Animal Kingdom season 4: Three reasons why the ratings may stay strong

There are few shows within the cable TV world that have the same success-story label as Animal Kingdom, and for good reason: Few continue to give you that perfect combination of great characters, memorable drama, and genuine moments that make you feel completely involved in everything that’s happening. It’s a show really like no other, and in season 3 it accomplished a feat few other shows do in this DVR-heavy area: It actually posted better live ratings than the season before!

Overall, the numbers for season 3 were up over 3% in the 18-49 demographic and over 10% in total viewers, which of course makes you wonder how in the world that happened — especially given that Scott Speedman was written out at the very start of the season. Maybe you can cite the memorable characters who remained or the presence of Denis Leary for a good chunk of the year. Or, maybe it’s just the total package that is appealing to people from all walks of life. There’s a classic family drama here mixed with a Breaking Bad feel to it; it’s like This Is Us if the Pearson family were all on drugs and addicted to get-rich-quick schemes.

If you missed it, you can check out some of our overall expectations for season 4 in the video at the bottom of this article! On the other side of watching it, remember to subscribe to CarterMatt on YouTube so you don’t miss out on our coverage of the show — we also have a full Animal Kingdom playlist that is very much worth your time.

So why are we so confident that season 4 could boost the numbers in the same way as season 3? We have three good reasons for our way of thinking.

1. Timing – There’s something to be said about premiering at the right time, and Animal Kingdom’s got it. This is a show that launches following the broadcast TV season (at least recently), and when there isn’t a whole lot else out there in the way of competition. It can dominate a market and take a big bite out of it for the weeks that follow. All it needs is to establish a hook and then continue it in the best, strongest way possible.

2. Momentum – What Animal Kingdom does so well is give you just enough episodes every year that you’re satisfied, but also not so many that you’re overstuffed. They build a story with the best of them, and create great cliffhangers that get you on board for whatever is coming next. We’re not going to say that know that there will be one entering season 4 that’s on par with the Baz situation, but what’s going on with Smurf and J is absolutely intriguing within its own right. It’s a clash of a titan and a soon-to-be titan, and only one will emerge victorious.

3. Emily Deschanel – This marks her first major TV gig since Bones, and we do think that Animal Kingdom does a pretty exceptional job overall of bringing on board well-known actors for good, season-long arcs. She should bring with her some viewers, similar to how Leary seemed to when he came on board.

Want more discussion about how Emily could impact the show? Then be sure to visit the link here.

What are you the most interested in seeing in regards to Animal Kingdom season 4? Be sure to share some of your thoughts on the matter below! (Photo: TNT.)