Update: Its performance was not without an area of concern, but ABC’s “Galavant” got off to a very respectable start Sunday.
The musical comedy’s premiere, which consisted of back-to-back half-hour episodes, drew a 2.0 adults 18-49 rating with 7.34 million viewers. ABC’s top-rated program for the evening, its demo number ranked second (on average) in the 8-9PM ET timeslot. Only FOX’s football-boosted combination of “The Simpsons” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” fared better.
Concern does emerge, however, from the fact that it lost viewers as it progressed. After scoring a 2.1 rating with 7.88 million viewers for its 8-8:30PM episode, it drew a reduced 1.9 with 6.80 million in the second half-hour. During that 8:30-9PM portion, “Galavant” actually slipped into third place among the major networks.
ABC’s other Sunday programs: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (1.3, 6.08 million), “Resurrection” (1.0, 4.10 million) and “Revenge” (0.9, 3.94 million).
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While it neither scored monster ratings nor fared particularly well against competition from CBS, FOX and NBC (it ranked last in its slot), ABC’s musical comedy “Galavant” did open with a respectable overnight household rating.
It also registered as ABC’s top-rated program Sunday evening.
Comprised of back-to-back episodes, the premiere, which commanded a favorable review from Headline Planet, opened with a 4.4 overnight household rating. A full assessment cannot be offered until adults 18-49 and total viewership data emerges at approximately 11:30AM ET, but the overnight rating foretells a decent opening night draw.
Of concern, however, is the fact that the broadcast lost viewers as it progressed. After opening with a 4.8 for the 8PM episode, “Galavant” mustered only a 4.1 at 8:30PM. A show with a concept like that of “Galavant” was obviously not going to hook every curious viewer, but that half-hour to half-hour drop is definitely sizable.
Earlier in the night, ABC offered “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (3.3 overnight household rating). It followed “Galavant” with “Resurrection” (2.9) and “Revenge” (3.1).