Update: Portrayed conservatively in the overnight household ratings, the year-over-year gain for ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” was anything but slight in the adults 18-49 demographic.
Sunday’s season four premiere, which featured the introduction of “Frozen” characters, drew an impressive 3.4 adults 18-49 rating with 9.3 million viewers.
The rating was up a whopping 31% from last year’s 2.6. The viewership average, which was the show’s best since November 2012, was up 10% from that of the season three premiere.
“Resurrection,” which led out of “Once,” drew a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating with 7.6 million viewers. Down significantly from that of the series premiere, which drew a 3.8 with 13.9 million viewers, the performance was roughly in line with that of the season one finale. That episode, which aired in May 2014, drew a 2.1 adults 18-49 rating with 8.2 million viewers.
“Revenge” closed out ABC’s evening with a deflated 1.4 adults 18-49 rating and 5.3 million viewers.
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The introduction of “Frozen” characters to the “Once Upon a Time” universe did not produce a massive ratings spike, but it did lead the ABC drama to year-over-year improvement.
Sunday’s “Once” season premiere drew a respectable 5.5 overnight household rating. The rating, which signals a favorable performance in the adults 18-49 demographic, represents a gain of 6% over the number posted by last September’s season 3 premiere.
Increase was not, however, the name of the game for ABC’s first night of regular Sunday programming.
The 4.8 overnight household rating delivered by the 9PM “Resurrection” premiere represented a slight decline from the show’s first season finale and a considerable one from its series premiere.
Those episodes drew household ratings of 5.1 and 8.5, respectively.
The 3.9 overnight rating delivered by the 10PM “Revenge” season premiere, meanwhile, trailed that of last September’s launch by a whopping 26%. Worth noting, however, is the fact that last September’s season opener aired in the 9PM hour.
Adults 18-49 and total viewership data will be available by noon.
