When is it slightly less disastrous for a Wednesday drama only to be doing a 1.1 rating among adults 18-49? When it's getting a 60+ percent DVR bump in today's TV landscape.
Or at least that's the narrative FOX is pushing this week, as “Red Band Society” got a 64 percent Live+3 DVR bump from last Wednesday's (September 24) episode, bringing its three-day total to a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49.
That's still not terrific. It ties “Red Band Society” with its Wednesday stablemate “Hell's Kitchen” and places it ahead of only “The Mindy Project” and “Utopia” among network Live+3 performances in the 18-49 demo for last week. However, a 1.8 key demo rating is still better than a 1.1 key demo rating and it means that Week 2 of “RBS” delivered the same Live+3 key demo rating as its premiere, despite the drop in Live+SD numbers.
Let's look at some other Live+3 numbers from Wednesday's premieres and finales and whatnot…
*** Speaking of numbers that suddenly look better when you add in Live+3 totals, “Modern Family” added 3.8 million viewers to see its total audience go to 15.2 million viewers in Live+3, as suddenly the Emmy-winning comedy went from underperforming last year's premiere to slightly above last year's premiere. And with a 1.7 ratings point gain among adults 18-49, “Modern Family” ends up with a 5.6 key demo rating in Live+3, only 0.1 behind last September's premiere. “Modern Family” was Wednesday's top volume gainer both overall and in the key demo.
*** Three of ABC's other four Wednesday offerings also got big bumps. “Black-ish” added 3.3 million viewers and a 1.3 in the key demo to stand at 14.3 million viewers and a 4.6 rating among adults 18-49 for Live+3. “Black-ish” now ranks behind only FOX's “Gotham” among knew shows in the key demo. Also bumping up on the comedy front was “The Goldbergs,” which rose 26 percent overall to 9.2 million viewers and 38 percent among adults 18-49 to a 3.3 key demo rating. That growth tied “The Goldbergs” with “The Middle” in total viewers and expanded the 18-49 advantage, as “The Middle” only rose 27 percent to a 2.8 key demo rating. Percentage-wise, “Nashville” was lifted 53 percent in the 18-49 demo to a 2.3 rating in Live+3 and also rose 34 percent in total viewers to 7.8 million. “Nashville” is a drama that has been prone to big Live+3 growth, but even this bump doesn't move it anywhere impressive. In fact, it's behind two “Forever” episodes as ABC's lowest rated 10 p.m. drama of Premiere Week, through Wednesday.
*** NBC is excitedly pronouncing “Mysteries of Laura” as a new Wednesday hit. It's really not. Yes, it's drawing a big overall viewership, but it's an old overall viewership and the “Mysteries of Laura” time period premiere started at a low 1.5 rating among adults 18-49 and only rose 27 percent to a 1.9 key demo rating in Live+3. That's an awful DVR bump for a network drama. [Networks' research/publicity departments decide how much, if at all, they want to trumpet their Live+3 growth. NBC isn't trying to spin this at all.] Performing better were “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” which rose 41 percent to a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49 in Live+3 and “Chicago PD,” which rose 47 percent to a 2.8 key demo rating in Live+3.
*** Unscripted shows, as always, don't get big Live+3 bumps, but CBS' “Survivor” premiere grew 26 percent to a 3.4 rating among adults 18-49, while the “Big Brother” finale rose 19 percent to a 3.1 key demo rating.
Anything stand out here? Yeah. Probably not. They can't all be thrilling.