Update: While the numbers look light compared to last week’s season high, the 3.1 adults 18-49 rating and 9.0 million viewership count are both impressive. Higher than all but the final two season two episodes in the young adults demo, this week’s “Scandal” cruised to a timeslot victory over “Parenthood” and “Elementary.”
===============
Though it was still a strong performer–and one that will cruise to victory in its 10PM timeslot–Thursday’s “Scandal” could not match the success of the season premiere.
Episode two of the show’s third season delivered a 6.6 overnight metered market rating, down from the prior week’s 7.9.
A decline is a decline, but the news is far from decidedly bad.
Though the dip was not trivial, at least in the overnights, it was entirely expected. Virtually all shows fail to match their season or series premiere episodes with subsequent episodes, and when a premiere is as eagerly anticipated as that of “Scandal”‘s season three launch, the projected decline is even greater.
The show’s performance on the adults 18-49 and total viewership metrics will not available until 11:30AM, but there is no question “Scandal” won its timeslot with an impressive showing in the key demo.