Ratings results and status updates on all the currently airing sci fi & fantasy shows as well as those still awaiting word on their fates. For the latest ratings updates, be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site
Ratings Results of Interest: The Purge Drops, But Not Much
On Tuesday, USA’s The Purge posted a 0.46 rating based on same day viewing for the 18-49 demographic with 1.3 million total viewers for its second episode. That is down from the 0.55 rating it had for its premiere, but not as big of a drop as I expected. Shows that come from a pre-existing franchise tend to draw a fair number of curious onlookers for the initial episode, but then typically see viewership drop off notably after that. But the second week numbers look more like a usual premiere to regular season episode level of decline. The show also remained as the third most-watched cable series of the night for a second week in a row. This one may still edge down some in the coming weeks, but if it does not slip too much then USA may consider extending this “television event” series.
On Wednesday, FX’s American Horror Story returned for its eighth season (subtitled “Apocalypse”) and posted a 1.5 rating with 3.1 million total viewers. That’s down from the 2.0 rating it had for its Season 7 premiere last year, but those are still strong numbers for a cable show these days. It was the most-watched show of the evening among the cable entries and even beat all but a couple of programs on the broadcast networks on Wednesday night. This one has already been renewed through its tenth season.
On Monday, Salvation improved for the first time in a while to a 0.4 rating with 2.7 million total viewers. That will likely be too little too late for the show, though. On Tuesday, The Outpost also improved, posting a 0.2 rating with 645K total viewers. On Friday, Syfy’s Wynonna Earp improved to a 0.13 rating with 490K total viewers while Killjoys dropped to a 0.07 rating with 428K total viewers. Both will return for another season. Over on Cinemax, Outcast continued to barely register as it had only a 0.03 rating with 98K total viewers. On Sunday, AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead held steady at a 0.57 rating with 1.9 million total viewers. That show has already been renewed for a fifth season. Over on TNT, The Last Ship improved a tick to a 0.25 rating with 1.3 million total viewers. That show is in its final season.
You can see the full ratings results for the week at this link, and be sure to follow the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site for the latest results and breaking news. Ratings Source: ShowBuzzDaily
What’s to watch on the Streaming Services? Click on the following links for a comprehensive list of the Sci Fi TV Shows available on Netflix | Prime Video | Hulu
News Roundup: Syfy has announced October 26th as the premiere date for Channel Zero Season 4, but the network will air its six episodes on consecutive nights looking like a burn-off run before cancellation. AMC’s CEO has claimed that the network expects another ten years or more from The Walking Dead franchise. Starz’s American Gods continues to go through behind-the-scenes troubles as the network has “sidelined” showrunner Jesse Alexander. The BBC has ordered a second season of its upcoming fantasy series His Dark Materials ahead of its first season debut, and HBO has come onboard the production and will air it in the States.
Status Updates: American Horror Story Holds Up for FX
Below is the status of all the currently airing shows or those still awaiting word on their fate. This does not include streaming shows, unless there is information worth mentioning, because there is typically too little data available to gauge their fates. You can click through to the show pages to see week-over-week ratings results (where available) and find out more information about the series. You can see the status of all the currently airing and returning sci fi TV shows at the Cancellation Watch Page.
American Horror Story (FX, Status – Renewed): This show returned with decent debut numbers for its eighth season and remains one of the highest rated cable shows on television. FX has already renewed it through its tenth season and could keep it around longer if it continues to draw strong viewership.
Fear the Walking Dead (AMC, Status – Renewed): After getting off to a strong start in its fourth season, the ratings have been on a downward trend for this one, but AMC still renewed it for a fifth year. That does not come as a huge surprise because it is still one of the highest rated cable shows, and the network is likely targeting at least six seasons total for this one to get it to a syndication friendly count of episodes.
Humans (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): This show’s numbers have been down in its third season, and AMC kicked the show out of Prime Time to the 11 PM hour; never a good sign. Its fate is more closely tied to how it is performing in Britain on Channel 4, but its numbers are down over there as well according to Wikipedia. I have moved it to Bubble status and will keep it there until we hear final word on its fate.
Into the Badlands (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): This show wrapped up the first half of its third season in June and there is still no word on when it will be back, leading me to wonder if AMC has given up on it (more on that at this link). Its ratings are down over fifty percent from its second year and it remains firmly On the Bubble at this point. Fans should definitely make a Call to Action on the social networks to show that it has a loyal following.
Killjoys (Syfy, Status – Renewed): This show has returned for its fourth year at series low ratings levels, averaging viewership of less than half of what it saw in its third season. It has already been renewed through a fifth and final season, though, so it should at least have the opportunity to wrap up its storylines.
The Last Ship (TNT, Status – Final Season): This show has had a decent run for TNT, but its numbers have dropped off the last couple of years. The network did decide to bring it back for a fifth and final season to give it a chance to wrap up its storylines.
Outcast (MAX, Status – Cancellation Likely): By all appearances, this show appears to be in burn-off mode. The second season already aired in Europe over a year ago and the contracts for the actors have lapsed. The network has indicated that if viewership is strong enough for the second season in the U.S. that they could try to get the cast back, but the show is barely registering in the ratings so it appears to be done.
The Outpost (CW, Status – On the Bubble): The debut numbers for this one were low even for a CW series, but as an acquisition to fill up space on the Summer schedule it’s not necessarily doomed. If it does well internationally and if it does not cost the network too much, it could be back for another season.
The Purge (USA, Status – Renewal Possible): The debut numbers for this show were good, and it did not suffer too much from the loss curious onlookers with its second episode. USA has billed this one as a “10-Episode Television Event”, but if the ratings hold around current levels the network may extend that.
Preacher (AMC, Status – On the Bubble): This show has wrapped its third season with ratings down by close to 40% from last year and I already considered it on iffy ground then. I have it On the Bubble and fans should definitely take to the social networks if they want this one to survive to a fourth season.
Reverie (NBC, Status – Cancellation Likely): This show has wrapped up its first season and is now awaiting word on its fate. It was originally planned for a mid-season start, but was pushed on the schedule suggesting that the network lost faith in it. Its numbers were pretty low even for a Summer entry, and it didn’t seem to generate much activity on the social networks. If there are any fans out there, they need to make some noise on the social nets RIGHT NOW to draw attention to the show, otherwise it seems certainly set for a date with the Network Executioner.
Salvation (CBS, Status – On the Bubble): This show’s numbers remain low as do it chances of surviving to a third season. It has a streaming deal that likely makes it profitable for the network, but CBS may prefer to fill the hour with something that will draw more viewers watching live. I consider it firmly On the Bubble and will likely keep it there until we hear word on the show’s fate.
Wynonna Earp (Syfy, Status – Renewed): This show has returned even with its prior year ratings and it received a fourth year renewal notice during Comic-Con. It is one of the few shows not experiencing year-over-year declines, but fans should definitely remain active on the social networks to help expand the audience beyond its cult following.
PREVIOUS POST: The Purge Has Good Debut for USA, Iron Fist S2 Gets Better Reviews READ
