While some TV shows are losing viewers, TNT’s Leverage is having more success than ever. As a result, the cable channel has renewed the action series for a fifth season of 15 episodes.
AS they have in the past, TNT is breaking up the current fourth season of Leverage into two parts. The summer finale (episode 10) will air on August 28th. That will leave five episodes which will run in November and December. Season five is slated to air next summer.
Here’s the press release from TNT:
TNT Adds More “Leverage” as Hit Caper Series Enjoys Best Season Yet
TNT has renewed its fast-paced, light-hearted caper drama Leverage for a fifth season, just as the fourth season is shaping up to score the show’s biggest ratings yet. TNT has ordered 15 episodes of Leverage, with the fifth season slated to launch in summer 2012. The series – which centers on a gang of grifters, hackers and thieves out to settle scores against the rich and powerful – currently airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). After the show’s Aug. 28 summer finale, Leverage will return to wrap up its fourth season with new episodes in November and December.
Leverage is the latest high-profile series renewal from TNT following new season orders for Rizzoli & Isles, which is running neck-and-neck with TNT’s The Closer as basic cable’s #1 series; Falling Skies, which ranks as basic cable’s #1 new series for the year-to-date; and Franklin & Bash, which ranks among basic cable’s Top 10 new series this summer. TNT’s top-ranked drama The Closer is in the midst of its extended final season, which will continue in the winter and wrap in summer 2012.
Leverage premiered in 2008 and has grown its audience in each of its four seasons. This summer, leading into TNT’s new blockbuster hit Falling Skies, Leverage has expanded its audience to more than 4.8 million viewers, up 10% over season three, with 1.9 million adults 18-49 (+6%) and 2.3 million adults 25-54 (+9%).
“While many shows decline in their second, third or fourth seasons, Leverage has defied the odds and continued to climb,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). “More and more viewers are discovering this weekly joy ride through wonderfully complex schemes and con games, all brought to life through smart writing, sharp directing and a terrific cast.”
Leverage stars Academy Award(R) winner Timothy Hutton as insurance-investigator-turned-thief Nate Ford, who makes it his mission to bring down those who use their power and wealth to victimize others. Also starring are Gina Bellman as brilliant grifter Sophie Devereaux, Christian Kane as retrieval specialist Eliot Spencer, Beth Riesgraf as slightly off-center thief Parker and Aldis Hodge as gadget and technology wizard Alec Hardison. Leverage is produced by Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment, with Dean Devlin and creators John Rogers and Chris Downey serving as executive producers.
About TNT
TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy(R) winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle; Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; and Southland, from Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER). TNT also presents such powerful dramas as The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and, starting next year, Castle; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards(R); and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. TNT is available in high-definition.Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
What do you think? Are you glad to hear that Leverage has been renewed for season five or would you have preferred that it be cancelled? Does it bother you that they break up the seasons?
Image courtesy TNT.
There is way too much garabage on TV these days. Leverage so refreshing and entertaining. The whole family looks forward to watching Leverage weekly. I don’t undersand why the networks need to cancel all the good shows for one reason or another and replaced with garabage.
Leverage was by far one of the best shows on television in a long time. A fast-paced “Mission Impossible” with a moral imperative and very unusual story lines. The story about World War II and the lost painting was AMAZING! The evolution of characters are very refined (Parker and Hardison), the resolution of each episode was extremely satisfying and the action with Christian Kane, Beth Reisgraf and Aldis Hodge in many episodes kept me on the edge of my seat and was feature film worthy. Not to mention the fabulous “Nick and Nora” Nate and Gina rapport. Each episode and… Read more »
WE NEED LEVERAGE! There are still too many bad guys that make the worst bad guys out there! We need the bad guys WEEKLY who make the best good guys! Also, please arrange for Christian Kane to sing on the show once in a while more. There are so many possible plots left. So many ways to grift, hack, brainstorm, jump from tall places, and muscle with brains and brawn. Please don’t stop the Leverage!
This is the best show on TV. Keep it going – it’s the only reason I can find to watch TV!
Can’t belive that this show was cancelled. If this happened after the first two shows maybe, but this series is great. Hope that someone picks this up and it continues for a couple of more seasons.
Why would you cancel a good show. I think all the people on are so good at there crafed
and I bought chris kane new cd Its the best courty cd out there. networks you are missing the boat. leveage should be prime time and that cd need to be rated higher. flosssss!!!!!!!!!!!
There is too much garbage on tv now.
Why can’t you leave a ggod show on.
At this tme in our history, we need mor of these type shows.
Good guys helping the disadvantaged.!!
an era of “ROBINHOOD” types is due again!!
SO DO NOT CANCEL THIS PROGRAM!!!!
i hate losing leverage!!!! every time i find a show i enjoy, it ends! is there any way it can be picked up by another network?
I can’t believe you are cancelling one of the best series there is out there besides Rizzoli and Isles! This was by far my favorite series and now I don’t have anything to look forward too! I would love to know who is in charge of adding and cancelling shows, personally I think he should be fired. Whoever is in charge does not have the pulse of the public!
YES! I’m upset. This was one of my favorite shows. Seems all the GOOD shows are cancelled and the stupid ones stay on. Bring it back.
You took off ‘ COLD CASE AND RAISING THE BAR ‘ so now you done broke up LEVERAGE, FOR WHAT? Is this a ” PLOY ” to CAN THIS SHOW ” LIKE YOU DID THE OTHER TWO?? Thank GOD FOR THE RERUNS OF LAW AND OTHER cause there SURE wouldn’t be NOTHING much to watch on the TUBE! TRUTH IS YOU HAD THREE OF THE VERY DAMN BEST REALISTIC PROGRAMS ON TELEVISION. SO WHAT YOU CANCELING AND BREAKING FOR?? RATINGS WILL BE LOW WHEN YOU WHEN THESE SHOWS COME ON LATE AT NIGHT, FOLKS NOT STAYING UP LATE TO WATCH… Read more »
It just seems that shows that are interesting get canceled. There are not to many shows that are worth watching. Leverare is my Best one. Do not cancel!!!!!!!!!
The show is great and love all the characters. Keep it Going!!!!!!!!!
I love the show and all the characters work so great toghter. There are so little programs that are on now that are worth watching so KEEP one of the good ones!!!!!!!!!
The program is a good program but I am not fond of the love interest. I think she should go and they should just be a team. The rest of the cast are aces. The scripts are well done and I do not want to see it go just some rearranging. Delete the love interest.
dont agree