Empire [FOX]
Interest in FOX’s “Empire” has been cooling, and head-to-head competition from “Hairspray Live!” did not help matters Wednesday. The episode fell to new series lows in adults 18-49 and total viewership.
It did, however, top “Hairspray Live!” — and retain its Wednesday crown — in adults 18-49.
According to fast national data posted by Showbuzz, Wednesday’s “Empire” drew a 2.5 adults 18-49 rating and 7.00 million total viewers.
The series low numbers trail the 2.9 rating and 7.84 million viewer figure garnered by last week’s episode.
The demo rating, on the other hand, topped the 2.3 drawn by NBC’s “Hairspray” in the 9PM hour. The three-hour “Hairspray Live” average also came in at a 2.3.
NBC can, however, celebrate a positive talking point: in falling below the 2.8 drawn by “This Is Us,” “Empire” cedes its position as network television’s #1 drama to the NBC freshman.
— FOX led into “Empire” with “Lethal Weapon,” which drew a 1.4 and 6.25 million total viewers. Those figures also reflect a “Hairspray Live!”-driven decline.