or


[04/07/11 - 11:04 AM]
Q1 2011 Cable Ratings Recap: "The Game," "Tosh.0" & "Spartacus" See Largest Growth Among Scripted Series
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) -- The first quarter of 2011 wrapped with mixed results for cable's scripted offerings.

While shows like BET's "The Game" and Comedy Central's "Tosh.0" more than doubled their previous season's audience, four others - USA's "Royal Pains," HBO's "Big Love," TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" and Showtime's "Californication" - saw significant declines in both total viewers and adults 18-49.

Here's a breakdown of how the 16 returning series fared this past quarter*:

CHANGE IN TOTAL VIEWERS

+167.08% - The Game
(4.527 million; BET, 1/11/11-3/29/11 vs. The CW, 10/3/08-1/23/09)

+115.18% - Tosh.0
(3.204 million; Comedy, 1/11/11-3/15/11 vs. 1/13/10-3/10/10)

+58.18% - Spartacus
(1.286 million; Starz, 1/21/11-2/25/11 vs. 1/22/10-2/26/10)

+29.17% - Army Wives
(3.914 million; Lifetime, 3/6/11-4/3/11 vs. 4/11/10-5/9/10)

+20.87% - Pretty Little Liars
(3.116 million; ABC Family, 1/3/11-3/21/11 vs. 6/8/10-8/10/10)

+16.12% - Merlin
(1.462 million; Syfy, 1/7/11-4/1/11 vs. 4/2/10-6/25/10)

+14.62% - Archer
(1.113 million; FX, 1/27/11-3/31/11 vs. 1/14/10-3/18/10)

+3.69% - Greek
(0.956 million; ABC Family, 1/3/11-3/7/11 vs. 1/25/10-3/29/10)

-1.02% - Justified
(2.632 million; FX, 2/9/11-3/30/11 vs. 3/16/10-5/4/10)

-6.88% - Southland
(1.991 million; TNT, 1/4/11-3/8/11 vs. 3/2/10-4/6/10)

-6.88% - White Collar
(3.572 million; USA, 1/18/11-3/8/11 vs. 1/19/10-3/9/10)

-25.38% - Royal Pains
(4.075 million; USA, 1/20/11-2/24/11 vs. 6/3/10-7/15/10)

-29.02% - Big Love
(1.152 million; HBO, 1/16/11-3/20/11 vs. 1/10/10-3/7/10)

-34.03% - Hot in Cleveland
(2.059 million; TV Land, 1/19/11-3/23/11 vs. 6/16/10-8/18/10)

-34.46% - Californication
(0.542 million; Showtime, 1/9/11-3/27/11 vs. 9/27/09-12/13/09)

-37.25% - Stargate Universe
(0.913 million; Syfy, 3/7/11-3/28/11 vs. 4/2/10-4/23/10)

CHANGE IN ADULTS 18-49

+214.29% - The Game
(2.2 rating; BET, 1/11/11-3/29/11 vs. The CW, 10/3/08-1/23/09)

+137.50% - Tosh.0
(1.9 rating; Comedy, 1/11/11-3/15/11 vs. 1/13/10-3/10/10)

+50.00% - Spartacus
(0.6 rating; Starz, 1/21/11-2/25/11 vs. 1/22/10-2/26/10)

+30.00% - Army Wives
(1.3 rating; Lifetime, 3/6/11-4/3/11 vs. 4/11/10-5/9/10)

+22.22% - Pretty Little Liars
(1.1 rating; ABC Family, 1/3/11-3/21/11 vs. 6/8/10-8/10/10)

+20.00% - Archer
(0.6 rating; FX, 1/27/11-3/31/11 vs. 1/14/10-3/18/10)

no change - Merlin
(0.4 rating; Syfy, 1/7/11-4/1/11 vs. 4/2/10-6/25/10)

no change - Greek
(0.4 rating; ABC Family, 1/3/11-3/7/11 vs. 1/25/10-3/29/10)

no change - Stargate Universe
(0.5 rating; Syfy, 3/7/11-3/28/11 vs. 4/2/10-4/23/10)

-7.69% - White Collar
(1.2 rating; USA, 1/18/11-3/8/11 vs. 1/19/10-3/9/10)

-10.00% - Justified
(0.9 rating; FX, 2/9/11-3/30/11 vs. 3/16/10-5/4/10)

-12.50% - Southland
(0.7 rating; TNT, 1/4/11-3/8/11 vs. 3/2/10-4/6/10)

-35.29% - Royal Pains
(1.1 rating; USA, 1/20/11-2/24/11 vs. 6/3/10-7/15/10)

-37.50% - Big Love
(0.5 rating; HBO, 1/16/11-3/20/11 vs. 1/10/10-3/7/10)

-37.50% - Hot in Cleveland
(0.5 rating; TV Land, 1/19/11-3/23/11 vs. 6/16/10-8/18/10)

-50.00% - Californication
(0.2 rating; Showtime, 1/9/11-3/27/11 vs. 9/27/09-12/13/09)

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

Meanwhile, on the newcomer front USA's "Fairly Legal" led the scripted pack in total viewers while BET's "Let's Stay Together" was the top demo draw*:

TOTAL VIEWERS

3.554 million - Fairly Legal
(USA, 1/20/11-3/24/11)

2.526 million - Let's Stay Together
(BET, 1/18/11-3/29/11)

2.241 million - Breakout Kings
(A&E, 3/6/11-4/3/11)

1.477 million - Being Human
(Syfy, 1/17/11-3/28/11)

1.395 million - Skins
(MTV, 1/17/11-3/21/11)

1.360 million - Retired at 35
(TV Land, 1/19/11-3/23/11)

1.240 million - Onion SportsDome
(Comedy, 1/11/11-2/15/11)

1.029 million - Shameless
(Showtime, 1/9/11-3/27/11)

0.828 million - Lights Out
(FX, 1/11/11-3/29/11)

0.508 million - Episodes
(Showtime, 1/9/11-2/20/11)

ADULTS 18-49

1.2 rating - Let's Stay Together
(BET, 1/18/11-3/29/11)

0.9 rating - Fairly Legal
(USA, 1/20/11-3/24/11)

0.9 rating - Breakout Kings
(A&E, 3/6/11-4/3/11)

0.7 rating - Onion SportsDome
(Comedy, 1/11/11-2/15/11)

0.6 rating - Being Human
(Syfy, 1/17/11-3/28/11)

0.6 rating - Skins
(MTV, 1/17/11-3/21/11)

0.5 rating - Shameless
(Showtime, 1/9/11-3/27/11)

0.4 rating - Lights Out
(FX, 1/11/11-3/29/11)

0.3 rating - Retired at 35
(TV Land, 1/19/11-3/23/11)

0.2 rating - Episodes
(Showtime, 1/9/11-2/20/11)

* Source: Nielsen Media Research, 1/2/11-4/3/11; excludes Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, E! & Nickelodeon as their complete data was not available. Comparisons, if possible, made with the same number of episodes aired from previous season or year-to-year period.





  [april 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· ARCHER (FXX)
· ARMY WIVES (LIFETIME)
· BEING HUMAN (SYFY)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· BREAKOUT KINGS (A AND E)
· CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
· EPISODES (SHOWTIME)
· FAIRLY LEGAL (USA)
· FUTON'S RATINGS SURVIVAL GUIDES (TFC)
· GAME, THE (BET)
· GREEK (ABC FAMILY)
· HOT IN CLEVELAND (TV LAND)
· JUSTIFIED (FX)
· LET'S STAY TOGETHER (BET)
· LIGHTS OUT (FX)
· MERLIN (SYFY)
· ONION SPORTSDOME (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (FREEFORM)
· RETIRED AT 35 (TV LAND)
· ROYAL PAINS (USA)
· SHAMELESS (SHOWTIME)
· SKINS (MTV)
· SOUTHLAND (TNT)
· SPARTACUS (STARZ)
· STARGATE UNIVERSE (SYFY)
· TOSH.0 (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· WHITE COLLAR (USA)




most recent ratings | view all posts
[11/21/25 - 12:00 PM]
CBS Series Top L+7 Multiplatform Competitive Charts
Seven weeks into the 2025/26 broadcast season, "Tracker" is the #1 series, averaging 14.2 million viewers across broadcast and streaming.
[11/20/25 - 04:55 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Jumps to Season Highs with Epic "Prince Night"
The show rose dramatically over its year-ago penultimate episode in Total Viewers, with its best semifinals performance in seven years.
[11/20/25 - 11:31 AM]
"Landman" Season 2 Premiere Delivers Record Breaking 9.2 Million Global Streaming Views in Its First Two Days on Paramount+
Views increased by +262% from the first season premiere, making it the most watched premiere for any original series for Paramount+.
[11/20/25 - 08:22 AM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Hits Season Highs with Best Performance Among Total Viewers and Households in Five Months
Friday's "Live's Halloween Show: "It's Trending!" posted its top telecast in Total Viewers (2.554 million) and Households (1.62 million) in over six months.
[11/18/25 - 03:40 PM]
"College GameDay" Scores Best Week 12 Show Ever in Steel City Stop; ABC & ESPN Deliver Top Four Most-Watched Games of Week 12
ABC is registering 6.9 million viewers per game, on pace for the most-watched season on record for the network.
[11/18/25 - 03:06 PM]
FOX NFL Off to Its Best Start to the Season Since 2016
Season-to-date, the NFL on FOX is off to its best start to the season since 2016, averaging 19,038,000 viewers and up +4% over last year's season-to-date average (18,239,000).
[11/18/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of November 10 - "The Beast in Me" Plays Mind Games at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Those wishing to escape into fantasy opted for "The Witcher" Season 4, placing the series at No. 2 on the list with 3.6 million views in its third week in the Top 10.
[11/14/25 - 10:30 AM]
"High Potential" Season 2 Premiere Scores Over 21 Million Total Viewers Across 35 Days
Season to date, the powerhouse drama continues to dominate, ranking as the No. 1 original broadcast series for the second season in a row among Adults 18-49 (2.42 rating), based on Nielsen cross-platform rankings.
[11/14/25 - 09:35 AM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Rises Week to Week with 6.67 Million Total Viewers as Show Heads to Semi-Finals
This marks the show's best performance for its last episode before the semi-finals among Total Viewers in six years and among Adults 18-49 in eight years.
[11/14/25 - 09:31 AM]
"Wicked: One Wonderful Night" Shines for NBC
Across all platforms, the special drew 3.6 million viewers, which was up 64% from last year's "Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked" special.
[11/12/25 - 08:27 AM]
ABC Scores Top Game of the Week for the 10th Straight Week; "College GameDay" Posts Week 11 Growth and Record Season Rolls On
LSU-Alabama (7.5 million viewers) was the most-watched game of the week, followed by Texas A&M-Missouri (4.9 million) and BYU-Texas Tech (4.0 million) among the top five.
[11/11/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of November 3 - "Frankenstein" Comes to Life at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
For more monsters, viewers turned to Season 4 of "The Witcher," putting the series at No. 1 on the English TV list with 7.4 million views.

[11/06/25 - 02:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54
"Nightline" was up on the previous week by double digits in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
[11/05/25 - 09:39 AM]
"College GameDay" and ESPN College Football on ABC Win Week 10
Georgia-Florida led the week with 7.8 million viewers, marking the largest audience on record for this rivalry in a full national window.

[11/05/25 - 08:00 AM]
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Concludes First Full Year on The Cw Network with Most-Watched Season in Four Years
The championship race, which saw Jesse Love emerge as the season winner, drew 1,015,000 total viewers and peaked at 1,191,000 total viewers from 9:30-9:45pm ET.