Siren | Sergei Bachlakov/Freeform
No, “Siren” did not draw particularly massive ratings for its series premiere. It does not appear to be the big hit show that will reinvigorate Freeform.
The two-hour broadcast did, however, respectable numbers.
According to live+same-day data posted by Showbuzz, Thursday’s “Siren” premiere drew a 0.30 adults 18-49 rating and averaged 872,000 viewers in the 8PM hour. It, admirably, held almost completely steady in hour two: the 9PM portion posted a 0.30 in the demo and 869,000 in overall viewership.
The numbers are solid by conventional cable drama standards. For comparison’s sake, this week’s episodes of USA Network’s “Suits” and Syfy’s “Krypton” both drew the same 0.30 adults 18-49 rating.
When it comes to Freeform-specific comparisons, Thursday’s “Siren” did not fare as well as the recent “grown-ish” season premiere (0.40, 950,000). It did, however, beat most other episodes of that show.
It also outperformed all but a few episodes from the most recent “Shadowhunters” and “The Fosters” seasons.
Granted, the real question is whether “Siren” can retain this audience — one boosted by heavy Freeform promotion — moving forward. Cable series, after all, tend to decline (sometimes sharply) in the weeks following their premieres.