The ratings for FOX’s Glee series have been dropping for awhile. Will they fall low enough to see the TV series cancelled? That’s the real drama.
These are the TV show’s ratings for the 2012-13 season, the best way to tell if Glee is going to be cancelled or renewed for season five.
The fourth season of Glee typically airs Thursday nights at 9pm on the FOX network. The large cast includes Amber Riley, Chord Overstreet, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Darren Criss, Dianna Agron, Harry Shum, Heather Morris, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Mark Salling, Matthew Morrison, and Naya Rivera.
These figures will be updated as the weeks progress so be sure to bookmark and return to this page:
Final season averages: 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 5.86 million total viewers.
Episode 04-22: Thursday, 05/09/13
2.0 in the demo (+5% change) with 5.92 million (+14% change).
Season averages: 2.21 in the demo with 5.86 million.
Episode 04-21: Thursday, 05/02/13
1.9 in the demo (+6% change) with 5.19 million (-1% change).
Season averages: 2.22 in the demo with 5.86 million.
Episode 04-20: Thursday, 04/25/13
1.8 in the demo (-14% change) with 5.24 million (-15% change).
Season averages: 2.23 in the demo with 5.89 million.
UPDATE: FOX has renewed Glee for two more seasons.
Episode 04-19: Thursday, 04/18/13
2.1 in the demo (-13% change) with 6.14 million (-8% change).
Season averages: 2.26 in the demo with 5.92 million.
Episode 04-18: Thursday, 04/11/13
2.4 in the demo (+20% change) with 6.67 million (+13% change).
Season averages: 2.27 in the demo with 5.91 million.
Episode 04-17: Thursday, 03/21/13
2.0 in the demo (0% change) with 5.91 million (+10% change).
Season averages: 2.26 in the demo with 5.87 million.
Episode 04-16: Thursday, 03/14/13
2.0 in the demo (-17% change) with 5.37 million (-20% change).
Season averages: 2.27 in the demo with 5.87 million.
Episode 04-15: Thursday, 03/07/13 (special 9:30pm time)
2.4 in the demo (+41% change) with 6.72 million (+31% change).
Season averages: 2.29 in the demo with 5.90 million.
Episode 04-14: Thursday, 02/14/13
1.7 in the demo (-23% change) with 5.13 million (-15% change).
Season averages: 2.29 in the demo with 5.84 million.
Episode 04-13: Thursday, 02/07/13
2.2 in the demo (+5% change) with 6.03 million (+10% change).
Season averages: 2.33 in the demo with 5.89 million.
Episode 04-12: Thursday, 01/31/13
2.1 in the demo (-19% change) with 5.48 million (-19% change).
Season averages: 2.34 in the demo with 5.88 million.
Episode 04-11: Thursday, 01/24/13
2.6 in the demo (+30% change) with 6.79 million (+29% change).
Season averages: 2.36 in the demo with 5.92 million.
Episode 04-10: Thursday, 12/13/12
2.0 in the demo (-9% change) with 5.26 million (-3% change).
Season averages: 2.34 in the demo with 5.83 million.
Episode 04-09: Thursday, 12/06/12
2.2 in the demo (0% change) with 5.43 million (+1% change).
Season averages: 2.38 in the demo with 5.90 million.
Episode 04-08: Thursday, 11/29/12
2.2 in the demo (+47% change) with 5.39 million (+17% change).
Season averages: 2.40 in the demo with 5.96 million.
Episode 04-07: Thursday, 11/22/12
1.5 in the demo (-29% change) with 4.62 million (-12% change).
Season averages: 2.43 in the demo with 6.04 million.
Episode 04-06: Thursday, 11/15/12
2.1 in the demo (-13% change) with 5.22 million (-8% change).
Season averages: 2.58 in the demo with 6.27 million.
Episode 04-05: Thursday, 11/08/12
2.4 in the demo (-8% change) with 5.68 million (-6% change).
Season averages: 2.68 in the demo with 6.48 million.
Episode 04-04: Thursday, 10/04/12
2.6 in the demo (+8% change) with 6.07 million (+5% change).
Season averages: 2.75 in the demo with 6.68 million.
Episode 04-03: Thursday, 09/27/12
2.4 in the demo (-17% change) with 5.79 million (-22% change).
Season averages: 2.80 in the demo with 6.89 million.
Episode 04-02: Thursday, 09/20/12
2.9 demo rating (-7% change) with 7.46 million (+1% change).
Season averages: 3.00 in the demo with 7.44 million.
Episode 04-01: Thursday, 09/13/12
3.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 7.41 million total viewers.
Season averages: 3.10 in the demo with 7.41 million.
On a new night, with only medium competition, the fourth season premiere of Glee was down significantly year-to-year. In the demo, the series was down by 23% (vs a 4.0 rating) and was down by 20% in total viewers (vs 9.21 million). On their own, the numbers are still very good but one has to wonder how they bode for the rest of the season.
Reference point: The 2011-12 season averaged a 3.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 7.31 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 like the Glee TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for a fifth season?
I feel like Murphy decided to take his two biggest iTunes sellers and push them at us constantly. Add to that the obnoxious new cast and marley who makes me want to throw my remote at the screen everytime I see her and glee is really seeming like a dud this time around. I used to love Rachel, Kurt, Blaine and Santana. Rachel and Blaine are seriously at overkill levels and I miss Kurt and Santana. Kurt is just being used to promote Rachel and blaines storylines and we never see Santana. And they made Blaine into a douche bag… Read more »
you will miss the proposal of blaine and kurt
Love glee,but think the old cast is the best. Can’t you make most of them go to N.Y.
Coule be a grate musical. Please keep in on
Glee better get renewed for a season 5 I have began watching Glee from Season 1 through Season 4 I really care about Finn, Puck, Sam, Kurt, Blaine, Quinn Rachel, Marley, Jake, Kitty, and Ryder Keep Those ratings up for a Glee renewal Season 5 I still enjoy Glee a lot, but there’s way too much to put into 1 hr with the older and newer cast. Many viewers who have watched the show from its inception are older now and more engaged by the NYC Kurt/Rachel scenario (great chemistry), while the younger viewers are similarly engaged by the McKinley… Read more »
I stopped watching because the Blaine character was to prominent. I felt I was watching ” The Blaine Show “. It would not be so bad, but the Blaine character is really annoying.
I used to love Glee, followed the first season faithfully all the way till the end of Season 2. Have to say I noticed the quality drop since the later half of season 2. I was not so excited for Season 3, and was even more disappointed when I finally watched it. It was just not what it used to be. Now, the original stars are disappearing, these new people that I don’t even care about take their place, the storyline are no longer interesting, and those silliness that I used to love just became a nuisance. By now, I… Read more »
I really think Glee should be cancelled. I have been a fan since its pilot and I have to say that Season 4 Glee is not the same Glee as Season 1. There is no continuity in the story line and the newer characters just don’t have the passion of the original cast. But most importantly the original message that Glee claimed of diversity has been replaced by conformity and mean spirited sizest, racist and homophobic jokes. Glee has now become the “mean girl”.
I have been Witt this show since the pilot and I have to say the quality of the show has dropped significantly. Their is no continuity in the story lines and the new cast does have the
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Here’s an idea…. Since Marley’s collapse, the New Directions should lose and they need to really put the high school stuff on the back burner (or not the main focus of the series.. unless it’s about Finn and his new role as coach, or Tina, Artie, Brittany, Blaine and Sam (but tied in with the cast that graduated)). What they need to focus on are the originals that graduated (Quinn, Rachel, Kurt, Santana, Mercedes, Mike and Puck)… do something that makes them all end up in New York (Mercedes has to record her new songs in a NYC based studio,… Read more »
Truth! You said everything I’d been saying. And Mike’s moves in ballet-? What? NYC…
“Home/Homeward Bound” was very good. One down check for “Turkey Lurkey” mashed with “Let’s Have a Kiki” (having flashbacks of “Promises, Promises” and the Grapes of Roth from college days). Was loving “Let’s Have a Kiki”, but HATED “Turkey Lurkey”. Glad Kurt is finally going to talk to Blaine. Their relationship had an excellent foundation (built on friendship first), so it was stronger than others might have been. Colfer and Criss handled that scene so very well 🙂 Had my eyes tearing up for real. Can’t wait to see the Christmas episode. HATED Hunter, of the Dalton Academy – AND… Read more »
I still enjoy Glee a lot, but there’s way too much to put into 1 hr with the older and newer cast. Many viewers who have watched the show from its inception are older now and more engaged by the NYC Kurt/Rachel scenario (great chemistry), while the younger viewers are similarly engaged by the McKinley HS crew (some good chemistry coming up there, but still rearranging). I was glad to see some comedy working back in with “Dynamic Duets”. The dual locale scenario does NOT allow for coherent story and character development. I think it would be best (and a… Read more »
I only started watching Glee this season. I’ve began watching it because of the new cast. Previous to this season, I’d only watched 2.5 episodes on the show. It was just too ridiculous and only about 3 or 4 of the old cast could truly sing (Rachel isn’t one of them). And even now, the only characters I really care about are Santana, Marley, Jake, Kitty, Brody, and Ryder to a degree. So, unless the scenes involve those six I usually fast forward past. I’ve loved the two episodes that didn’t have the NYC storylines; More screentime for the new… Read more »
Naya Rivera had a break out season 3 and was generating constant buzz for glee and yet she’s hardly been on this season for whatever reason. Truth be told glee has been a mess for awhile. I thought she single handedly carried last season. She did more with less than any actor Ive seen. And yet it still comes across like she’s not as bailable to the writers and fox like she should be. I don’t see anything saving Glee at this point. That’s a shame because I think the old cast was one of the best ever assembled. Too… Read more »
I hate to admit it, but I only watch to see/hear Lea Michelle sing! There are other good voices, but nothing compares to hers! The storyline itself is getting just too stupid to continue! Had they left Mickinley behind, and followed Rachel, and a few other castmates, to New York, they could have made a spin-off that would be just as good as “Glee” was, originally! I think Lea should move on to bigger and better things, like movies or a new series, and “Glee” should fall by the wayside!
The storylines are never completed. The old characters aren’t even full arch characters yet and they force in new ones by giving us new characters with old attitudes. Its annoying. I quit watching and I hope for it to be over or cancelled already. I’m done being tortured. Main character has and should always be Rachel. She isn’t my favorite but she’s the main character. They switched the main character to Finn in season 3 and that failed. He came back in season 4 and he sucks as a “teacher.” I just don’t know what they expect when the show… Read more »
I agree Season 4 is just ‘new characters with old attitudes’. That is the biggest mistake they’ve made, trying to replace the old with new characters with the same attitude as the old, its so unoriginal. And i can only predict Glee going downhill from here! It was the characters which made Glee replacing them is only going to end up with a gradual decline of viewers.