‘Major Crimes’ Lifespan: Is season 5 anywhere close to the end?
We are currently in the midst of the seventh and final season of “Rizzoli & Isles” on TNT, and in one way or another, you could argue that this sets the precedent for another show on the network in “Major Crimes.” We’re in the midst of the fifth season right now, and when you consider that these episode orders for this show continue to get extended, of course you would see this as a good sign that it will last a while.
However, you never quite know what TNT is going to do since they have been quick to cancel shows before, and they’ve also adopted a new programming strategy where they are emphasizing more serialized shows and fewer crime-based ones. There’s a case from their standpoint to both keep it or move on in another direction, so we’re going to try to analyze each one.
The case for many more seasons – For one, “Major Crimes” still performs very well in the ratings by TNT standards. So far, it is averaging close to a 0.5 in the 18-49 demographic, and is down less than 8% versus the prior season. What’s even more remarkable is that at 3.76 million viewers, so far the show is ahead of the season 4 pace. Sure, these numbers are slightly misleading since we’re only getting a summer sampling so far (the winter portion of the show’s run tends to bring down the averages), but it’s still impressive that it is picking viewers back up who may not watch in December or February.
As for another argument, it still seems like the cast all seem to enjoy being a part of the show, and there are still plenty of stories left to tell. This series has a huge legacy that dates back to “The Closer,” so keeping it around further preserves that legacy for a little while longer.
The case for ending it – We really don’t think there’s a great one; the only two arguments we could see are that you want the show to end on a high note creatively and in the ratings, or that you really want to focus on some different kinds of programming. Ultimately, though, we think that if the latter is the case, shouldn’t you use “Major Crimes” as an anchor to promote other shows? That seems to be the best move.
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Borderbuddies
July 30, 2016 @ 6:44 am
From a viewer’s point of view, why cancel something that obviously attratcs millions of viewers every week, more than the new shows that are advertised everywhere.
Unless TNT’s logic is, if we cancel it, people have to watch the other programs. Well, I am sorry to tell you TNT, there are other programs to watch on other chanels, if Major Crime gets cancelled.
I think it is a show that is attractive for a broader audience and I am not quite sure why just one demographic is so important.
I do hope TNT sees sense and will continue with Major Crimes, or I have to return to reading a book instead ;-)
Naomi B.
July 30, 2016 @ 10:53 am
The rationalization has always been if you were able to get the younger audience, you could get the others. Problem is that that thought really can no longer be applied as millennials are choosing other platforms to watch tv. That is why you see “across all platforms” numbers coming into play. Also, we aren’t seeing this play out in the “live and +3” for AK like we should be.
BTW…I agree with you. The SECOND MC goes off the air of TNT, I am done with TNT and I am in the demographic. In fact, they have me so irked at their treatment of MC that I really won’t even watch other programming on their network. I was excited about The Alienist, but just can’t swallow watching it with how crappily Reilly and his crew have treated MC.
I can see the rationale behind some of it due to AK being a new show, but the way it is crammed down our throats has me turning down the volume during commercials now because every time I even hear an AK ad, I want to put my head through a wall.
quinquin
July 30, 2016 @ 6:11 am
Thanks for bringing up the question.
It has been said repeatedly that TNT set out to garner a younger and more male audience. As far as I can tell, the best rating shows in TNT’s portfolio regarding both, total viewers and the key demo right now are still The Last Ship, Rizzoli & Isles, and Major Crimes. Although being heavily promoted, Animal Kingdom doesn’t perform as desired, not even in the key demo. Furthermore, as you mentioned, it is a given that R&I will end with the ongoing season. Thus, only two of the main assets will be left, with The Last Ship apparently struggling a little compared to previous seasons. I think both shows have pretty faithful fandoms, though. Why alienate present viewers before having gained new ones? Would that be a smart move? I don’t think so. So, anybody can do the math. How future shows will factor into the equation? We shall see.
As for creative reasons, I am under the impression that the creative team behind Major Crimes is as fresh as ever. They made an attempt towards doing it in a little more serialized way at the end of season 4, and to my mind, it was a huge success. I was thrilled to learn only recently that the summer part of the current season will apparently end with a multi-part arc as well.
Although I would like Major Crimes to end on a high note once, I sincerely hope that this will be in a very distant future.
Naomi B.
July 29, 2016 @ 11:53 pm
Matt, TNT would be crazy nuts to cancel this show. If higher ups would give Reilly permission to do it like they did with R&I, they really need their heads examined.
First, because of the ratings, but also because of total viewers across all platforms. TNT has stated this is 10 million viewers. Second, because no matter how they spin it, Animal Kingdom has not brought the success that one would use to launch a new direction. One week out of the 10 show season, the show got a .5 in demo and they used that week to rush renew it. Throw in total viewers of only 1.2 million and according to the PR announcing the renewal of AK only 6 million numbers across all platforms, that isn’t good. Prospects for Good Behavior don’t look great either as everything I have read on it, people don’t know what the show is. In reading on the cancellation of Bates Motel, it was because total viewers was down to 1.8m, but to TNT less than those numbers to renew??? One last point, every show that TNT has put in MC’s current time slot has flopped. MC has been the only show to actually grow its audience in a time change, particularly one that is TNT Death Valley.
I must say, as an executive in business development/strategy/marketing, if I was asked to pay what the advertisers were told they would need to pay for time on AK and the show produced like it did with the continued abysmal numbers week after week, I would not be a happy girl . To me, if they were launching a new strategy to increase revenues from ads while decreasing commercials, Major Crimes would have been the place to do it.
However, as you point out, we are in Reilly’s TNT, so who the hell knows????