Last night, ABC unveiled their last new TV show of the fall season, Once Upon a Time. There’s a lot of competition on Sunday nights so, will this new drama be a fairy tale for ABC or a nightmare that’ll soon be cancelled?
Per the fast affiliate ratings, last night’s debut of Once Upon a Time attracted a 3.9 in the 18-49 demographic and 12.8 million viewers. These are especially positive considering it was up against the World Series on FOX and NBC’s Sunday Night Football, big attractions for the other networks.
Year-to-year, ABC was up by 39% in the timeslot, as compared to an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It was up by a whopping 105%, when compared to last week’s episode of Home Edition.
Things look very positive for Snow White and friends so far. Of course, the show’s fate will ultimately be determined by how many people return week after week. Based on feedback from our readers, it seems like most plan to keep watching.
What do you think? Did you watch the first episode of Once Upon a Time? Will you be watching next week?
UPDATE: Here’s the press release from ABC which offers their spin on the numbers.
ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” Opens as the Season’s #1 New Drama
Some early info on ABC’s Sunday, ahead of the regular press release.
More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8pm (+160%) and gaining audience throughout its premiere against the World Series and Sunday Night Football, ABC’s series debut of Once Upon a Time opened with an average audience of 12.8 million viewers and a 3.9 rating, 10 share among Adults 18-49, standing as Sunday’s #1 non-sports program.
· ABC’s Once Upon a Time opened as the season’s #1 drama debut in Adults 18-49. In fact, ABC claims the season’s Top 2 drama debuts with Once Upon a Time and Revenge, respectively.
· Once Upon a Time drew ABC’s biggest audience in the time period with regular programming in over 3-1/2 years and its top Adult 18-49 number in nearly 3 years – since 3/30/08 and 11/2/08, respectively.
· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Once Upon a Time stands as Sunday’s biggest non-NFL-driven drama debut in 5 years – since ABC’s Brothers & Sisters on 9/24/06.
Image courtesy ABC.
I just recently started watching this show on Netflix and I can’t believe I have’nt heard about it till now! It’s the best show ever!!! Great acting and plot! I wish it would stay on for many more seasons!
We started out watching the first and second episodes of this new series and soon found ourselves hooked and could hardly wait for the next week to see what would happen next. We told many of our extended family members to try it and they were also soon waiting anxiously for the next episode. We are very hopeful that the producers of this series will have a big enough response and will renew this show for a second season. The story lines were intriguing and left the viewer to wondering what would happen next. Also an excellent cast in this… Read more »
Once Upon A Time should go on for another 5 seasons at least, it’s funny, exciting and it quits when I wish it was on for 2 hours, when it’s not on and something else is in it’s place it ruins my week…. everyone needs a life like once upon a time, imagine the stories we could tell….I love it..
My family Loved it <3
I Love oce upon a Time. Hope it come back second and so on seasons.
LOVE ONCE UPON A TIME MORE THEN ANY SHOW EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great show! Watch it every week!
I absolutely love this show and all of the actors in it. I absolutely HATE the EVIL WITCH character, and her actress, but it is because the actress is so convincing as an evil b*tch that she really is an evil presence. That is what I call fantastic acting ability. I have not missed an episode and will not miss one. Are they going to do a movie of this, or at least a DVD of all the episodes. Even my kids and grandkids love this show.
I LOVE THIS SHOW….. VERY CREATIVE IT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ON CABLE I LOVE IT…..
@Didimoe
#1 is referring to #1 in ratings. As in a 3.9 viewers 18-49. Goodness…
Sadly we will only see 1 more episode
Once Upon A Time is not the number one drama. It is good but it is not #1. Please don’t treat viewers like we are stupid. We don’t need to be told what is good, great or #1.
Besides, “Revenge” and “Prime Suspect” (with Maria Bello) are #1!!!!
Liked the show-just let your imigination wander a bit and you will enjoy it.
loved the show it was great from canada
I love the way these networks spin the numbers. Hopefully this means they have faith in the show.