TNT has renewed three summer dramas: The Last Ship, Major Crimes and Falling Skies.
The Turner-owned cable network has greenlighted a fifth and final season for Falling Skies, the sci-fi epic executive produced by Steven Spielberg and toplined by Noah Wyle, with an order of 10 episodes.
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The Last Ship has earned a larger 13-episode sophomore season for Michael Bay's hourlong drama, up from its current 10-episode freshman season. The Closer spinoff Major Crimes, meanwhile, will receive a 15-episode order for its fourth season.
All three scripted series rank among basic cable's top five shows of the summer among total viewers and the older adults 25-54 demographic and have helped propel TNT to become the No. 1 cable network this summer in primetime.
"TNT's refreshed and recharged drama brand is soaring this summer, and that is due in large part to these three enormously popular dramas," said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "The Last Ship has become this summer's top drama among key adult demos with its epic scale and visceral storytelling. Major Crimes continues to be one of the most enduring and popular crime-drama franchises on television. And Falling Skies has begun an ambitious and thrilling story arc this summer as it sets the stage for next year's climactic final season."
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The Last Ship has averaged more than 7.2 million viewers in live-plus-seven in its rookie run and is the top cable summer scripted series among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 and 25-54. It is also cable's top new offering this year so far among viewers and adults 25-54.
Major Crimes continues to maintain a strong hold on its audience, averaging 7 million viewers in live-plus-seven for season three. The series starring Mary McDonnell averages 2.5 million among adults 25-54 and 2.1 million among 18-49.
For TNT's part, the renewals come as the network readies to roll out freshman drama Legend with Sean Bean (Aug. 13) and the returns of Franklin & Bash (Aug. 13) and soap Dallas (Aug. 18).
