Though down from the lofty numbers of the second season premiere that averaged 4.29 million the second episode of season two of Sons Of Anarchy still averaged 3.7 million viewers in preliminary results which is down less than 15% from the premiere, but still way, way up over last year's numbers.
Also, of the 3.7 million, around 2.6 million of them were adults 18-49 (1.9 rating), which was down ~20% from the premiere with adults 18-49, but still very big numbers for cable. To put it in perspective, even when it was pulling in 6.8 million total live+SD viewers, Burn Notice was averaging around 2.8 million adults 18-49.
That % of 18-49/total viewers is striking.
That’s still very good for FX considering it’s September and a week before the season properly starts. Damages was pulling in less than 1m and Rescue Me’s ratings were in the million range. I would expect a renewal is locked.
Will be interesting It’s Always Sunny in Philladelphia does on Thursday as FX want to launch more comedies.
FX shows do seem to attract a younger audience than USA and TNT with some exceptions, Nip/Tuck for example has a great 18-49 demo and FX often buys and schedules blockbusters movies as they pull in a younger audience compared to reruns of NCIS for example plus they are used as lead ins for the scripted shows.
I’m not good at analyzing numbers. But is that number, 18-49, translated to SoA attracting and, mostly, retaining a very young, hence, desireable demo?
Visian: I believe so. FX has to be happy with those numbers.
@Darius: Thanks!
Jon – It’s Always Sunny has risen in viewers, so i’m confident it will do well. It has been announced that the new series Archer will air its Pilot episode after a new Sunny but will be held until January. The League will air with Sunny late October. WHat really sucks for FX is that they waited until June to start developing new comedies (Archer, The League, Louie) nut they should have started last spring after they axed Testees. Always Sunny always begins its season with back to back episodes and its not good for the show. FX is probably happy that Sons is doing well. They should hope their new drama Lawmen does well in the Spring because Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me are done in 2010 and 2011 and Damages is going into its third season with just over a million
Actually, the Sunny episode for this thursday is an hour long, and the week after has the new episode followed by a repeat (according to my comcast scroll). I think FX knows playing back to back new episodes makes the season shorter, and are trying to stretch it out so they can milk it a little more.
What’s weird for Sunny’s premiere tomorrow is that on my programming guide it shows The Gang Exploits The Mortgage Crisis from 10-10:30 then a “To Be Announced” from 10:30-11:04 but then shows The Gang Exploits The Mortgage Crisis from 11:04-12:07 as an hour long episode. However FX has stated that the Archer premiere for tomorrow would not be announced or on the schedule so it may explain why the episode is listed as hour long. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=8296
FX should have had a series premiere alongside Sunny but it turns out they have Sunny premiering tomorrow with an Archer sneak peak after apparently after. Sunny will air at 10 with repeats at 10 until new series The League premieres around October 29th. Thursdays at 10-11 in January would likely have Archer and Louie airing with 6 and 13 episodes, (Though FX has ordered more Archer scripts so possibly more eps). Damages would likely air at 10pm Wednesdays starting January with new drama Lawman airing at 10pm Tuesdays then. FX should have had a comedy night thursdays in Winter-Spring as well as Fall.
It seems that FX networks schedule (from their site) shows the new Sunny “Mortgage Crisis” episode airing from 10-10:30, “Paid Programming” (probably Archer) at 10:30-11, an encore of the new Sunny episode 11-11:30, and a repeat of episode of Sunny from last season. For some reason FX would not promote Archer. For September 24, The schedule has the new Sunny episode “The Gang Hit’s the Road” followed by a repeat of last seasons “Nightman Cometh”. It seems now until The League premieres 10:30 will just be filled with Sunny repeats from last season.