The ratings for Parks and Recreation have been coming down each season. Will they go so low in season five that the sitcom is cancelled? Stay tuned!
The fifth season of Parks and Recreation typically airs Thursday nights on the NBC network. There are 22 episodes.
This season, the cast includes Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Jim O’Heir, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Retta, and Rob Lowe.
Below are the TV show’s latest ratings for the 2012-13 season — the best way to tell if Parks and Recreation will be cancelled or renewed for a sixth season.
These figures will be updated as the weeks progress so be sure to bookmark and return to this page:
UPDATE: NBC has renewed Parks and Recreation for a sixth season.
Final season averages: 1.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 2.89 million total viewers.
Episode 05-22: Thursday, 05/02/13
1.2 in the demo (+20% change) with 2.67 million (+15% change).
Season averages: 1.23 in the demo with 2.89 million.
Episode 05-21: Thursday, 04/25/13
1.3 in the demo (-24% change) with 2.59 million (-23% change).
Season averages: 1.62 in the demo with 3.31 million.
Episode 05-20: Thursday, 04/18/13
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 3.34 million (0% change).
Season averages: 1.64 in the demo with 3.35 million.
Episode 05-19: Thursday, 04/18/13
1.7 in the demo (+13% change) with 3.35 million (+6% change).
Season averages: 1.63 in the demo with 3.35 million.
Episode 05-18: Thursday, 04/11/13
1.5 in the demo (0% change) with 3.15 million (+8% change).
Season averages: 1.63 in the demo with 3.35 million.
Episode 05-17: Thursday, 04/04/13
1.5 in the demo (-6% change) with 2.93 million (-2% change).
Season averages: 1.64 in the demo with 3.36 million.
Episode 05-16: Thursday, 03/14/13
1.6 in the demo (+14% change) with 3.00 million (+2% change).
Season averages: 1.64 in the demo with 3.38 million.
Episode 05-15: Thursday, 02/21/13
1.4 in the demo (0% change) with 2.95 million (-4% change).
Season averages: 1.65 in the demo with 3.41 million.
Episode 05-14: Thursday, 02/21/13
1.4 in the demo (-7% change) with 3.07 million (-4% change).
Season averages: 1.66 in the demo with 3.44 million.
Episode 05-13: Thursday, 02/14/13
1.5 in the demo (-25% change) with 3.18 million (-15% change).
Season averages: 1.68 in the demo with 3.47 million.
Episode 05-12: Thursday, 02/07/13
2.0 in the demo (+18% change) with 3.76 million (-5% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.50 million.
Episode 05-11: Thursday, 01/24/13
1.7 in the demo (-11% change) with 3.94 million (+1% change).
Season averages: 1.67 in the demo with 3.47 million.
Episode 05-10: Thursday, 01/17/13
1.9 in the demo (+27% change) with 3.92 million (+20% change).
Season averages: 1.67 in the demo with 3.43 million.
Episode 05-09: Thursday, 12/06/12
1.5 in the demo (+7% change) with 3.27 million (+9% change).
Season averages: 1.64 in the demo with 3.37 million.
Episode 05-08: Thursday, 11/29/12
1.4 in the demo (-18% change) with 2.99 million (-15% change).
Season averages: 1.66 in the demo with 3.38 million.
Episode 05-07: Thursday, 11/15/12
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 3.52 million (+2% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.44 million.
Episode 05-06: Thursday, 11/08/12
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 3.46 million (+4% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.43 million.
Episode 05-05: Thursday, 10/25/12
1.7 in the demo (+6% change) with 3.34 million (-4% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.42 million.
Episode 05-04: Thursday, 10/18/12
1.6 in the demo (-16% change) with 3.46 million (-2% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.44 million.
Episode 05-03: Thursday, 10/04/12
1.9 in the demo (+19% change) with 3.53 million (+8% change).
Season averages: 1.73 in the demo with 3.43 million.
Episode 05-02: Thursday, 09/27/12
1.6 in the demo (-6% change) with 3.27 million (-7% change).
Season averages: 1.65 in the demo with 3.38 million.
Episode 05-01: Thursday, 09/20/12
1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 3.50 million total viewers.
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 3.50 million.
It wasn’t a positive start of the season for Parks and Rec. Compared to the start of season four, the sitcom was down by 19% in the demo (vs a 2.1 rating) and down by 15% in viewers (vs 4.11 million). Still, the loss percentages could have been worse — and were for Up All Night and The Office.
Reference point: The fourth season averaged a 1.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 3.73 million viewers.
Note: These ratings are collected by the Nielsen company and are the final national numbers. These are different from the fast affiliate numbers which are just estimates of the actual ratings and are reported on by most other outlets. The final nationals are typically released within 24 hours of the programming or, in the case of weekends and holidays, a couple days later.
What do you think? Do you still like the Parks and Recreation TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or be renewed for a sixth season?
How sad they don’t account the online watching demo in the ratings. I doubt this show would have any fall off in audience, in fact I think it would be growing. The ratings are falling merely as fast as the subscriptions to cable plans and more people are using hulu, netflix and other means to watch tv. The younger, hipper demo it seeks is watching, just not in the traditional manor. These ratings definitely don’t tell the whole picture as Parks is commonly in the top 20 shows on both hulu and netflix.
I agree with Ryan. I did watch the latest epy. because it was supposed to be taped here in Old Town Orange, Ca. Barely saw anything. could have been staged anywhere.
And that matters because…?
Parks and Rec is smart, uplifting, moving. It’s a shame it’s so wildly unpopular, it has only a little above a million likes on Facebook, while The Office, a great, hilarious, but less heart-warming and likable than Parks and Rec, has more than 10 millions.
It’s also not promoted in other countries, in Poland, where I live, it has never been shown, nor mentioned, on TV at all.
I don’t know what is NBC doing wrong, but all the best shows are doing badly.
Don’t cancel! My favorite show…love love LOVE Ron Swanson!
We’re watching the season 2 hunting episode right now, Ron Swanson is one of the best TV characters. I found this show recently On demand, I always liked Amy Poehler and not sure why I didn’t watch the show originally. Great cast
I don’t find this show funny at all. Same with The Office,Nothing funny about it.
Only humorless morons don’t find this show funny. It’s hysterical, smart and has heart. Go back to watching Two and a Half Men and your Real Housewives marathons you knuckle dragger…
[…] 3.0 million. At 9pm, The Office garnered a 1.9 rating (-5% change) and 3.9 million viewers and then Parks and Recreation took a tumble with a 1.4 rating (-18% episode-to-episode) and 3.0 million. At 10pm, always […]
Parks and Rec is still on. Who knew?
http://splitsider.com/2011/01/why-nielsen-ratings-are-inaccurate-and-why-theyll-stay-that-way/ This article by John Herman basically acknowledges that it’s possible that shows like Parks and Rec are vastly underrepresented by Nielsen ratings. He hypothesizes that it could be by as much as 10 million viewers. But unfortunately it doesn’t matter to networks since they don’t profit from Hulu and Netflix directly since the ads shown there don’t necessarily match the ads that they sell on their own network. Basically the networks are behind the times and haven’t yet found a way to successfully profit from new media so it doesn’t get measured with the same weight that live viewers… Read more »
How is this drool still on the air? There’s not a shred of humor in it.
There should be more seasons! Please. I love it more than the office. And that’s saying a lot. I can’t get enough parks and rec.
[…] Go On, Grimm, Guys with Kids, Law & Order: SVU, The New Normal, The Office, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, Revolution, Rock Center with Brian Williams, Up All Night, and The Voice. NBC is #1 season to date […]
[…] 9pm, The Office attracted a 2.1 rating (0% change) with 4.7 million. Parks and Recreation then drew a 1.9 rating (+19%) with 4.1 million. The night was capped with Rock Center with Brian […]
Pls don’t cancel. One of the few bright spots on Aussie TV even though it is screened at 11:30
I love this show, i cant bevel they would consider cancelling it. Its quite unique
No! I simply cannot believe that Parks and Rec is nearing the end of its life. It is just too funny of a show to fall victim to a cancelation. I think the real culprit for the low ratings is the fact that a lot more people are turning to their DVRs to record all their favorite shows instead of watching them live.
What makes very little sense to me is that there’s a perception that this show is growing in popularity, just anecdotally and based on social media chatter. It feels like there’s more awareness and more people are talking about it – yet ratings are going in the opposite direction. Did all the people who watched in season 1/2 abandon the show and get replaced by new people who only watch on Hulu or illegal downloads? Are the kinds of people who find this show by marathoning underrepresented in the Nielsen sample? I just don’t get it. But to answer your… Read more »