via press release:
USA's Burn Notice DELIVERS RECORD ON THURSDAY NIGHT
USA's Newest Hit Royal Pains Grows by Double Digits
NEW YORK, NEW YORK July 17, 2009 USA's dynamic hit series Burn Notice delivered series highs last night in P25-54 (3.1 million) and total viewers (6.7 million); the series also delivered double digit growth in each demo vs the previous week (up +25% in P25-54 and +21% total viewers). The show also delivered an increase in P18-49 (up +17%), #2 of all time at 2.6 million. Burn Notice was the #1 scripted show on all of TV last night (both broadcast and cable) for P18-49 and P25-54, and #2 overall for both demos behind only So You Think You Can Dance.
USA's newest hit series Royal Pains also experience growth last night, jumping from last week's episode in P25-54 (2.9 million, up +12%), P18-49 (2.5 million, up +13%) and total viewers (6.2 million, up +9%). Royal Pains, which was #2 on cable behind only Burn Notice, beat all broadcast scripted shows last night among P18-49, P18-34,.
USA beat the #2 cable network TBS by 207% P25-54 and 126% P18-49.
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in 94 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
Both were strong episodes but its nice to see burn back on top, as it should be, I like Pains but its just not as good.
Burn Notice and Royal Pains are doing great and USA are showing why they are the to cable network and the jewel of NBC Universal.
They still have Monk, Psych and White Collar coming up and IPS and Law and Order:CI are doing good but not great business.
The cable nets are happy this week. Leverage and Dark Blue had strong premieres for TNT. Warehouse 13 kept most of it’s viewers from last week for Sci-fi. Now Burn Notice gets the highest ratings of the series for USA. AMC can’t get viewers, but they did get Emmy noms, so they can be happy too.
Good for both shows. I prefer Burn Notice to Royal Pains, though I do find the latter to be an interesdting take on the health-care system. While Burn Notice is escapist piece of comedic melodrama, albiet a well-acted one. Hopefully CI and IPS can get back up above 4 million viewers.
i finally saw an episode of royal pains last night for first time without using on demand
i forgot to watch burn notice but i watched warehouse 13 on and it was pretty good too
Royal Pains lost me after two episodes. Meanwhile, Burn Notice continues to rock hard.
Well they did a bit with a dog last night so it work out pretty good but Pains just doesn’t have a lasting premise, I’ll still keep watchin not like there is anything else on this summer.
I love burn notice, and royal pains. i also love warehouse 13 and eureka. I hope CI and IPS can stay on the air i really love those shows too.
Good for Burn Notice! I’ve given up on Royal Pains. I’ve decided it’s not that interesting.
Not that I wish ill on Royal Pains, but I just don’t understand what all the fuss was about. Burn Notice is such a better show and deserves the better ratings.
I like “Burn Notice” than “Royal Pains it kinda bore Me B N” takes the cake. I love ME some Michael Westen. pray for a 4 season keep oning strong usa network.
Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows. It appears USA has a winner in this series.
However; Royal Pains is dull and boring.
Do the right thing & keep Burn Notice – perhaps sinking more effort to promoting Burn Notice (although it is out there for all to see)
As a media buyer I’m glad to see the USA Network continue its’ consistent programming of fresh, new series and reaping the ratings rewards.
It’s easy for others to compare Burn Notice and Royal Pains since they’re on back-to-back but they couldn’t be more different. I’m a big fan of both but find Royal Pains to be the freshest and enjoyable update on the tired medical themes we’ve watched for so many years.
I love Royal pains and I’m glad to see it consistently doing well. I never cared for Burn notice. if I want a funny spy show I’ll watch Chuck or Get Smart reruns and If I want a serious spy show I’ll watch La Femme Nikita. I think Royal Pains has what it takes to be a lasting series. There are hundreds of diseases and fictional rich people to have them out there.
I don’t see how you can own a TV and not know about Burn Notice. I must say I just noticed the comment above ( La Femme Nikita reference caught my eye, ) and I think Chrisjozo summed up just the gut feeling I get about a show I honestly have never watched for more than five minutes : the ” edgy, quirky ” comedy spy or cop show genre to me is dull, taking the worst part of each genre, setting it on a beach locale,throwing in eye candy and plot twists risque for twelve year olds …well, I mean its LCD all the way, like Monk and Closer, and it works for them – but Billie Mayes worked well for hand soap and I would have never have ever wanted to drink a beer with him. “Hey!! Pal!! Wanna by a sobriety pill!!!!”
Burn Notice isn’t a “comedy spy show” like Get Smart. It’s not even a “dramedy” like Chuck. It’s a serious spy show with comedic touches involved in the characterization. You could perhaps call it a satire on spy shows. But it’s more serious than, say, the old “Flint” movies with James Coburn in the Sixties.
You could say it’s similar to Leverage because it involves a team running cons on the bad guys by breaking the law. So it’s more like a combo heist/spy movie than anything else. Essentially the espionage stuff is just there to give background to the main character and explain how he can pull off his cons, just like Nate Ford in Leverage is an ex-insurance investigation to explain how he pull off cons. Michael’s being “burned” is essentially the same device as Nate Ford’s son dying – the reason the character is acting “out of character”.
I predicted earlier in the year that Burn Notice would hit 10 million viewers (counting Live+7). With the mid-season finale coming up and the show consistently getting better week-to-week, they may hit that number sooner rather than later. You can’t find a better show on television right now — in terms of the writing, the acting and the action. Plus the guest stars this season have been top-notch, save for the little debacle with Moon Bloodgood’s character (who had so little to do in four episodes it was ridiculous). Still, I’d love to see Det. Paxson return somewhere in the final seven episodes this winter. I’d be a shame to have such an important asset go to waste. After all, Michael Westen just doesn’t make friends that easily…
this summer has been great on cable this year
I have to say…..I HATE these summer fluff cable shows. HATE them. The only one I’ve been able to stand, despite it’s silly formula, is LEVERAGE. It actually entertains me. The others? From THE CLOSER, to BURN NOTICE, to ROYAL PAINS, to DARK BLUE, to PSYCH, to IN PLAIN SIGHT……ugh, ugh, ugh. I WISH I could have the time back spent on trying to watch all of the above. They suck beyond reason, and would be utter failures on broadcast TV during the regular TV season.
My suggestion for those enthralled by such mediocrity?
Read a book, instead.
^I’m currently reading 4 books and listening to a fifth….can I enjoy the shows now?