Ratings: Did ‘The Mentalist’ help season 7 renewal hopes, or did Easter hurt all shows?
We know that “it was Easter” is a common excuse to make to justify low ratings this time of year, but it’s also traditionally a justifiable one. Ratings for most shows are traditionally a little bit lower on the holiday, and Sunday night was no exception. When the top-rated show of the night is “Once Upon a Time” with a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, you know that there is a problem.
So fans of “The Mentalist” can at least use the holiday as a silver lining when looking at its 1.4 rating. The show has done worse this season, but has also done much better. Maybe young people either have university or jobs early Monday morning, since the show routinely struggles getting them to watch live. Even with solid total viewers that were only behind “The Good Wife” and “60 Minutes” (which both skew just as old as it does), it still is in danger of cancellation. The show actually was tied for #3 on the night in the demo, behind “The Amazing Race” and the aforementioned fairy tale drama.
At the end of the day, we see the “Mentalist” ratings from last night neither helping nor hurting the cause much. The debate here is probably going to come down to money (the show’s not owned completely by CBS, and the regulars cost a hefty salary at this point in the run), ratings, and also if there is a place in a crowded schedule for the fall, given that the NFL is going to wide out Thursday nights for the network for a few weeks. We’ve been following this story for weeks, and will continue to; we feel cautiously optimistic in the end that the show may have a future somewhere, but whether or not it is on CBS is to be seen.
As always, sound off with your thoughts in the comments below, and click here if you want to get further TV updates sent to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter.
Photo: CBS
jodyj39667
April 30, 2014 @ 3:58 pm
Please please let it get renewed!!!!!!!!!!! It is one of the best shows on tv!!!
Sara
April 24, 2014 @ 7:24 pm
Sorry… *renewed, not removed
Sara
April 24, 2014 @ 7:23 pm
Season 7! Season 7! Season 7! …. Come on! This show is a keeper. Worse shows have been removed. How about a different day or time slot? I think that’s the bigger reason for ratings. This is a damn good show!
Em
April 23, 2014 @ 1:49 pm
I hope they renew the Mentalist for at least another season. There is still so much to explore. Jane is such a complex character and Simon Baker plays him with glee. The rest of the new team, especially Abbott and Wylie are just great in playing along in Jane’s cons. Lisbon’s character is a lot more relaxed and just enjoying her job with the FBI. Lisbon and Jane’s relationship still has a lot of mileage in it. Sorting it out, as Simon Baker said, in an “adult way” should be interesting
I know CBS does not own the show and their interest in the world-wide audience seems to not count for much when it comes to renew shows. The more than likely own all or a large part of all the shows they have renewed and are renewing.
Renewing The Mentalist may be an opportunity to engage a world-wide audience, especially if they made the CBS website more user-friendly for the rest of the world – outside of the US
C P
April 23, 2014 @ 3:54 am
I really really hope they renew The Mentalist for season 7 and more. I don’t see how the cost to make the show can be a factor. They got rid of Rigsby and Van Pelt for one thing. And let’s see NCSI, Bones, Criminal Minds, and many other long running shows have had the same cast for many years and a larger core cast than The Mentalist. If the ratings are down some of the cause maybe fans are afraid it will be canceled so they are pulling away now. But if CBS put it back on when it originally aired, Tuesdays at 9 pm I bet the ratings would go back up.
anon
April 21, 2014 @ 6:36 pm
I hope they renew!! They must!