Update: Based on the fast nationals, FOX’s “Glee” dipped to a series low in total viewers and narrowly avoided one in the adults 18-49 demographic.
Thursday’s episode, which served as the second part of the Beatles-themed premiere, drew a 1.6 adults 18-49 rating with 4.43 million viewers. Down twenty percent in the demo, the decline was more significant than the overnight ratings suggested.
Earlier in the night, “The X Factor” delivered a 2.0 with 7.13 million viewers.
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Given its decline from last year, there is no way to spin FOX’s Thursday performance as positive. But insofar as ratings for only one of its two shows dipped from last week, the network at least avoided a worst case scenario.
According to TV Media Insights, FOX’s “The X Factor” improved to a 5.2 overnight metered market rating for night two of the “4 Chair Challenge.” Though the variation might not manifest itself in the adults 18-49 and total viewership numbers, it does reflect a 0.2 increase from last week’s 5.0 overnight number.
Part two of “Glee”‘s Beatles-themed series premiere, however, suffered a slight decline to a 3.1 metered market number. Last week’s 3.4, which was down significantly from the season four premiere number, translated to a 2.0 adults 18-49 rating with 5.1 million viewers in the final nationals.
Thursday’s episode featured the debuts of Phoebe Strole’s Nurse Penny and Demi Lovato’s Dani. Erinn Westbrook’s Bree, who appeared briefly last week, meanwhile received positioning as the key antagonist for the McKinley portion of “Glee”‘s storyline.
The fast nationals–the first to measure adults 18-49 performance–are due by noon.