Update 2: While the numbers for The CW’s “Reign” were predictably adjusted down in the finals, the show still impressed by increasing its viewership average.
Thursday’s episode improved its viewership mark to 1.81 million. Its 0.7 adults 18-49 rating, meanwhile, matched that delivered by last week’s episode.
Despite also being subject to the potential inflationary effect of an NFL pre-emption, lead-in “The Vampire Diaries” avoided a downward adjustment in the adults 18-49 demo. It posted a 1.3 with 2.67 million viewers in the final nationals.
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Update: While the overnight metered market ratings reflected a decline, the fast national data reveals a big viewership increase for this week’s “Reign.”
Based on fast national data, the latest installment of The CW’s period piece drew a 0.9 adults 18-49 rating with 2.19 million viewers. On paper, those numbers represent the show’s best performance to date.
Those numbers will not stick in the finals. Because “Reign” was pre-empted in Atlanta for the Falcons vs. Saints game, which would have drawn an abnormally strong number in the timeslot, the fast national data is inflated.
This week’s “Reign” numbers might not dip below last week’s performance (0.7, 1.7 million), but they are unlikely to hold precisely as stated.
“The Vampire Diaries,” at risk of the same downward adjustment, drew a 1.3 with 2.90 million.
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Buzz and critical support for The CW’s “Reign” continue to grow, but the momentum was not enough to prevent a decline in the overnight metered market ratings.
Following two weeks of stability at a 1.4, Thursday’s episode, entitled “Chosen,” slipped to a 1.3. Lead-in support from “The Vampire Diaries” remained unchanged at a 1.8.
Since premiering to a 1.5 (which translated to a 0.8 in the adults 18-49 column), “Reign” has posted successive overnight ratings of 1.4, 1.3, 1.4, 1.4 and 1.3. Save for last week’s episode, which drew a 0.7 in the adults 18-49 demographic, each of those episodes has posted a 0.6 in the coveted young adults demo.
Having dropped only slightly in the overnights, there is no reason to believe the adults 18-49 rating for Thursday will deviate significantly from the season average. There is, however, reason to doubt the show made any sort of gains in the key demographic this week.