The fifth season premiere of BBC America’s “Orphan Black” offers a mixed ratings comparison to last year’s opener.
It endured a slight loss in adults 18-49 but posted a gain in overall viewership.
According to live+same-day data posted by Showbuzz, Saturday’s opener drew a 0.07 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 278,000 overall viewers. The fourth season premiere drew a 0.08 rating but only 229,000 total viewers.
As will be the case for the entirety of the fifth and final season, this Saturday’s premiere aired in the Saturday at 10PM timeslot. The previous season aired on Thursdays at 10PM (after airing its first three seasons on Saturdays).
On the one hand, television usage is higher on Thursdays. On the other hand, there is more competition on Thursdays.
The latter seemed to win out last year, as season four of “Orphan Black” drew weaker numbers (particularly in total viewership) than season three. Granted, there were other factors at play — the show’s buzz was cooling, and its narrative framework seemed to be growing increasingly complex.
It is also worth noting that the fifth season is the first to air in the summer. The four previous seasons ran in the spring.
