The seventh season of Castle was down by more than 15% but it was still one of the network’s most-watched scripted series. However, shows typically get more expensive to produce as they get older and salaries rise. For awhile, it wasn’t certain if some of the cast would be returning for season eight. If the ratings continue to slide downward, will Castle be cancelled? Will it be renewed for a ninth season? Stay tuned.

On the previous season of Castle, author Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) finally tied the knot. If their past is any indication however, it looks unlikely that there will be much wedded bliss in their future. The rest of this season’s cast includes Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, Molly Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Tamala Jones, and Toks Olagundoye.

The ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available — usually the next day, around 11:30am EST/8:30am PST. Refresh to see the latest.

5/12 update: ABC has cancelled Castle after eight seasons. Details here.

5/17 update: You can see the rest of the latest night’s ratings.

Note: If you’re not seeing the updated chart, please try reloading the page or view it here.

For comparisons: The seventh season of Castle averaged a 1.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 8.47 million total viewers.

Note: Note: These are the Live + Same Day Ratings which include “live” viewing plus delayed DVR viewing, up until 3am local time that same night. Ratings marked with an “*” are the fast affiliate ratings and will be updated with the Live+SD numbers when they are made available. Typically, networks get paid for C+3 ratings which includes DVR viewing within three days of the original airing when commercials are watched. Those numbers are rarely released to the press.

What do you think? Do you still like the Castle TV show? Do you think it should be cancelled or be renewed for a ninth season? How long should it run?