we posted the results earlier, but here's the official release from FX:
SONS REVS UP HUGE RATINGS
Second Season Premiere of FX's Original Drama Series Sons Of Anarchy Scores 4.29 Million Total Viewers and 3.03 Million Adults 18-49
The +95% Increase in Adults 18-49 vs. Season One Premiere Is the Largest Year-Over-Year Increase of Any FX Original Series
1.97 Million Men 18-49 Makes Sons Of Anarchy #1 Telecast Of Any Basic Cable Series in 2009
3.03 Million Adults 18-49 Makes Sons Of Anarchy Most-Watched Scripted Series Telecast in 2009
#1 Episode Ever on FX in Delivery of Men 19-49
LOS ANGELES, September 9, 2009 Sons Of Anarchy returned with a vengeance Tuesday night, as the second season premiere episode of FX's critically acclaimed hit drama series stormed out of the gate with all-time series' high ratings across the board.
The season two premiere (9/8/09, 10 PM ET/PT) scored 4.29 million total viewers and 3.03 million Adults 18-49. Its delivery of 1.97 million Men 18-49 is the most ever for a single telecast of an FX series, and it was also the most of any basic cable series in 2009.
This marks a +95% increase in Adults 18-49 against the season one premiere episode (3.03 million vs. 1.55 million, 9/2/08), the largest increase of any FX original series from a first to a second season. Nip/Tuck posted a +33% in its second season.
Based on Live+Same Day comparison, last night's premiere registered +94% increases among total viewers over the season one average (2.21 million). Based on Live+Same Day comparison, last night's premiere registered +107% increases among Adults 18-49 over the season one average (1.46 million).
On a time-shifted viewing comparison (Live+Seven ratings vs. Live+Same Day) ratings, in season one Sons gained an average of 18% in Total Viewers (2.61 million vs. 2.21 million), and gained an average of 20% among Adults 18-49 (1.75 million vs. 1.46).
SOURCE: Nielsen Media Research, NTI, Lives
NOTE: Sons Of Anarchy Fast Nationals, 9/7/09, 10-11:08 PM
Final Nationals and Competitive Data Available (09/10/09) Due to Labor Day Holiday
Starring Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman, Sons Of Anarchy is an adrenaline drama with darkly comedic undertones that explores a notorious outlaw motorcycle club (MC) and its desire to protect its livelihood while ensuring that their simple, sheltered town of Charming, California remains exactly that: charming. The Sons Of Anarchy Motorcycle Club must confront threats from drug dealers, corporate developers, hate groups and overzealous law officers. Behind the Mac's familial lifestyle and legally thriving automotive shop is a ruthless and illegally thriving arms business.
FX will repeat last night's season two premiere this Friday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 13 both at 11:00 PM ET/PT.
In next week's second episode (Sept. 15), Small Tears, Jacks (Hunnam) makes a decision without the club's approval which doesn't sit well with Clay (Perlman), as it brings dangerous repercussions upon the MC. Following a traumatic event, Gemma (Sagal) turns to an unlikely source for support.
Sons Of Anarchy airs every Tuesday at 10 PM ET/PT.
Sons were created by Kurt Sutter who also serves as Executive Producer along with John and Art Linson. The series is produced by FX Productions and Fox 21.
Fox 21 is Twentieth Century Fox Television's alternative production arm devoted to producing high quality programming on a lower cost basis.
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 95 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of distinctive original series and films, an established film library with box-office hit movies from 20th Century Fox and other major studios that run in prime time and an impressive lineup of acquired hit series.
Wow… putting Rescue Me to shame! With RM, THe Shield, and Nip/Tuck on their way out, FX needs another staple show, and it looks like Sons of Anarchy might be just that! Plus, I just did a little write up on my blog about the SOA DVD Sales, which were fairly modest, so this is a great result!
Huge numbers, obviously, but 3.03 million in the demo does not equate to the 2.8 demo rating reported earlier, right? It’d be more like a 2.3. Might that be a M18-49 number or something?
you’ve got a keen eye, spotupj. There are a lot of ratings bandied about, and that is one of the reasons I hate quoting other sites without seeing the source data, even with trusted sites like THR.
But it’s still actually an overall 18-49 number, it’s just that it’s a “coverage” rating rather than an average 18-49 rating over the entire population. It’s quite a common practice with cable networks to report ratings in terms of the coverage ratings. FX is in around 83% of the homes in the US and when you multiply it out and factor in rounding (we only are seeing ratings points out to tenths) you get something like a 2.3 overall 18-49 rating = a 2.8 coverage rating for a network that is only covered in ~83% of the homes.
Gotcha, thanks Robert!
My husben & I find ourselves glued the tv set.Fox you got our attention! Keep supporting these writers,producers,actors.Gold mine!!!
This show is amazing! Jax is such an unusual guy with his baby Abel and his future of President of Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Crew, Redwood Original. It’s so different than your regular tv show – these guys have a good heart, but deal weapons, maintain a porn company, and try to shut down the Mayans, a Latino-American gang in Charming, California. You gotta check it out!