NBC’s behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming “Peter Pan Live!” broadcast did not perform as well a similar inquiry into the “The Making of The Sound of Music Live!”
This year’s Thanksgiving Eve “The Making of Peter Pan Live!” delivered a paltry 0.6 adults 18-49 rating with 3.02 million viewers. It placed fourth among major network broadcasts for its 8PM timeslot.
Last year’s “The Making of the Sound of Music Live!” was not a smash hit, but it drew a considerably stronger 1.0 adults 18-49 rating with 4.92 million viewers in the comparable fast national report.
But at the end of the day, the rating that truly matters is the one that will be ascribed to next Thursday’s actual airing of “Peter Pan Live!” It is that broadcast, after all, that faces the daunting task of competing with the behemoth that was last year’s “The Sound of Music Live!”
And while no one realistically expects “Peter Pan” to outdraw “The Sound of Music,” which possessed more novelty value, a more commercially compelling lead in Carrie Underwood and a more treasured brand in the world of musical theater, a significant fall from the 4.6 adults 18-49 rating and 18.5 million viewers garnered by “TSOM” will not go unnoticed.