 - Franklin & Bash S1 (TNT)
34. 2.598 - The Glades S2 (A&E)
35. 2.568 - Secret Life of the American Teenager S4.1 (ABC Family)
36. 2.515 - Game of Thrones S1 (HBO)
37. 2.508 - Hawthorne S3 (TNT)
38. 2.431 - Secret Life of the American Teenager S3.2 (ABC Family)
39. 2.264 - Drop Dead Diva S3 (Lifetime)
40. 2.166 - The Killing S1 (AMC)
41. 2.133 - Warehouse 13 S3 (Syfy)
42. 2.052 - Eureka S4.2 (Syfy)
43. 1.991 - Southland S3 (TNT)
44. 1.971 - Leverage S4.2 (TNT)
45. 1.919 - Dexter S6 (Showtime)
46. 1.890 - Breakout Kings S1 (A&E)
47. 1.867 - Breaking Bad S4 (AMC)
48. 1.846 - Haven S2 (Syfy)
49. 1.845 - Alphas S1 (Syfy)
50. 1.828 - Single Ladies S1 (VH1)
51. 1.695 - Teen Wolf S1* (MTV)
52. 1.639 - Make It or Break It S2.2 (ABC Family)
53. 1.636 - Against the Wall S1 (Lifetime)
54. 1.586 - Men of a Certain Age S2.2 (TNT)
55. 1.493 - Merlin S3 (Syfy)
56. 1.489 - Being Human S1 (Syfy)
57. 1.461 - Rescue Me S7 (FX)
58. 1.452 - TNT Mystery Movie Night S1 (TNT)
59. 1.395 - Skins S1 (MTV)
60. 1.369 - The Protector S1* (Lifetime)
61. 1.336 - Nine Lives of Chloe King S1 (ABC Family)
62. 1.286 - Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Starz)
63. 1.279 - The Lying Game S1.1 (ABC Family)
64. 1.262 - Sanctuary S4 (Syfy)
65. 1.252 - Homeland S1 (Showtime)
66. 1.152 - Big Love S5 (HBO)
67. 1.107 - Glory Daze S1.2 (TBS)
68. 1.029 - Shameless S1 (Showtime)
69. 0.997 - Sanctuary S3.2 (Syfy)
70. 0.958 - Stargate Universe S2.2 (Syfy)
71. 0.956 - Greek S4 (ABC Family)
72. 0.940 - Camelot S1** (Starz)
73. 0.838 - The Borgias S1 (Showtime)
74. 0.813 - Lights Out S1 (FX)
75. 0.639 - Torchwood: Miracle Day** (Starz)
76. 0.574 - Treme S2 (HBO)
77. 0.456 - Boss S1** (Starz)

SEASON AVERAGE RANKED BY ADULTS 18-49 RATING
1. 3.4 - The Walking Dead S2.1 (AMC)
2. 2.7 - True Blood S4 (HBO)
3. 2.0 - Sons of Anarchy S4 (FX)
T4. 1.6 - American Horror Story S1 (FX)
T4. 1.6 - Falling Skies S1 (TNT)
6. 1.5 - Royal Pains S3.1 (USA)
7. 1.4 - Burn Notice S5.1 (USA)
8. 1.3 - Suits S1 (USA)
T9. 1.2 - Army Wives S5 (Lifetime)
T9. 1.2 - Covert Affairs S2.1 (USA)
T9. 1.2 - Necessary Roughness S1 (USA)
T9. 1.2 - Rizzoli & Isles S2.1 (TNT)
T9. 1.2 - The Closer S7.1 (TNT)
T9. 1.2 - White Collar S2.2 (USA)
T9. 1.2 - White Collar S3.1 (USA)
T16. 1.1 - Boardwalk Empire S2 (HBO)
T16. 1.1 - Game of Thrones S1 (HBO)
T16. 1.1 - Hell on Wheels S1.1 (AMC)
T16. 1.1 - Pretty Little Liars S1.2 (ABC Family)
T16. 1.1 - Royal Pains S2.2 (USA)
T16. 1.1 - Secret Life of the American Teenager S4.1 (ABC Family)
T16. 1.1 - Switched at Birth S1.1 (ABC Family)
T23. 1.0 - Burn Notice S5.2 (USA)
T23. 1.0 - Law & Order: Criminal Intent S10 (USA)
T23. 1.0 - Pretty Little Liars S2.1 (ABC Family)
T23. 1.0 - Psych S6.1 (USA)
T23. 1.0 - Secret Life of the American Teenager S3.2 (ABC Family)
T23. 1.0 - Single Ladies S1 (VH1)
T23. 1.0 - The Closer S7.2 (TNT)
T30. 0.9 - Covert Affairs S2.2 (USA)
T30. 0.9 - Dexter S6 (Showtime)
T30. 0.9 - Fairly Legal S1 (USA)
T30. 0.9 - Franklin & Bash S1 (TNT)
T30. 0.9 - In Plain Sight S4 (USA)
T30. 0.9 - Justified S2 (FX)
T30. 0.9 - Leverage S4.1 (TNT)
T30. 0.9 - Rizzoli & Isles S2.2 (TNT)
T38. 0.8 - Breaking Bad S4 (AMC)
T38. 0.8 - Breakout Kings S1 (A&E)
T38. 0.8 - Warehouse 13 S3 (Syfy)
T41. 0.7 - Alphas S1 (Syfy)
T41. 0.7 - Drop Dead Diva S3 (Lifetime)
T41. 0.7 - Eureka S4.2 (Syfy)
T41. 0.7 - Hawthorne S3 (TNT)
T41. 0.7 - Memphis Beat S2 (TNT)
T41. 0.7 - Southland S3 (TNT)
T41. 0.7 - Teen Wolf S1* (MTV)
T41. 0.7 - The Glades S2 (A&E)
T49. 0.6 - Being Human S1 (Syfy)
T49. 0.6 - Glory Daze S1.2 (TBS)
T49. 0.6 - Leverage S4.2 (TNT)
T49. 0.6 - Make It or Break It S2.2 (ABC Family)
T49. 0.6 - Rescue Me S7 (FX)
T49. 0.6 - Skins S1 (MTV)
T49. 0.6 - Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Starz)
T49. 0.6 - The Killing S1 (AMC)
T57. 0.5 - Against the Wall S1 (Lifetime)
T57. 0.5 - Big Love S5 (HBO)
T57. 0.5 - Haven S2 (Syfy)
T57. 0.5 - Homeland S1 (Showtime)
T57. 0.5 - Shameless S1 (Showtime)
T57. 0.5 - The Lying Game S1.1 (ABC Family)
T63. 0.4 - Camelot S1** (Starz)
T63. 0.4 - Greek S4 (ABC Family)
T63. 0.4 - Lights Out S1 (FX)
T63. 0.4 - Men of a Certain Age S2.2 (TNT)
T63. 0.4 - Merlin S3 (Syfy)
T63. 0.4 - Nine Lives of Chloe King S1 (ABC Family)
T63. 0.4 - Sanctuary S4 (Syfy)
T63. 0.4 - Stargate Universe S2.2 (Syfy)
T63. 0.4 - The Protector S1* (Lifetime)
T72. 0.3 - Sanctuary S3.2 (Syfy)
T72. 0.3 - TNT Mystery Movie Night S1 (TNT)
T72. 0.3 - Torchwood: Miracle Day** (Starz)
T75. 0.2 - The Borgias S1 (Showtime)
T75. 0.2 - Treme S2 (HBO)
77. 0.1 - Boss S1** (Starz)

RANKED BY % CHANGE IN TOTAL VIEWERS FROM 2010
1. 31.22% - Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Starz, vs. Blood and Sand S1)
2. 24.98% - Law & Order: Criminal Intent S10 (USA, vs. S9)
3. 23.24% - The Walking Dead S2.1 (AMC, vs. S1)
4. 23.07% - Breaking Bad S4 (AMC, vs. S3)
5. 19.74% - Sons of Anarchy S4 (FX, vs. S3)
6. 16.91% - Merlin S3 (Syfy, vs. S2)
7. 11.44% - Army Wives S5 (Lifetime, vs. S4)
8. 9.60% - Justified S2 (FX, vs. S1)
9. 9.19% - Rescue Me S7 (FX, vs. S6)
10. 3.69% - Greek S4 (ABC Family, vs. S3.2)
11. 2.48% - Pretty Little Liars S2.1 (ABC Family, vs. S1.1)
12. 2.04% - In Plain Sight S4 (USA, vs. S3)
13. 0.02% - True Blood S4 (HBO, vs. S3)
14. -0.16% - Haven S2 (Syfy, vs. S1)
15. -1.29% - Leverage S4.1 (TNT, vs. S3.1)
16. -1.66% - Psych S6.1 (USA, vs. S5.2)
17. -3.76% - Dexter S6 (Showtime, vs. S5)
18. -4.90% - Royal Pains S3.1 (USA, vs. S2.1)
19. -5.05% - The Closer S7.2 (TNT, vs. S6.2)
20. -6.88% - Southland S3 (TNT, vs. S2)
21. -6.88% - White Collar S2.2 (USA, vs. S1.2)
22. -7.39% - Rizzoli & Isles S2.1 (TNT, vs. S1)
23. -8.01% - The Closer S7.1 (TNT, vs. S6.1)
24. -8.08% - White Collar S3.1 (USA, vs. S2.1)
25. -10.74% - Secret Life of the American Teenager S4.1 (ABC Family, vs. S3.1)
26. -11.86% - Eureka S4.2 (Syfy, vs. S4.1)
27. -12.62% - Drop Dead Diva S3 (Lifetime, vs. S2)
28. -13.40% - Warehouse 13 S3 (Syfy, vs. S2)
29. -13.44% - Sanctuary S4 (Syfy, vs. S3.1)
30. -13.62% - Burn Notice S5.1 (USA, vs. S4.1)
31. -13.74% - Boardwalk Empire S2 (HBO, vs. S1)
32. -15.51% - Covert Affairs S2.1 (USA, vs. S1)
33. -15.59% - Memphis Beat S2 (TNT, vs. S1)
34. -15.65% - The Glades S2 (A&E, vs. S1)
35. -17.98% - Leverage S4.2 (TNT, vs. S3.2)
36. -18.83% - Hawthorne S3 (TNT, vs. S2)
37. -23.75% - Secret Life of the American Teenager S3.2 (ABC Family, vs. S2.2)
38. -26.13% - Treme S2 (HBO, vs. S1)
39. -27.99% - Make It or Break It S2.2 (ABC Family, vs. S1.2)
40. -29.02% - Big Love S5 (HBO, vs. S4)
41. -33.70% - Stargate Universe S2.2 (Syfy, vs. S1.2)
42. -35.20% - Burn Notice S5.2 (USA, vs. S4.2)
43. -37.73% - Men of a Certain Age S2.2 (TNT, vs. S1)

RANKED BY % CHANGE IN ADULTS 18-49 RATING FROM 2010
1. 50.00% - Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Starz, vs. Blood and Sand S1)
2. 25.93% - The Walking Dead S2.1 (AMC, vs. S1)
3. 20.00% - Army Wives S5 (Lifetime, vs. S4)
4. 17.65% - Sons of Anarchy S4 (FX, vs. S3)
5. 14.29% - Breaking Bad S4 (AMC, vs. S3)
6. 12.50% - In Plain Sight S4 (USA, vs. S3)
7. 11.11% - Law & Order: Criminal Intent S10 (USA, vs. S9)
8. 11.11% - Pretty Little Liars S2.1 (ABC Family, vs. S1.1)
9. 0.00% - Dexter S6 (Showtime, vs. S5)
10. 0.00% - Eureka S4.2 (Syfy, vs. S4.1)
11. 0.00% - Greek S4 (ABC Family, vs. S3.2)
12. 0.00% - Haven S2 (Syfy, vs. S1)
13. 0.00% - Justified S2 (FX, vs. S1)
14. 0.00% - Leverage S4.2 (TNT, vs. S3.2)
15. 0.00% - Merlin S3 (Syfy, vs. S2)
16. 0.00% - Psych S6.1 (USA, vs. S5.2)
17. 0.00% - Sanctuary S4 (Syfy, vs. S3.1)
18. 0.00% - The Closer S7.2 (TNT, vs. S6.2)
19. 0.00% - Warehouse 13 S3 (Syfy, vs. S2)
20. -6.25% - Royal Pains S3.1 (USA, vs. S2.1)
21. -6.90% - True Blood S4 (HBO, vs. S3)
22. -7.69% - White Collar S2.2 (USA, vs. S1.2)
23. -7.69% - White Collar S3.1 (USA, vs. S2.1)
24. -8.33% - Secret Life of the American Teenager S4.1 (ABC Family, vs. S3.1)
25. -9.09% - Secret Life of the American Teenager S3.2 (ABC Family, vs. S2.2)
26. -10.00% - Leverage S4.1 (TNT, vs. S3.1)
27. -12.50% - Drop Dead Diva S3 (Lifetime, vs. S2)
28. -12.50% - Memphis Beat S2 (TNT, vs. S1)
29. -12.50% - Southland S3 (TNT, vs. S2)
30. -12.50% - The Glades S2 (A&E, vs. S1)
31. -14.29% - Make It or Break It S2.2 (ABC Family, vs. S1.2)
32. -14.29% - Rescue Me S7 (FX, vs. S6)
33. -14.29% - The Closer S7.1 (TNT, vs. S6.1)
34. -15.38% - Boardwalk Empire S2 (HBO, vs. S1)
35. -17.65% - Burn Notice S5.1 (USA, vs. S4.1)
36. -20.00% - Rizzoli & Isles S2.1 (TNT, vs. S1)
37. -20.00% - Stargate Universe S2.2 (Syfy, vs. S1.2)
38. -22.22% - Hawthorne S3 (TNT, vs. S2)
39. -25.00% - Covert Affairs S2.1 (USA, vs. S1)
40. -33.33% - Burn Notice S5.2 (USA, vs. S4.2)
41. -33.33% - Treme S2 (HBO, vs. S1)
42. -37.50% - Big Love S5 (HBO, vs. S4)
43. -50.00% - Men of a Certain Age S2.2 (TNT, vs. S1)

* regular prime airings only

** denotes not all episode data was available

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Live+SD (original airings from 1/1/11-12/31/11, seasons that are split are listed separately)





  [january 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· AGAINST THE WALL (LIFETIME)
· ALPHAS (SYFY)
· AMERICAN HORROR STORY (FX)
· ARMY WIVES (LIFETIME)
· BEING HUMAN (SYFY)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
· BORGIAS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· BOSS (STARZ)
· BREAKING BAD (AMC)
· BREAKOUT KINGS (A AND E)
· BURN NOTICE (USA)
· CAMELOT (STARZ)
· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· COVERT AFFAIRS (USA)
· DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
· DROP DEAD DIVA (LIFETIME)
· EUREKA (SYFY)
· FAIRLY LEGAL (USA)
· FALLING SKIES (TNT)
· FRANKLIN & BASH (TNT)
· FUTON'S RATINGS SURVIVAL GUIDES (TFC)
· GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
· GLADES, THE (A AND E)
· GLORY DAZE (TBS)
· GREEK (ABC FAMILY)
· HAVEN (SYFY)
· HAWTHORNE (TNT)
· HELL ON WHEELS (AMC)
· HOMELAND (SHOWTIME)
· IN PLAIN SIGHT (USA)
· JUSTIFIED (FX)
· KILLING, THE (NETFLIX)
· LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (USA)
· LEVERAGE (TNT)
· LIGHTS OUT (FX)
· LYING GAME, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· MAKE IT OR BREAK IT (ABC FAMILY)
· MEMPHIS BEAT (TNT)
· MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT)
· MERLIN (SYFY)
· NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (USA)
· NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (FREEFORM)
· PROTECTOR, THE (LIFETIME)
· PSYCH (USA)
· RESCUE ME (FX)
· RIZZOLI & ISLES (TNT)
· ROYAL PAINS (USA)
· SANCTUARY (SYFY)
· SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· SHAMELESS (SHOWTIME)
· SINGLE LADIES (CENTRIC)
· SKINS (MTV)
· SONS OF ANARCHY (FX)
· SOUTHLAND (TNT)
· SPARTACUS (STARZ)
· STARGATE UNIVERSE (SYFY)
· SUITS (USA)
· SWITCHED AT BIRTH (FREEFORM)
· TEEN WOLF (MTV)
· TORCHWOOD (STARZ)
· TREME (HBO)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
· WALKING DEAD, THE (AMC)
· WAREHOUSE 13 (SYFY)
· WHITE COLLAR (USA)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[04/01/26 - 01:31 PM]
Netflix Steps Up to the Plate: MLB Opening Night on Netflix Scores 3 Million US Viewers
The action continues later this year with the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13 and MLB at Field of Dreams on August 13, both streaming live only on Netflix.
[03/31/26 - 02:44 PM]
ESPN Scores Third Most-Watched NCAA Women's Sweet 16 Ever
Through the Sweet 16, viewers have consumed 4.9 billion minutes of live game action, making the 2026 tournament the second most-consumed on record.
[03/31/26 - 02:27 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Delivers Its Best Season-Opening Telecast Since 2021
2,591,000 viewers tuned into a two-game slate highlighted by the New York Yankees' victory over the San Francisco Giants.
[03/31/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of March 23 - Listen Up, Lads - "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man" Takes No. 1 in the Top 10
Also maintaining its position in the Top 10 for a third week, "One Piece" Season 2 held strong at No. 1 on the English TV list with 5.9 million views.
[03/30/26 - 12:42 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers Largest MLB Opening Day Audience on Record for Multi-Game Presentation
The two-game presentation averaged 2.7 million viewers across NBC and Peacock, based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
[03/27/26 - 03:16 PM]
Official Trailer for HBO's Harry Potter Series, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," Shatters Records as HBO and HBO Max's Most-Watched Ever by More Than Double, Amassing +277 Million Organic Views in 48 Hours
The series will debut Christmas 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.

[03/27/26 - 10:06 AM]
"Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" Hits Superstar Numbers Driving 6.3M Views on Disney+ and Hulu
The celebration of the anniversary drove nearly 1,000% increase in viewing of the Hannah Montana catalog this past week.
[03/27/26 - 09:46 AM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers in Late-Night, Friday Night and Sunday Morning
"20/20" scored its best Adults 25-54 performance in 11 months.
[03/26/26 - 02:05 PM]
"The Madison" Marks Taylor Sheridan's Biggest Debut Season Launch with 8 Million Views Globally for Paramount+
The debut of the six-part series also marks the biggest freshman season launch for the prolific creator among women 35+.
[03/25/26 - 02:33 PM]
ESPN Scores Second Most-Watched NCAA Women's Second Round Ever
Through two rounds (First and Second), the 2026 Women's NCAA Tournament is averaging 628,000 viewers.
[03/24/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of March 16 - The Wait Is Over as "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE" Ignites at No. 1
Holding steady at No. 1 on the English TV list is "One Piece" Season 2 with 11.1 million views.
[03/24/26 - 10:02 AM]
BTS Commands the Global Stage As "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE - ARIRANG" Draws 18.4 Million Global Viewers
The live broadcast from Seoul's historic Gwanghwamun Square reached the weekly Top 10 in 80 countries and secured the #1 spot in 24 countries.

[03/20/26 - 02:30 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers in Late Night, Friday Night and Sunday Morning
"20/20" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
[03/20/26 - 02:01 PM]
CBS Has Top 2 and 11 of Top 20 Series in Live + 7-Day Multiplatform Viewership Among All Broadcast and Streaming Competition in the First Week of March
CBS has #1 series/drama ("Marshals"), #1 comedy ("Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage"), #1 primetime news program ("60 Minutes") and #1 unscripted series ("Survivor") of the week.
[03/20/26 - 01:01 PM]
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Tops Late-Night for Third Week in a Row Among Adults 18-49
The Thursday, March 5, episode scored the show's top telecast across all three weeks among Adults 18-49 (0.21 rating), with the show's best rating in the key adult demo in four weeks.