Last season, Person of Interest moved to Tuesday nights and lost Taraji P. Henson. The show also lost a lot in the ratings. Will the numbers continue to fall or will they rise with a new lead-in? Is it essentially guaranteed to be renewed for a fifth season by CBS (because of syndication) or, could it be cancelled? Stay tuned.
On Person of Interest, a presumed dead former-CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) and a mysterious billionaire (Michael Emerson) work together to prevent violent crimes in New York City. The rest of the cast includes Kevin Chapman, Sarah Shahi, and Amy Acker.
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.
5/11 update: Person of Interest has been renewed for a fifth season on CBS. Will it be the end?
Final season averages: 1.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.42 million total viewers.
Note: If you’re not seeing the updated chart, please try reloading the page or view it here.
Due to a Nielsen glitch, some of the early ratings of the 2014-15 season were revised a few weeks later.
For comparisons: The third season of Person of Interest averaged a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 11.83 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 Person of Interest TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or be renewed for a fifth season?
This is simply the best show on air. Yes, I disliked Carter leaving and I am not to happy about Shaw either but that doesn’t change a thing about the flair, the potential and the great actors the show has. We will be watching as long as this show is on air. How often can you really watch the same thing like NCIS over and over again? Because there each storyline has been the same old old for a long time. The first two seasons of POI are on netflix, going to watch them again. There is a big market… Read more »
Person of Interest is fortunate to have you as a supporter and a viewer.
Is it necessary to criticize NCIS in you comments? According to the ratings and viewership data for that drama, a lot more people appreciate it more than Person of Interest, and have done so for many years…….in answer to your question regarding watching the same thing over and over again………
The big market for Person of Interest seems more like a “trendy boutique” that may have a bargain sale if it is not careful.
It’s a no-brainer that Carter’s death is a big reason why the show is now in decline. The moment they born the idea of killing her off is when all the changes went into effect. Those changes is the genesis of when the boat started taking on water. Some parts of the audience didn’t like the changes then nor do they like them now. For whatever reason; some viewers don’t want to admit that. Carter’s death is akin to removing Scully from the “X-Files” or Uhura from “Star Trek”. It’s a HUGE deal for character dynamics and story direction. The… Read more »
So very sad the way this has all turned out for a show that once showed such GREAT promise, even for those who might not agree. Say what-so-ever you will, but besides Caviezel and Emerson, Taraji really did”help” to put this show on the map, and for those who say I’m lying, reaching, or even stretching things check out the spike in the ratings as her character was shown more and more? Although, the character of Carter was there at the beginning, it wasn’t until the’Executive’ at CBS spoke up which gave Taraji’s character even More face time, and thus… Read more »
Sorry, I meant for a 5th season. It’s just way too much shoot-em up for me, with very little substance (especially with the”message” that Finch just delivered, which sounded like the show ‘s Creator might have been giving to the’deserters’ of the show?).
Rather than killing them ALL in the long run, why not bring in Carter’s son to join Reese and Finch as a final tribute to the character? I’d buy that any day of the week.
please get back to the show in the beginning liked it better
It was intelligent when Carter was on. Now it is just another kick and shoot show. Female
Assassins can’t replace a thoughtful detective.
@ Carole I agree. @ Eva The ratings are a clear indication of how masses of viewers feel about Person of Interest, for whatever reasons. Clearly, not as many people watch the show now as they did in previous seasons. Numbers matter and are indisputable evidence of a product neither well received nor desired. Any arguments presented to the contrary cannot refute statistical data. Even if you love Person of Interest more than any other program, and even if you are totally mortified and mystified by the fact anyone may disagree with your opinion about the show, reality is undeniable.… Read more »
EMPIRE Strikes Back.
Person of Interest lost a really important cast member and asset when it dismissed Taraji P. Henson, and has never recovered from this critical mistake in judgement. The loss CBS suffered is now Fox TV’s gain.
Looking forward to Empire getting its ratings page, then hopefully Henson’s fans will be able to gather there and comment on something they enjoy instead of dramatically denouncing here a show that others enjoy.
That won’t happen Eva, because not every fan who dislike the actual POI is a Carter fan.
Shocking news, right?
@ Eva Even if Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson) had never been a Person of Interest cast member, the direction the drama and the muddled sci-fi story lines would disappoint me, as they do now. The entire concept of the show morphed into something distasteful that, in no way, maximizes the talents of the actors. It no longer commands my ongoing investment, no matter how hard I try to remain on the bandwagon. Simply put…….Person of Interest was a show I enjoyed very much…….until it became unlikable and unwatchable. My opinion will not change and I will continue to express… Read more »
@ Mitch That has been also my impression that while there are some people who don’t hesitate to diagnose Carter’s leaving as the reason for the dip in the viewership, perhaps more people of those who didn’t stay with the show (or stayed but are disappointed with the changes) share your opinion and then some. I watched and enjoyed from the beginning, but for me the show is now better than ever, the main story is more fascinating, the characters’ interaction more organic. I haven’t felt this invested in a show since I was a kid. But I’m sorry you… Read more »
@ I’m so tired of people like you…
You are preaching to the choir here.
I absolutely agree that considering the changes (the change in format, the change in arcs etc) Carter’s departure had the smallest impact on the viewing figures. But enough people on this thread have quoted that as their reason for quitting the show that it can be considered one (albeit a small) factor.
Go ahead. Make my day.
Cancel Person of Interest.
If the show gets cancelled it will be well deserved. I just hope before it ends, I’ll get to see Root and Shaw bite it. Two of the worst characters to be added to anything. The Samaritan storyline blows.
I agree that the loss of Carter was huge and yet the episode was gripping.
There have been enough good episodes this season to keep me watching
especially as new dimensions to Finch’s character unfold.
I hope it is brought back next season, although the clips I just saw lead me to believe otherwise.
All the good wishes, hopes dreams and kudos in the world may not resurrect the popularity of a show that was once “the talk of the town”. The decline in renown Person of Interest has experienced is a textbook example of how a television drama can loses its audience faster than raindrops fall from the sky. In this age of unbridled social media and sensitivity to literary expression, Person of Interest show runners grossly underestimated the reactions to the changes in the direction of the program and the casting flux most notably brought to light by the dismissal of Taraji… Read more »
I wouldn’t like for PoI to be cancelled, its quite a good show and one of the best out there.
I’m just grasping for straws here but I hope I get to see a Season 5-6-7 of it. And end it at the lucky number.
Person of Interest is one of the best shows ever, if it were up to me I’d have it run forever!
I keep reading that ratings just do not matter and I do not agree. Are ratings not a significant measurement to indicate demographics and numbers, with regard to overall viewership of television programming? Other confusing arguments state the quality of a show matters more than anything else and only smart people can enjoy certain dramas. I appreciate the information the above chart and the others presented by TV Series Finale provide, and consider it important, relevant and factual. How else would I know I am not the only former fan who remains deeply disappointed in Person of Interest and has… Read more »
John Reese/Riley = Boring
Harold Finch = A whiner
Lionel Fusco = A clown for the poor jokes….
Root = was lately forced to wear a Bear Costume….(poor AA)
Shaw = sadly is still alive
Dominic = a villain you can’t take serious
Iris = annoying and terrible character….
Martine = Poor copy of K. Loken (T3)…
Captain Moreno = hopefully never returns…
and then there is Nolan’s uncle Greer who seems to never die….ugh!!!
I agree with you about Shaw. I stopped watching soon after she arrived..
This show no longer has a clear direction. It’s trying to take us on a journey, but the show-runners nor the writers are very good guides. Good writers and show-runners are able to take their audience in difficult and exciting new directions without losing such a big chunk of the audience.
hasn’t one of the show runners moved on to develop westworld for HBO?
Yes. J. Nolan. “Westworld” is a remake. A story of artificial intelligence. I’ll be passing because I don’t trust his storytelling (or decision making) even when it based on an existing model.