Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ratings: Mighty S.H.I.E.L.D. Is TV's Best Drama Debut in 4 Years



One of this fall TV season’s most burning questions — “How will Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere?” — has been answered.

ABC’s follow-up to the Marvel movies by way of Joss Whedon on Tuesday night opened to 11.9 million total viewers while scoring a 4.6 rating in the coveted 18-49 demo — aka this fall’s highest-rated drama debut to date, if not the most watched. UPDATE: It also stands as all of TV’s best drama launch in four years (since ABC’s own V).
In the demo, S.H.I.E.L.D. trounced NBC’s The Blacklist (12.6 mil/3.8), Fox’s Sleepy Hollow (10.1 mil/3.5) and CBS’ Hostages (7.4 mil/1.8).

For comparison’s sake, the first half of Dancing With the Stars‘ results show a year ago did 10.1 mil/1.7 for ABC in the 8 o’clock hour, while the Alphabet net’s last Tuesdays-at-8 drama debut (No Ordinary Family) drew 10.7 mil and a 3.2.

ABC’s strongest previous drama launch was Once Upon a Time‘s 13 mil/4.0 circa 2011.

Facing off against SHIELD, CBS’ NCIS returned to 19.4 mil and a 3.4, down 5 and 17 percent from its previous premiere but drawing more viewers than its Season 10 finale (18.8 ml/3.4).

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