The debut of TNT’s new drama Leverage Sunday night drew 5 million viewers, according to Cable Fast Nationals, the network said Monday.
The show, starring Timothy Hutton, also delivered 2.1 million adults 18 to 49, ranking as TNT’s best original series telecast ever in delivery of that key demographic during a regular broadcast season.
“We are thrilled that audiences and critics have responded so positively to this fun and exciting new series,” Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks, said in a prepared statement. “Leverage marks the latest successful step in TNT’s ongoing plans to challenge the broadcast networks head-on with high-profile original programming.”
The commercial-free launch of Leverage, sponsored by the Hyundai Genesis, benefited from a very strong lead-in from the original movie The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice. The third installment in The Librarian franchise of movies, also from executive producer Dean Devlin, was watched by 5.4 million viewers.
Ratings highlights for last night’s series launch of Leverage and the premiere of Curse of the Judas Chalice include:
— Leverage scored a 3.6 coverage household rating/3.1 national household rating.
— The series premiere was watched by 4,987,000 viewers; 3,516,000 households; 2,059,000 adults 25 to 54; and 2,641,000 adults 25 to 54.
— Leverage scored TNT’s best delivery ever of adults 18 to49 for an original series telecast during the broadcast season.
— The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice scored a 3.8 coverage household rating/3.2 national household rating.
— The movie was watched by 5,440,000 viewers; 3,713,000 households; 2,190,000 adults 18 to 49; and 2,841,000 adults 25 to 54.
By Linda Moss — Multichannel News, 12/8/2008
