Ratings Review: AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. was supposed to be the big ABC series that brought corporate synergy, and ratings, to ABC, with the popularity of the Marvel franchise movies. Ultimately, SHIELD was not much more than just another action drama.

The initial ratings looked great, but there had to be concern with the huge drop off from episode one to episode two. A loss of nearly a point and a half in the demo numbers and 3.5 million total viewers. Two full ratings points were gone by episode five, more when you factor in the L+7 numbers.

I like to look at the LIVE+7 numbers and see if they ever drop below the premiere's LIVE+SD numbers. If they do, you know you are losing that initial base that was excited to see the show. SHIELD dropped below that line in week 4 and by the end of the season, half the viewers that watched the premiere, within the first seven days of the airing were gone by May. But, since ABC is in such bad shape, SHIELD was one of the networks better performing shows, so a second season was given.

For the season, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. averaged 5.94 million viewers and a 2.0 rating in Adults 18-49, for 30 airings, including eight repeats. The series is back for a second season and will be on at 9 p.m., instead of 8 p.m.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (Tuesdays at 8 p.m., on ABC)

Date	Viewers*	A18-49	L+3	L+7
09/24/13	12.12	4.7	15.80 (6.5)	17.01 (7.0)
10/01/13	8.66	3.3	12.07 (4.9)	13.17 (5.4)
10/08/13	7.87	2.8	11.00 (4.4)	12.01 (4.8)
10/15/13	7.85	2.8		11.60 (4.5)
10/22/13	7.39	2.7		11.16 (4.4)
10/29/13	4.09	1.5	(R)
11/05/13	7.15	2.5		10.93 (4.2)
11/12/13	6.67	2.2		10.12 (3.8)
11/19/13	6.89	2.4		10.31 (4.0)
11/26/13	9.69	2.6		12.75 (3.9)
12/03/13	3.45	0.8	(R)
12/10/13	6.11	2.1		9.16 (3.4)
12/17/13	3.25	0.8	(R)
12/24/13	preempted
12/31/13	preempted
01/07/14	6.63	2.2		9.65 (3.6)
01/14/14	6.37	2.2		9.59 (3.7)
01/21/14	3.58	0.9	(R)
01/28/14	3.79	1.0	(R)
02/04/14	6.62	2.2		9.77 (3.6)
02/11/14	preempted
02/18/14	2.70	0.7	(R)
02/25/14	preempted
03/04/14	5.46	1.8		8.58 (3.2)
03/11/14	5.99	2.1		9.07 (3.5)
03/18/14	preempted
03/25/14	2.90	0.8	(R)
04/01/14	5.71	2.0		8.88 (3.4)
04/08/14	5.37	1.9		8.83 (3.4)
04/15/14	3.59	1.1	(R)
04/15/14	5.52	2.1	9pm
04/22/14	6.04	1.9		9.02 (3.3)
04/29/14	5.95	2.1		8.84 (3.3)
05/06/14	5.37	1.9		8.33 (3.2)
05/13/14	5.45	2.0
05/20/14
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* - in millions