Cable series open, close

-Fifth- season news. True Blood, HBO’s most popular series, returned Sunday with 5.2 million viewers, down slightly from last summer’s start, while the season finale of Veep, which followed, sunk to 1.1 million. And AMC’s sendoff for Mad Men drew 2.7 million viewers Sunday, capping its most-watched season but down from 3.5 million for March’s opener.

-Hoops. The decisive Game 7 of the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals gave ESPN 13.3 million viewers Saturday, marking the week’s top program on network or cable.

-Reality openers. Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen (5.5 million Monday) was down a bit from last summer’s opener, while MasterChef (5.1 million) was flat, though both were stronger among younger viewers. Thursday’s new dating series Take Me Out (3.3 million) and The Choice (4.4 million) were less of a draw. Tuesday, NBC’s Love in the Wild sunk to 4.8 million, down from last year’s 6.5 million start, but Monday’s third episode of American Ninja Warrior climbed to a best-yet 6.8 million.

-Less rewarding. CBS’ Tony Awards (6 million viewers Sunday) marked its lowest turnout since 2007, down 13% from last year. CMT Music Awards (2.9 million Wednesday) matched its 2011 take. And ABC’s Concert for the Queen, for Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, drew 6.8 million Tuesday.

-Cable starts. TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles (5.6 million viewers) and Franklin & Bash (3.1 million); ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars (2.9 million); and Oxygen’s Glee Project (389,000, all Tuesday); USA’s Royal Pains (4 million) and Necessary Roughness (3 million, both Wednesday); Bravo’s Real Housewives of New York and the time-slot opener of MTV’s Teen Wolf (1.7 million apiece on Monday).