"V" Really Is for "Victory" (In Terms of Ratings for the new ABC Show)

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“V” Really Is for “Victory” (In Terms of Ratings for the ABC Show)

Posted on 04 November 2009 by Brent Hartinger, Editor

The premiere of last night’s V was a big hit for ABC, winning its time-slot by a substantial margin in the 18-49 year-old viewership. 13.9 million viewers tuned in (giving it a 5.0 rating and a 13 share) making it the fall season’s highest-rated series debut.

The show’s primary competition, the hit CBS show NCIS, had more overall viewers, but considerably fewer in the 18-49 demographic that advertisers pay top-dollar for (a 4.2 rating, 11 share). NCIS’s numbers were down 11% from its last first-run broadcast — a sign that some of its viewers were drawn to V.

The break-out success of V also affected the NBC hit The Biggest Loser, which was down 9% in the 18-49 demo, giving it its lowest ratings of the season.

V has been well-received by critics but the production has been troubled. ABC shut down production last month, replacing creative personnel, and will air only the first four episodes this month, ending on a cliffhanger. The show will return with nine more episodes in March.

The above numbers are all based on overnight ratings, and will be adjusted as additional “time-shifting” viewership numbers come in (people who record the show and watch it later, or watch in later online). So far, science-fiction shows such as Dollhouse, Heroes, Flash Forward, and Fringe have been among the shows that most benefit from improved ratings via time-shifting, so it’s a good bet that these numbers will make V look like even more of a hit.