Ratings Review: EMPIRE (Season One)

It has been a long time since Network TV had a freshman series as hot as EMPIRE. The closest thing, in recent memory, would have to be THE WALKING DEAD, on AMC.

I must admit, I thought this would be another stinker series from FOX and did not think it would make it to the 13 episodes ordered. Was I wrong. Almost every week, the ratings would be better than the week before. Viewership and the A18-49 demo nearly doubled from the series premiere to the season finale.

The Live+7 ratings increase right along with the Live+SD ratings. EMPIRE would add another five million viewers, plus 2.5 points in the demo ratings. The Live+7 average was 16.3 million viewers and a 6.7 rating in the A18-49 rating.

The Live+SD averages, for EMPIRE, were 12.97 million viewers and a 5.1 demo rating. The series will be back for the 2015-16 season, but it could be under another name. Trademark and Copyright infringement, between Empire Distribution, Inc. and FOX will have the courts busy through the sumer, and beyond.

EMPIRE (Wednesdays at 9 p.m., on FOX)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	L+3	L+7
01/07/15	9.90	3.8	13.10 (5.3)	13.95 (5.6)
01/14/15	10.32	4.0		14.01 (5.6)
01/21/15	11.07	4.4	(5.9)	15.13 (6.3)
01/28/15	11.36	4.3		15.04 (6.1)
02/04/15	11.46	4.6		15.68 (6.6)
02/11/15	11.96	4.8		16.10 (6.6)
02/18/15	13.02	5.2		18.16 (7.5)
02/25/15	13.90	5.4	17.88 (7.3)	18.98 (7.7)
03/04/15	14.33	5.8	19.01 (8.0)	19.68 (8.3)
03/11/15	14.90	5.8	19.25 (7.8)	20.63 (8.5)
03/18/15	15.82	6.1	20.16 (8.0)
03/18/15	17.62	6.9	21.92 (8.8)	23.12 (9.3)

* - in millions