Cable’s hot summer continues. Ratings are in for Showtime’s Monday debut of “Californication” and third-season return of “Weeds,” and they’re better than ever.
Mary Louise Parker’s acclaimed “Weeds” drew 824,000 viewers -- its biggest audience ever -- and David Duchovny’s very-adult comedy “Californication” held onto 550,000 of them, way more than “Weeds” own 2005 series premiere did.
MTV was hot, too, with Monday night's third season double-dose return of “The Hills” beating every other broadcast and cable network among viewers 12-34, scoring as MTV’s highest-rated telecast so far this year.
Less happy these days is HBO, which announced it’s canceling “John From Cincinnati,” the cosmic surf-clan saga from David Milch. Guess he can go back to those promised “Deadwood” movies now.
Other cable series debuting this summer to critical raves and solid ratings include Lifetime’s hit “Army Wives,” USA’s “Burn Notice,” AMC’s “Mad Men,” FX’ “Damages” and TNT’s “Saving Grace.”
[Above: "Weeds" photo by Cliff Lipson/Showtime.]