Cable Premiere Ratings: Anger Management Breaks Records, Awkward Rules the School
Holy Sh… een.
The Thursday night premiere of FX’s Anger Management drew 5.47 million total viewers, with 2.65 mil falling in the coveted 18-49 demo — each tally setting a record for a scripted cable comedy debut.
That total audience also represents the most-watched series premiere in FX history.
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The second episode of the double-pumped premiere built on those boffo numbers, drawing 5.74 million total viewers with 2.89 landing in the demographic sweet spot. Remember, if AM meets certain undisclosed “thresholds,” FX is poised to order 90 more episodes in one fell swoop.
Leading out of the freshman sitcom, the Wilfred (2.53 million total viewers) and Louie (1.43 mil) season openers enjoyed viewership boosts of 71 and 55 percent over their prior season averages, and their second-highest rated outings of all time.
UPDATE: The Season 2 premiere of MTV’s Awkward drew 2.2 million total viewers and scored a 2.2 rating with the 12-34 crowd, up 29 percent from the series’ launch and beating all Thursday cable and broadcast fare in that demo. The comedy was down 12 percent in the demo from its freshman finale, yet hit a series high with female teens, more than doubling the Season 1 premiere.
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