Mistresses: New ABC Drama; Cancel or Keep It?

ABC has been airing a new drama on Monday nights which follows The Bachelorette — Mistresses. Has the show been a ratings success? Should it be cancelled or renewed for a second season?

Based on a British series of the same name, Mistresses revolves around the lives of four female friends and their complex relationships. The show features the talents of Alyssa Milano, Rochelle Aytes, Yunjin Kim, Jes Macallan, Jason George, Brett Tucker, and Erik Stocklin.

Mistresses debuted to a 1.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 4.40 million total viewers. Even for a summer series, those numbers are soft and unimpressive.

In week two, the ratings actually rose in the all-important demo — to a 1.4 rating — but fell slightly in viewers. Could this be a sign of some positive word of mouth? If that’s what caused the boost, the additional interest was short-lived.

In week three, Mistresses fell back to a 1.2 in the demo and 3.76 million and last week’s dropped again, to a 1.1 in the demo with 3.57 million.

This is despite the fact that Mistresses’ lead-in — The Bachelorette — has been showing signs of growth. Last weeks’ episode of the reality series hit a season high while Mistresses hit a new low.

Unless Mistresses starts rising in the ratings, it’s almost certain that the series won’t be back for a second season. ABC can get the same or better ratings from showing reruns, reality shows, or Canadian imports like Rookie Blue.

So, what do you think? Do you like Mistresses? Do you think it should be renewed for a second season or cancelled instead? What would you do to attract better ratings?