CMT evidently forgot to knock on wood.
Thursday’s “Party Down South,” which aired hours after the network touted the new reality series as its top-rated original in history, endured a considerable ratings hit.
Ranking as the least-watched episode to date, this week’s installment, the show’s fifth, attracted just 589,000 viewers. Its 0.32 adults 18-49 rating was the show’s weakest since the second episode delivered a 0.22 rating on January 23.
Last week’s episode posted a 0.39 adults 18-49 rating with 727,000 viewers.
To CMT’s credit, its announcement discussed the show’s strength in Nielsen’s “Live + 3” measurement. Accommodating live viewing and three days’ worth of DVR playback, the data revealed “Party Down South” to be a frequently time-shifted show.
With those three days of DVR playback included, last week’s episode, for instance, saw its adults 18-49 dramatically improve from a 0.39 to a 0.77.
There is no denying this week’s episode endured a ratings hit, but if it receives the show’s signature DVR bump, it will avoid a firestorm of concern at CMT.
