The third season premiere of “Homeland” set series highs for Showtime on Sunday (September 29) night, while the network is also professing enthusiasm with the series debut for “Masters of Sex.”
Facing the blockbuster “Breaking Bad” premiere, as well as a variety of network premieres and Sunday Night Football, “Homeland” drew 1.9 million viewers in its 9 p.m. premiere, rising to 2.61 million viewers with premiere night encores. That was up by nine percent over last season’s premiere airing, which had the advantage of airing after a new “Dexter.” Showtime adds that roughly 69 percent of last year’s “Homeland” viewing came via OnDemand or on DVR in Live+7.
Airing after “Homeland,” “Masters of Sex” drew 1 million viewers in its premiere and 1.4 million for the premiere night, which Showtime emphasizes is equal to the Season 1 premiere of “Homeland.” “Masters of Sex” also was sampled early across multiple people by “over one million viewers and counting,” Showtime asserts.
“Masters of Sex” came in below the July premiere of “Ray Donovan,” which drew 1.35 million viewers in its first airing and over 2.2 million viewers in its first night, boosted in no small amount by the return for “Dexter,” which drew 2.5 million viewers in its first airing. Last week’s “Dexter” series finale drew 2.8 million viewers in its first airing, a series and Showtime record for an original telecast.