FX: 'Justified' Season Two Premiere Ratings "Very Solid"

I posted about these numbers already, but here is a lot more detail via FX.  I agree with the "very solid" assessment.  While down from last year's premiere of over 4 million viewers and a 1.5 adults 18-49 rating, the 3.5 million and 1.3 adults 18-49 rating are better than last year's average and much better than the season 1 finale (0.8 adults 18-49 rating and just over 2 million viewers).

Keep in mind that any ratings points discussed below are coverage rather than national ratings we normally use  (though FX includes the raw numbers the ratings are based on, too).

Source: The Nielsen Company  Live+Same Day via FX:

Last night’s (2/9/11, 10 PM) season two premiere episode of FX’s critically acclaimed drama Justified posted a very solid second season premiere, posting an increases of +43% in Adults 18-49 (1.74 million vs. 1.22 million) and +42% in Total Viewers (3.47 million vs. 2.43 million) over it season one average .

It ranked #1 in its basic cable time period in Adults and Men 18-49, Adults and Men 25-54 and Total Viewers.  What’s more, Justified – along with the broadcast premiere of theatrical Wanted – drove FX to rank #1 for the night in basic cable in all key adult and men demos:  P/M18-49; P/M18-34; and P/M25-54, and #2 in Total Viewers.  Data set attached; Live+Same Day 000s.

Vs. Year-Ago Premiere and Season Average

Justified posted across-the-board gains compared to its Season 1 norm – for example, by +43% in P18-49 (1,743 vs. 1,223); +43% in M18-49 (1,134 vs. 796); +59% in P18-34 (887 vs. 559); +36% in P25-54 (1,818 vs. 1,337); and +42% in Total Viewers (3,466 vs. 2,433).  What’s more, Justified’s second-season premiere is its third most-watched telecast to date in P18-49 behind its first two telecasts last season; among W18-34, last night’s telecast stands as its most-watched telecast to date and its second most-watched in W18-49 and W25-54.   Finally, Justified retained 85% of its season one premiere in P18-49 with retention stronger in W18-49 than M18-49 (98% vs. 80%).

Vs. Lead-in: Justified’s movie lead-in, the broadcast premiere of Wanted, notched a stellar 1,517 to rank as Justified’s most-watched lead-in to date.  In fact, Wanted was +49% stronger than Justified’s year ago series premiere lead-in, Live Free or Die Hard (1,517 vs. 1,020).

• From Wanted, Justified gained virtually across the board:  +15% in P18-49, +20% in M18-49, +22% in P25-54, +31% in M25-54, and +24% in Total Viewers.

Rank in its Basic Cable Time Period (Wednesday, 1000 – 1100P): Justified ranked #1 in its basic cable time period in P/M18-49, P/M25-54, and Total Viewers; Justified ranked #2 in P/M18-34.

• For example, in P18-49 Justified (1,743) outdelivered Storage Wars (2x)/A&E by +5% (1,663); Top Chef/Bravo by +11% (1,570); American Dad (2x)/Adult Swim by +20% (1,447); college basketball/ESPN by +44% (1,211), NCIS/USA by +64% (1,066); I Used to Be Fat/MTV by +84% (946), Restaurant Impossible/FOOD by +91% (911); and Are We There Yet (2x)/TBS by more than double (828).

FX for the Night: Justifed and Wanted powered FX to top four ranks for the night in basic cable across the board:  #1 in P/M18-49, P/M18-34, and P/M25-54; #2 in Total Viewers and W18-34; #3 in W25-54; and #4 in W18-49.  For example, in P18-49 FX @ #1 (1,520) outdelivered A&E by +35% (1,127); USA by +46% (1,040); ESPN by +48% (1,025); TBS by +74% (872) … and #10-ranked TNT by +132% (655).

Median Age/Audience Composition, Season 2 [P] vs. Season 1 Norm:

• Median Age:  virtually identical (46 vs. 47)
• Male/Female Split:  64%/36% -- identical to Season 1
• P18-49 skew of 50% is also identical to Season 1