Despite mediocre ratings, The Good Wife has avoided being cancelled for quite awhile. Is this the year that CBS stops renewing this award-winning drama? We’ll have to wait and see.
The fourth season of The Good Wife typically airs Sunday nights on the CBS network. The cast includes Julianna Margulies, Christine Baranski, Josh Charles, Archie Panjabi, Matt Czuchry, and Alan Cumming.
Below are the TV show’s ratings for the 2012-13 season, the best way to tell if The Good Wife is going to be cancelled or renewed for season five.
These figures will be updated as the weeks progress so be sure to bookmark and return to this page:
Final season averages: 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.41 million total viewers.
Episode 04-22: Sunday, 04/28/13 (season finale)
1.6 in the demo (+7% change) with 9.13 million (+1% change).
Season averages: 1.65 in the demo with 9.41 million.
Episode 04-21: Sunday, 04/21/13
1.5 in the demo (-12% change) with 9.02 million (-11% change).
Season averages: 1.66 in the demo with 9.42 million.
Episode 04-20: Sunday, 04/14/13
1.7 in the demo (+13% change) with 10.14 million (+18% change).
Season averages: 1.66 in the demo with 9.44 million.
Episode 04-19: Sunday, 03/31/13
1.5 in the demo (-12% change) with 8.59 million (-10% change).
Season averages: 1.66 in the demo with 9.40 million.
UPDATE: The Good Wife has been renewed for a fifth season by CBS.
Episode 04-18: Sunday, 03/24/13
1.7 in the demo (+13% change) with 9.59 million (+6% change).
Season averages: 1.67 in the demo with 9.45 million.
Episode 04-17: Sunday, 03/17/13
1.5 in the demo (0% change) with 9.08 million (-1% change).
Season averages: 1.67 in the demo with 9.44 million.
Episode 04-16: Sunday, 03/10/13
1.5 in the demo (-6% change) with 9.21 million (+2% change).
Season averages: 1.68 in the demo with 9.46 million.
Episode 04-15: Sunday, 03/03/13
1.6 in the demo (+23% change) with 8.99 million (+8% change).
Season averages: 1.69 in the demo with 9.48 million.
Episode 04-14: Sunday, 02/17/13
1.3 in the demo (-13% change) with 8.35 million (-11% change).
Season averages: 1.70 in the demo with 9.52 million.
Episode 04-13: Sunday, 01/27/13
1.5 in the demo (-21% change) with 9.35 million (-7% change).
Season averages: 1.73 in the demo with 9.62 million.
Episode 04-12: Sunday, 01/13/13
1.9 in the demo (+6% change) with 10.04 million (+1% change).
Season averages: 1.75 in the demo with 9.64 million.
Episode 04-11: Sunday, 01/06/13
1.8 in the demo (0% change) with 9.96 million (+3% change).
Season averages: 1.74 in the demo with 9.60 million.
Episode 04-10: Sunday, 12/02/12
1.8 in the demo (+13% change) with 9.70 million (+3% change).
Season averages: 1.73 in the demo with 9.56 million.
Episode 04-09: Sunday, 11/25/12
1.6 in the demo (-6% change) with 9.45 million (+5% change).
Season averages: 1.73 in the demo with 9.54 million.
Episode 04-08: Sunday, 11/18/12
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 9.94 million (+10% change).
Season averages: 1.74 in the demo with 9.56 million.
Episode 04-07: Sunday, 11/11/12
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 9.02 million (-9% change).
Season averages: 1.75 in the demo with 9.49 million.
Episode 04-06: Sunday, 11/04/12
1.7 in the demo (-11% change) with 9.93 million (-1% change).
Season averages: 1.76 in the demo with 9.59 million.
Episode 04-05: Sunday, 10/28/12
1.9 in the demo (+12% change) with 10.02 million (+10% change).
Season averages: 1.77 in the demo with 9.51 million.
Episode 04-04: Sunday, 10/21/12
1.9 in the demo (+12% change) with 10.02 million (+10% change).
Season averages: 1.77 in the demo with 9.50 million.
Episode 04-03: Sunday, 10/14/12
1.7 in the demo (0% change) with 9.12 million (+2% change).
Season averages: 1.73 in the demo with 9.33 million.
Episode 04-02: Sunday, 10/07/12
1.7 in the demo (-6% change) with 8.95 million (-10% change).
Season averages: 1.75 in the demo with 9.44 million.
Episode 04-01: Sunday, 09/30/12
1.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 9.93 million total viewers.
Season averages: 1.80 in the demo with 9.93 million.
Compared to the third season premiere, this debut was down by 18% in the demo (vs a 2.2 rating) and down by 7% in viewers (vs 10.66 million).
Reference point: The 2011-12 season averaged a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.22 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 Good Wife TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for a fifth season?
The Good Wife is a brilliant drama. The actors are great and the show delivers great viewing, well written storylines. I have watched it from the start and it would be a shame if they stopped it. Im fed up of freat tv being cancelled due to so called declining viewing numbers. The idiots who decide when to screen it should re think and arrange to not air it at the same time as other popular shows.
In my opinion they should hold 60 minutes until after football season that way their programing would be on time. If need be they could air a repeat or a round up show to fill time if need be until 7, but I would say they would rarely need it.
I adore the show but it conflicts with Downton Abbey and since I know I can watch this show via the web if I miss it, I watch Downton instead. Why did you ever change the program to Sunday it’s never been a smooth ride? It interferes with sports. Change the day and you will gain more viewers.
The good wife is one of the best shows on. Sunday nights have been a pain because of the show not coming on at the correct time. It’s been a hassle to record on the DVR because the amazing race goes into the beginning of the show.
This show should continue, it’s just addicting and is soooo just in the beginning of what they can do with it!
Why did those ‘smart’ suits move this show from its orriginal time slot to sunday night….. If they were smart they would move the good wife back to its original time slot. It is a wonderfull production and should be salvaged. The air waves are too full if idiotic reality shows, dumb sitcoms and unrealistic music shows like x factor, the voice and that pathetic american idol. Come on CBS,show some common sense for a change.
bob you are exactly right move it to tues. it is a nobrainer.d
I’m so aggravated that for twenty years CBS has been letting football rule their entire prime time Sunday! If football goes over, skip the after show! I love The Good Wife, and not only does it start soooo late, sometimes they skip right over it and go to The Mentalist. I don’t have a DVR. I flick between channels, can’t stand reality shows, so refuse to watch Amazing Race. Finding myself having to leave it on and mute it, lately, till Good Wife comes on. At least now, they are telling us the exact time the next show begins. How… Read more »
I love both this one and the mentalist. They should program them to start at the time the schedule says it will. They are sabotaging their best shows in favor of some junk. People don’t watch if they tune in the the show is already half over. CBS needs to make a change in the personel that set up their schedule times and not blame the ratings on these shows! They are great shows!
I agree with d.m. It amazes me how many times I don’t get to watch The Good Wife because the previous show goes over!!! It is no wonder it has poor ratings. This show almost ALWAYS runs as much as an hour later due to sports. If you really want to see “true” numbers, start the show on time and show “The Amazing Race” or whatever is scheduled before it at 2 a.m. I also have the same problem with The Mentalist. Come on give the shows a chance!!
This is my favorite show. I have watched from the beginning. It started a little slow but has developed into a terrific show. I look forward to seeing more.
THIS IS ALSO A SHOW I TRULY LOVE. I MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE UP ON T.V. AND READ MORE OR RENT MOVIES, AT LEAST THERE ARE ENDINGS. IT’S GETTING VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN THESE T.V. SHOWS COME ON AND YOU GET TO LIKE THEM AND THEN THEY ARE GONE. YOU PEOPLE MAKE IT HARD ON VIEWERS WHEN YOU MOVE THINGS CONSTANTLY AND STOP TO SHOW SOMETHING ELSE FOR A WEEK OR TWO,AND EXPECT US THE VIEWERS TO KEEP UP WITH YOU. I FOR ONE , AM GETTING TIRED OF IT. SHOWS RUN OVER SO IF YOU ARE USING YOUR DVR DESIGNED… Read more »
I love the Good Wife but i am not pleased with Kalinda’s husband it’s time for him to moved on. It’s also time to move back to floor 27.
I absolutely love this show and have from the beginning. I do feel as though they are a bit off track with this weird husband track with Kalinda and wish they would go back to more with Alicia/Peter family stuff and basically more about Alicia and her personal struggles instead of Peter’s mother, the firm going under and such. It has lost a bit of its glam factor.
I still like this show. I think changing the day to Sunday was a big mistake. Many people are not willing to work with the constant change time. I followed all of the instructions and still could not tape the whole show. I have a DVR from Tine Warner and can not make the changes to tape it. Some people go to bed early on Sunday night because they have to go to school or work.
It’s because of the football games try rec it a hour more
I agree. CBS should stop running football after 7pm, or just run reality junk (which we NEVER watch) from football until 11pm.
That is the best idea yet.Football is a reality program (sort of) so, why not show only reality programs on Sunday nights.
Too many good programs are lost because of these games CBS is playing.
What the hell has happened to this show? From the sexy Julianne Margulies ads to Kalinda being the most confusing character on television, the series is just a mess. If they just focused on the court cases and the inner workings of the firm the show, even if it’s eventually canceled, would have much more integrity.
The show has lost it’s sense of drama and reality and become a shallow soap opera.