Wednesday’s explosive season finale brought in a total of 2.9 million viewers, a new winter season high since moving to Wednesdays, and a 20% increase over the previous season high. The episode also hit a season high in key demographics, bringing in 0.3 million viewers 18-49, and won the night as the most-watched scripted cable show of the night.

Last week’s penultimate episode of the season also took in its own first, winning the week as the week as the most-watched scripted cable show for the first time this winter season.

In time-delayed ratings, episode 319 finished its run with 4.66 million viewers in Live + 7 day, almost fully doubling from its Live + SD delivery, and rising over 5% from the prior episode. Greater gains were seen in key demographics, where the episode rose 100% to 0.6 million viewers 18-49.

Episode 319 also came in as the second-most watched cable series of the week, coming in only behind The Walking Dead.

Major Crimes returns for Season 6 this fall on TNT.

As Major Crimes swings into its season finale next week, the ratings for this winter season continue to grown sharply in time-delayed viewing.

Episode 318 finished its run in Live + 7 day by almost doubling its viewers, rising 90% from Live + Same Day to 4.5 million total viewers.

In the key demographics, the episode saw even more Major gains, fully tripling its viewership to 0.6 million viewers 18-49, and tying for the top spot as the largest percentage gain of the week in key demos.

Preliminary numbers for last week’s episode show that it rose in Live + Same Day over the prior week, and finished as the third most-watched scripted cable show of the week, behind The Walking Dead and it’s lead-out, Into the Badlands.

Last night’s explosive beginning to the season finale rose slightly over the prior week, bringing in 2.4 million total viewers, and 0.3 million 18-49, and won the night as the most-watched scripted cable program of the night.

The season finale of Major Crimes airs next Wednesday at 9pm/8c on TNT

This Wednesday’s episode saw moderate gains over the previous week, rising 10% to 2.4 million total viewers, and 0.3 million viewers 18-49, winning the night for the 4th consecutive week as the most-watched scripted cable offering.

Episode 517 additionally performed strongly throughout last week, and finished as the second-most watched scripted cable show of the week, behind only AMC juggernaut The Walking Dead.

In time delayed ratings, Major Crimes has continued to show impressive increases. Episode 516 grew 90% over Live + Same Day, finishing its run with 4.7 million total viewers in Live + 7 day ratings, and an increase of 12% over the L+7 ratings for the winter premiere. Greater gains were seen in key demos, where the episode fully doubled to 0.6 million viewers 18-59. The episode also won the week as the second most watched cable offering in both L+3 and L+7, again behind only The Walking Dead.

Major Crimes is all-new next Wednesday at 9pm/8c on TNT

With a perfect storm of February sweeps, a new time slot, and a move to Wednesday nights (the first time the show has not aired on Monday since its premiere), there was concern that Major Crimes might get lost among the greater TV landscape. Thankfully, the fans have followed Major Crimes to the new time-slot, and despite a rocky start, the ratings have continued to rise each week, and if the trend continues, will be on-part with the series performance last winter in its normal time slot in within the next two weeks as viewers continue to find the show in on its new night.

Last night’s episode brought in 2.5 million viewers, a 38% increase from the winter premiere, and almost 10% week to week from episode 2. Key demographics also rose more than 30% from the premiere, coming in this week at 0.3 million viewers 18.49. Last night’s episode also won the night as the most-watched scripted cable program.

In time-delayed ratings, Major Crimes saw even greater growth, as fans who may have missed it on the new day and time are finding it on DVR playback. The winter premiere almost doubled its viewership in Live + 3 day, growing 94% over its live + same day viewership.

UPDATED 4:45PM PST: In L+ 7, even larger gains were seen, with the winter premiere episode finishing with 4.2 million total viewers, up 120% over Live + SD. Even greater increases were seen in key demos, which added increased 150% over Live + SD to 0.5 million viewers 18-49.

Major Crimes continues to be extremely strong against the rest of the cable landscape at large, coming in as the second-most watched scripted cable series of the week in Live + Same Day, L+3 and L+ 7 day, behind only AMC ratings powerhouse The Walking Dead.

Major Crimes is all new this Wednesday at 9p/8c on TNT.

As has been the case throughout this summer season, Major Crimes continues to perform very strongly in time-delayed ratings. Episode 511 (the first part of the summer finale) added over 2.39 million viewers in Live + 3 day viewers, growing to 6.45 million viewers. That earned it the #1 spot for the greatest gains (+56%) in total viewers of all cable programs for the week, including the series finale of Rizzoli & Isles (+36%). Greater gains were seen in key demographics, where the episode doubled in L3 to 0.8 million viewers 18-49, an increase of 80% over Live + Same Day.

As we first noted yesterday, since moving to the 10PM timeslot this season for the first time, Major Crimes has vastly performed all nine TNT scripted series which have previously held a 10pm time slot since 2012. Major Crimes season 5 average of 0.45 million viewers 18-49 in Live + Same Day is currently performing over 41% better than the final season average any of the other series TNT has had at 10pm in the last four years. In total viewers, Major Crimes is performing 131% better (1.61 TNT 10pm series average; Major Crimes: 3.72 million) than the average of all other TNT series in the 10pm slot since its inception, including Proof, King and Maxwell, Falling Skies Legends, Monday Mornings, Perception, Public Morals, Transporter, and Franklin & Bash, all series which have since been cancelled.

Compared to TNT’s only other 10pm show this season, Murder in the First, Major Crimes performance is even more impressive, with growth of 95% in key demographics (MITF: 0.23 million, MC: 0.45 million) over Murder in the First’s viewership. In total viewers, Major Crimes easily more than doubles its viewers over Murder in the First, growing 171% with an average of 3.7 million viewers over Murder in the First‘s 1.37 million.

As this summer season comes to a close, we ask TNT to please renew Major Crimes for season 6. We also ask fellow fans to help us by sharing our Open Letter to TNT President Kevin Reilly Regarding the Season 6 Renewal of Major Crimes, tweeting them @TNTDrama, visiting them on Facebook, and for more information on how to make your voice heard, click here.