Did you watch the “Doctor Who” special “Day of the Doctor”? So did lots of other people! “Doctor Who” and new series “Atlantis” broke records on Saturday. “Doctor Who””s 50th Anniversary special, “Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor,” delivered 3.6 million viewers for the daytime simulcast and primetime encore.
These are solid numbers for “Doctor Who,” but not landmarks for basic cable in the United States (“Duck Dynasty,” for example, raked in 8.4 million viewers for its season finale). But the show did do gonzo business on social media. On Saturday, BBC America was the #1 cable network on Twitter, “Doctor Who” was #1 on Twitter in all of television and the series set a record on Tumblr with the highest level of activity of any televised event ever, surpassing the Super Bowl and MTV”s Video Music Awards.
“Doctor Who: The Day of The Doctor” global simulcast delivered the channel its best telecast ever, 2.4 million total viewers and 1.2 million among A25-54. In addition to its premiere on BBC America, the channel presented sold-out 3D simulcast screenings in eleven cities.
“Doctor Who” also earned the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama. The show was broadcast in 94 countries across 6 continents.
BBC America”s new fantasy series, “Atlantis,” delivered the highest rated series premiere ever for Supernatural Saturday with 838,000 total viewers, which is sure to have been in part to its “Doctor Who” lead-in. The 13-part series airing Saturdays at 9:00pm ET, brings to life the vast store of Greek myths and legends re-imagined for a new generation.
“Doctor Who””s 50th Anniversary celebration continues tonight (11/25) with 3D screenings in over 660 select movie theaters across the US. Theaters are sold out across the country from New York to Los Angeles; Chicago to Orlando; and Dallas to Seattle.
“Doctor Who: The Day of The Doctor” will be available as a Blu-ray combo pack or DVD on Tuesday, Dec. 10. This Christmas, BBC America will premiere Matt Smith”s final episode, “Doctor Who”s Christmas Special,” where Smith”s Eleventh Doctor will regenerate into the next Doctor played by Peter Capaldi.
Did you watch on Saturday?
