With the writers’ strike leaving few new scripted episodes to be seen, viewers flocked to FOX’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a new series based on the blockbuster sci-fi film franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, approximately 18.3 million viewers tuned in to make the series premiere the highest-rated broadcast TV debut in viewership and adults 18-49 in at least two years. The show ruled primetime on Sunday, easily beating NBC’s lackluter coverage of the Golden Globes and giving FOX’s Family Guy a boost with 11.5 million viewers.
Without all the stars and red-carpet fanfare, NBC’s Golden Globes telecast averaged 5.8 million viewers, faring even worse than last week’s People’s Choice Awards. The cancelled ceremony completely derailed NBC’s big night, consideing the the network drew in 20 million viewers with lats year’s Golden Globes broadcast. With viewers switching channels, follups including Dateline‘s two-hour Globes show and American Gladiators felt the pinch as well.
Terminator and Family Guy helped FOX win the night with an average of 21.9 million viewers. ABC was second with 10.8 million, followed by CBS with 13.1 million and NBC with 4.7 million. With few alternatives in scripted television, the adventures of Sarah Conner should continue to pull good numbers while the stockpile of episodes lasts, and the success should ensure a second season.
