Update: Unlike the 12/14 “STAR” premiere, Wednesday’s episode aired without lead-in support from “Empire.”
It predictably fell in the ratings.
Per fast national data posted by Showbuzz, Wednesday’s “STAR” drew a 1.6 adults 18-49 rating and 4.76 million total viewers. The numbers trail the 2.2 rating and 6.71 million viewer sum posted by the premiere.
On the plus side, this week’s episode did build on its “Lethal Weapon” lead-in among adults 18-49. This week’s “Lethal Weapon” drew a 1.4 in adults 18-49.
“Lethal Weapon,” on the other hand, was the bigger draw among total viewers; its audience sum of 6.12 million markedly tops that attained by “STAR.”
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The December 14 “STAR” premiere aired following the fall finale of flagship FOX drama “Empire.”
Airing without that lead-in, without “premiere buzz” and with mediocre-to-negative reviews, Wednesday’s episode predictably fell in the overnight ratings.
According to metered market data posted by Programming Insider, Wednesday’s “STAR” drew a 3.3 overnight household rating. The figure is not necessarily bad (especially if the episode skewed in the direction of younger, more advertiser-friendly viewers), but it markedly trails the 4.8 drawn by the premiere.
The lead-in support was indeed weaker; Wednesday’s “Lethal Weapon” drew a 4.2 overnight household rating in the 8PM hour, while the aforementioned “Empire” posted a 5.2 on December 14.
Still, the premise of premiering “STAR” after the “Empire” fall finale was to build an initial audience — and reduce dependence on lead-in. “STAR” is also an “Empire”-like musical drama from the “Empire” creator airing in the regular “Empire” timeslot, so there is clearly an extent to which “Empire” fans should have been expected to tune in.
Those factors lessen the extent to which the reduced lead-in can and should be blamed for the big drop this week.
Due later this morning, adults 18-49 and total viewership data may paint a more favorable (or, alternatively, more negative) picture than the overnight household ratings.
