Update: Last week, FOX’s “Gotham” passed its test by premiering to a strong 3.2 adults 18-49 rating against hefty competition.
This week, facing a similar caliber of competition, “Gotham” passed another test: it demonstrated strong week-to-week retention.
While it is far too early to confirm that “Gotham” is in it for the long haul, the minimal week-over-week drop is promising. Episode two fell by just 13% to deliver a 2.8 adults 18-49 rating. It attracted a healthy 7.45 million viewers.
FOX followed “Gotham” with “Sleepy Hollow” (1.7, 5.04 million).
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As a drama that benefited from significant hype and ample curiosity, FOX’s “Gotham” had no prayer of retaining the entirety of its premiere audience.
Its second episode did, however, hold onto a considerable portion of that initial household viewership.
Monday’s “Selina Kyle” edition of “Gotham” drew a 5.3 overnight household rating. Down just 7% from the 5.7 earned by the premiere, it paints a favorable picture of that initial episode’s resonance.
While there is no guarantee the drop was not steeper in adults 18-49 and total viewership, the strong overnight household retention provides no reason to worry that the drop in those categories was especially significant.
“Sleepy Hollow,” which aired in FOX’s 9PM hour, drew a 3.4 overnight household rating. That trails last week’s disappointing series premiere mark by 11%.