Ratings news roundup, Part I - HBO, Showtime, FX, AMC, Starz, DirecTV and Comedy Central series : how do they do this summer ?

Here is a roundup of the ratings of each episode of the current seasons of True Blood, Curb your Enthusiasm and Entourage on HBO, Weeds, The Big C and Web Therapy on Showtime, Rescue Me, Wilfred and Louie on FX, Futurama and Ugly Americans on Comedy Central, Torchwood on Starz, Breaking Bad on AMC and Damages on DirecTV. I watch and like/love most of these shows and I'm curious about this sort of things so I figured I could gather all the ratings and post them in one place. I'll edit this post a few times until the season finale of each of these shows (except Breaking Bad, all of them will end in early September).

Part I : HBO, Showtime, FX, AMC, Starz, Comedy Central and DirecTV (14 series).
Part II : TNT, USA Network and SyFy (20 series).
Part III : ABC Family, Lifetime, TVLand, MTV, Cinemax and A&E (16 series).


True Blood season 4 (Sundays at 9pm on HBO) :

Episode 4.01 (June 26th) : 5.42 million viewers / 3.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.02 (July 3rd) : 2.90 million viewers / 1.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.03 (July 10th) : 5.04 million viewers / 2.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.04 (July 17th) : 5.10 million viewers / 2.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.05 (July 24th) : 5.26 million viewers / 2.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.06 (July 31st) : 5.19 million viewers / 2.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.07 (August 7th) : 5.14 million viewers / 2.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.08 (August 14th) : 5.30 million viewers / 3.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.09 (August 21th) : 5.53 million viewers / 3.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.10 (August 28th) : 5.31 million viewers / 2.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.11 (September 4th) : 4.40 million viewers / 2.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.12 (September 11th) : 5.05 million viewers / 2.8% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Curb your Enthusiasm season 8 (Sundays at 10pm on HBO) :

Episode 8.01 (July 10th) : 1.71 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.02 (July 17th) : 1.91 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.03 (July 24th) : 2.37 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.04 (July 31st) : 2.10 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.05 (August 7th) : 2.05 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.06 (August 14th) : 2.31 million viewers / 1.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.07 (August 21th) : 2.08 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.08 (August 28th) : 1.87 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.09 (September 4th) : 1.43 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.10 (September 11th) : 2.04 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Entourage season 8 (Sundays at 10:30pm on HBO) :

Episode 8.01 (July 24th) : 2.49 million viewers / 1.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.02 (July 31st) : 2.14 million viewers / 1.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.03 (August 7th) : 2.36 million viewers / 1.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.04 (August 14th) : 2.46 million viewers / 1.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.05 (August 21th) : 2.53 million viewers / 1.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.06 (August 28th) : 2.16 million viewers / 1.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.07 (September 4th) : 1.72 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 8.08 (September 11th) : 2.61 million viewers / 1.6% of the 18-49 demo - Series Finale.


Weeds season 7 (Mondays at 10pm on Showtime) :

Episode 7.01 (June 27th) : 1.19 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.02 (July 4th) : 620 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.03 (July 11th) : 780 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.04 (July 18th) : 670 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.05 (July 25th) : 680 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.06 (August 1st) : 710 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.07 (August 8th) : 690 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.08 (August 15th) : 670 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.09 (August 22th) : 720 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.10 (August 29th) : 800 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.11 (September 12th) : 750 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.12 (September 19th) : 520 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.13 (September 26th) : 560 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


The Big C season 2 (Mondays at 10:30pm on Showtime) :

Episode 2.01 (June 27th) : 890 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.02 (July 4th) : 580 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.03 (July 11th) : 530 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.04 (July 18th) : 620 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.05 (July 25th) : 510 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.06 (August 1st) : 570 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.07 (August 8th) : 490 000 viewers / 0.2 of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.08 (August 15th) : 530 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.09 (August 22th) : 620 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.10 (August 29th) : 700 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.11 (September 12th) : 540 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.12 (September 19th) : 450 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.13 (September 26th) : 430 000 viewers / 0.1% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Web Therapy season 1 (Tuesdays at 11pm on Showtime) :

Episode 1.01 (July 19th) : 45 000 viewers / 0.03% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.02 (July 26th) : 92 000 viewers / 0.07% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.03 (August 2nd) : 107 000 viewers / 0.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.04 (August 9th) : 88 000 viewers / 0.06% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.05 (August 16th) : 44 000 viewers / 0.03% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.06 (August 23th) : 95 000 viewers / 0.08% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.07 (August 30th) : 70 000 viewers / 0.05% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.08 (September 6th) : 40 000 viewers / 0.02% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.09 (September 13th) : 45 000 viewers / 0.03% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.10 (September 20th) : xx 000 viewers / 0.0x% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Rescue Me season 7 (Wednesdays at 10pm on FX) :

Episode 7.01 (July 13th) : 1.65 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.02 (July 20th) : 1.36 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.03 (July 27th) : 1.56 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.04 (August 3rd) : 1.24 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.05 (August 10th) : 1.17 million viewers / 0.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.06 (August 17th) : 1.39 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.07 (August 24th) : 1.12 million viewers / 0.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.08 (August 31st) : 1.34 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 7.09 (September 7th) : 2.33 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo - Series Finale.


Wilfred season 1 (Thursdays at 10pm on FX) :

Episode 1.01 (June 23th) : 2.55 million viewers / 1.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.02 (June 30th) : 2.04 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.03 (July 7th) : 1.52 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.04 (July 14th) : 1.56 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.05 (July 21th) : 1.44 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.06 (July 28th) : 1.74 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.07 (August 4th) : 1.40 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.08 (August 11th) : 1.23 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.09 (August 18th) : 1.18 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.10 (August 18th - 10:30pm) : 1.04 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.11 (August 25th) : 1.21 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.12 (September 1st) : 1.32 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 1.13 (September 8th) : 0.90 million viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Louie season 2 (Thursdays at 10:30pm on FX) :

Episode 2.01 (June 23th) : 1.57 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.02 (June 30th) : 1.28 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.03 (July 7th) : 950 000 viewers / 0.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.04 (July 14th) : 1.12 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.05 (July 21th) : 870 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.06 (July 28th) : 1.02 million viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.07 (August 4th) : 930 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.08 (August 11th) : 730 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.09 (August 11th - 11pm) : 640 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.10 (August 18th - 11pm) : 730 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.11 (August 25th) : 810 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.12 (September 1st) : 980 000 viewers / 0.6% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.13 (September 8th) : 570 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Futurama season 6 (Thursdays at 10pm on Comedy Central) :

Episode 6.14 (June 23th) : 2.50 million viewers / 1.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.15 (June 23th - 10:30pm) : 2.47 million viewers / 1.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.16 (June 30th) : 1.92 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.17 (July 7th) : 1.55 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.18 (July 14th) : 1.41 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.19 (July 21th) : 1.40 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.20 (July 28th) : 1.49 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.21 (August 4th) : 1.46 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.22 (August 11th) : 1.45 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.23 (August 18th) : 1.38 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.24 (August 25th) : 1.52 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.25 (September 1st) : 1.57 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 6.26 (September 8th) : 1.48 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Ugly Americans season 2 (Thursdays at 10:30pm on Comedy Central) :

Episode 2.01 (June 30th) : 1.14 million viewers / 0.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.02 (July 7th) : 980 000 viewers / 0.5% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.03 (July 14th) : 810 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.04 (July 21th) : 850 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.05 (July 28th) : 870 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.06 (August 4th) : 730 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.07 (August 11th) : 890 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.08 (August 18th) : 780 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.09 (August 25th) : 820 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 2.10 (September 1st) : 860 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.


Torchwood season 4 (Fridays at 10pm on Starz) :

Episode 4.01 (July 8th) : 819 000 viewers / 0.4% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.02 (July 15th) : 609 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.03 (July 22th) : 636 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.04 (July 29th) : 545 000 viewers / 0.2% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.05 (August 5th) : 580 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.06 (August 19th) : 662 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.07 (August 26th) : 769 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.08 (September 2nd) : 699 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.09 (September 9th) : 640 000 viewers / 0.3% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.10 (September 16th) : xx0 000 viewers / 0.x% of the 18-49 demo - Season (Series ?) Finale.


Breaking Bad season 4 (Sundays at 10pm on AMC) :

Episode 4.01 (July 17th) : 2.58 million viewers / 1.1% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.02 (July 24th) : 1.97 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.03 (July 31th) : 1.71 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.04 (August 7th) : 1.83 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.05 (August 14th) : 1.75 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.06 (August 21th) : 1.67 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.07 (August 28th) : 1.91 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.08 (September 4th) : 1.98 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.09 (September 11th) : 1.89 million viewers / 0.9% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.10 (September 18th) : 1.80 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.11 (September 25th) : 1.55 million viewers / 0.7% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.12 (October 2nd) : 1.73 million viewers / 0.8% of the 18-49 demo.
Episode 4.13 (October 9th) : 1.90 million viewers / 1.0% of the 18-49 demo - Season Finale.

Average for the fourth season of Breaking Bad : 1.866 million viewers / 0.81% of the 18-49 demo.

The first episode of the 4th season of Damages (first aired on Wednesday, July 13th at 10pm on DirecTV) had 1 million viewers. However, here, unlike all the previous ratings above, the reruns (there were three of them) and the DVR recordings are included ! So, even if plenty of people don't have DirecTV, that's not much. The average of season 3 (when the show aired on FX) on the first airing (Mondays at 10pm) was 900 000 viewers.


- True Blood (12-episode fifth season), Wilfred (13-episode second season), Louie (13-episode third season), Futurama (26-episode seventh season, split in two), Damages (10-episode fifth season) and Breaking Bad (16-episode fifth and final season) are already renewed. Entourage and Rescue Me, on the other hand, will end in 3 weeks.

- The most watched episode of True Blood is episode 3.11 (5.44 million viewers/3.2% of the 18-49 demo). Episode 4.01 (5.42 million viewers) and episode 4.08 (3.1% of the 18-49 demo) were close to break these records. I bet both of them will be broken by the end of the season.

- The most watched episode of Curb your Enthusiasm since the first 2 seasons is episode 8.03 with 2.37 million viewers. Episode 8.02 had already broken the record the week before, and it will probably be broken again this summer (probably if True Blood breaks its records too). Here's an article for you to see how the ratings of this hilarious show evolved.

- Entourage isn't at its best for its final season : episode 8.02 delivered the worst ratings of the show since the last 4 episodes of season 6 (which were, admittedly, broadcasted in September with Bored to Death as a lead-in, not True Blood's second season anymore). However, the other 3 episodes sticked around 2.4/2.5 million viewers and 1.3/1.4% on the 18-49 demo, which is around what season 7 used to do. Besides, the show manages to get better ratings than its lead-in, Curb your Enthusiasm (which is the one airing right after the massive hit True Blood) so HBO doesn't really have anything to be disappointed about here.

- The season premiere of Breaking Bad delivered the best ratings of the show by far (2.58 million viewers). However, they quickly started to decline and now we're back to numbers close to what season 3 used to do, around 1.80 million viewers. The show has lower ratings than The Killing (± 1.90 million viewers) but the percentage of the 18-49 demographic watching is better (0.7% for Breaking Bad, 0.5% for The Killing). All that, of course, is way less than The Walking Dead (more than 5 million viewers and 3.0% on the 18-49 demo, a hit like True Blood, no less).

- Showtime execs said there's a strong possibility Weeds will get an 8th season. And since Showtime doesn't have to produce Web Therapy (it all comes from the webisodes, they just have to edit it), they might renew the show for a second season despite the fact that no one seems to know it is on the air (or everyone has already seen it on the Internet).

- The renewal of Curb your Enthusiasm is always depending only on Larry David's will, HBO never said no to him and they won't especially now given than season 8 is the most watched of the show since the first three seasons in 2000, 2001 and 2002 (thank you, True Blood).

- The renewal of Torchwood depends on what Russell T. Davies wants. Starz announced recently won't renew it anytime soon, they never expected it to become a yearly program when they decided to co-produced the 4th season with the BBC. Besides, the ratings are lower than Camelot's - which was ultimately cancelled bcause of the cost of its production setting in Ireland and the renewal of the main actors' contracts was too expensive (Miracle Day is much more critically acclaimed than Camelot though).

- Pretty much no one watches Rescue Me anymore, and the last batch of episodes doesn't prove this fact wrong. These are not the lowest numbers the show has had over its run (season 6 was slightly below 1.17 million a few times). Like Nip/Tuck, the show was once a critically acclaimed success on FX (the first 3 seasons of Rescue Me frequently gathered 2.5 million viewers) but it ended in anonymity (it is still a good enough drama though imo).

- Futurama is at its lowest level right now. Episode 6.16 marked the lowest ratings ever for the show (except the Christmas special in Nov 2010). Since then, it stabilized around 1.40 million viewers but this is still inferior to the first part of season 6, last summer. Wilfred (most watched 1st season of an FX comedy) probably has something to do with it.

- Each Thursday from 10 to 11, it's a mano-a-mano between FX (Wilfred+Louie) and Comedy Central (Futurama+Ugly Americans). In the end, there's no winner : Wilfred beat Futurama 3 times (for episodes 1.01, 1.02, 1.06) but Futurama is more consistant and is often slightly above Wilfred, while Louie beats Ugly Americans every time except last Thursday (the 10:30pm episode of Louie gathered 640 000 viewers, 250 000 less than Ugly Americans (best ratings of the season since the second episode). But Louie has the upper hand here, especially since the first season was broadcasted on Tuesdays at 11pm last summer (granted, you don't need to watch the first season to tune in this year, but still, Louis CK's show does pretty well). All 4 comedies are often on the same path, when FX is down Comedy Central is down, too.

- In the end, the only show truly in danger on these 6 cable channels is The Big C, on Showtime. Weeds season 7 is much weaker than season 6 (down 22% in the ratings compared to summer 2010), and these low numbers are hurting The Big C in the process (-32% compared to season 1).

Showtime has already ruthlessly cancelled one of its dramedies three months ago, United States of Tara, which was even less watched than The Big C (the 3rd season gathered an average of 320 000 viewers, but it was in front of Castle, Hawaii Five-O and Law & Order Los Angeles, The Big C doesn't have that kind of opponents this summer).

Showtime renewed Nurse Jackie (which had an average of 750 000 viewers on its 3rd season) and is apparently planning on renewing Weeds (despite the mixed reviews, the poor ratings and the fact that season 7 was once unofficially announced as a possible final season). Cancelling United States of Tara 3 weeks before the end of its 3rd season is enough, they can't cancel The Big C now, come on !