Read it and weep, Bob
Labor Day brought “Dallas” a boost in the ratings, albeit a small one.
The TNT drama’s latest episode, “Hurt,” debuted to 1.93 million viewers on September 1, according to Nielsen data. The audience included an estimated 509,000 viewers between ages 18 and 49, a group many advertisers target.
Although viewing levels tend to dip on holidays, “Hurt’s” overall audience was up about 5 percent from August 25, when “Dallas’s” previous segment, “Dead Reckoning,” debuted to 1.84 million viewers opposite NBC’s Primetime Emmys coverage. However, among 18-to-49-year-old viewers, the “Hurt” audience dropped roughly 9 percent compared to “Dead Reckoning.”
“Dallas” is now averaging approximately 1.97 million viewers on Monday nights. Like all shows, the series gets a bump when you count DVR users who record the episodes and watch them later, although TNT hasn’t reported “Dallas’s” latest DVR-boosted numbers.
“Dallas” continues to be overshadowed by other series in TNT’s summer lineup, including “Rizzoli & Isles,” which scored 5.2 million viewers with the August 26 telecast of its season finale. However, “Dallas” is not TNT’s lowest-rated show. “Dallas’s” most recent episodes performed better than the August 27 segments of “Legends” (1.76 million viewers) and “Franklin & Bash” (1.29 million viewers).
TNT hasn’t announced if “Dallas” will return for a fourth year. The network — which lost its programming chief last week when Michael Wright left amid an ongoing management shakeup — is expected to wait and see how “Dallas” performs during its summer run before deciding whether to renew it.
What do you think of “Dallas’s” latest ratings? Share your comments below and read more news from Dallas Decoder.
Dallas Decoder 
There is so much garbage on TV right now. I can’t believe more people don’t watch Dallas. Yes, it’s a coap, but if I see one more cop or reality show, I’m going to get sick.
I agree, Donna. I don’t like reality shows or cop dramas. All of those shows are watered down so much that people don’t care anymore. It becomes the same thing over and over. I still can’t believe either that viewers are not watching Dallas. Last Monday’s “Hurt” episode was by far the best this season.
i thought Hurt was an exceptional episode and certainly one of the best of the new series. it was an emotion-packed rollercoaster ride from start to finish. the second half of season 3 has been awesome.there are still some storylines that i think are distracting but theres been a more trained focus on the families and thats really what works. i could do without the Ramos family including Nicholas but maybe theyll be gone in season 4 . i know TNT wants to bring in a younger audience and they can with the right storylines…. look at Mad Men, its a soap that concentrates on business, family and relationships;it does very well among all age-groups of viewers. if the powers that be were to re-center the show on the Ewings/Barnes and Rylands,bring in a couple of younger Ewings,drop the crisis per episode routine and build a story arc that makes sense- i.e no drug cartel – i believe Dallas could bring in the numbers that TNT wants. also move the show to Friday 🙂
Who wants to watch the most annoying characters… The Ramos Family? No one! Viewers are not interested in Elena the slut and Carmen the ungrateful sad sack. It’s time to get rid of these dead-weight characters and stop the threesome and brothel stories. Get someone who knows how to properly write and cast the show with new talent and return to the rich legacy of the Ewings and other classic characters. The show needs some consistency and stability, and unfortunately, the only things consistent are the bad writing, bad casting, and overall uneven tone.
I agree. I can do without The Ramos family. The Ewings have been too nice to them. If they wanted to give the Ewings an enemy to fight, they could have done better.
I’m with John. I lived for this show when I heard it was coming back on but last seasons finale with the threesome……turned me off to Dallas. If I wanted to see porn, I would just buy it. NO for me and Dallas….disgusted
A small increase in ratings figures to be a good sign if shows typically under-perform on holidays. It’s hard to imagine the numbers ever getting a substantial boost at this point. I have healthy optimism Season 4 will happen, but that could be it.
I see the dvr settings that rack up the ratings as a good sign, also with other TNT shows much lower than dallas I believe there will be another season I am rooting for season 4 however depending on the direction the show takes I would be surprise for a season 5 but you never know Dallas is a great show in today’s time unlike all the negative reports out there people still overlook what Dallas is doing right, the suspense the plot twist and the fact it is a really decent drama that we have not had in years I for one hope to see Dallas stick around for years to come, way to go Dallas going up a smidge in ratings, I hope that is a great sign
Dallas fans are watching even if it’s on DVR. I am one of them. I get my son to record it on Monday for me cause I can’t afford cable. So during the week when I get a chance I go watch it. I can’t be without my dallas. I still watch the old dallas show’s. LOVE MY DALLAS. It’s a must for me…
Why don’t you get Andy to make u a “Jock” with J.R. Ewing Bourbon IInite & then the 2 of u can watch that glorious episode all over again!
Beautiful comment, Donna, and you’re so right. I swear that TNT alone must have 4 or 5 cop dramas themselves and I hear they plan to start another. I’m stunned that Dallas’ s ratings are not higher, not just because I love “Dallas”, but because it’s getting very good now. I watch many shows, and the only show I watch that’s better is probably Sons of Anarchy, maybe Boardwalk Empire. However, I truly believe that TNT has hurt this show very badly by moving it away from viewers, watching the ratings fall, and then doing absolutely nothing to help it. Just like scheduling it’s season finale this year against the SEASON PREMIERE of “The Voice”, “Sleepy Hollow” and Lord knows what else. If It weren’t for the renewals, I would believe, and have wondered if TNT isn’t purposely sabotaging the show. It Sucks that we have a hard time every year just enjoying the show because we’re always on the edge of our seat wondering about a renewal.
This was the episode I had been longing for as nothing beats a showdown at Southfork. Pity we then had to leave this scene and drift off to that stupid Mexican cartel story line. Two things that were central to the original series, Ewing Oil and Southfork and how the central characters were woven around them. It made for “must watch TV” in its day so I just wish the “new team” of writers understood the rich history they had in their hands. Perhaps we should blame TNT for not allowing a full season to be produced. 10 or 15 episodes is not enough for writers to give characters depth as everything appears to be rushed. I don’t hold out much hope for another season.
Maybe if TNT would advertise the correct time, it may help. Here it is said to come on at 9P.M. when it actually comes on at 6P.M. and then again at 8P.M.