'The People v. O.J. Simpson' Is Cable's Most-Watched New Series of 2016
FX miniseries "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story" finished its stellar 10-week run to critical acclaim and audience adoration, and now, it can add another feather to its cap: It's also the year's most-watched new series on cable.
According to Nielsen numbers, the show was especially impressive among advertiser-coveted demographics. Throughout its first eight weeks, it was averaging 7.5 million viewers per episode in live plus-7 numbers, making it the most-watched program on Tuesday nights among 18-34-year-olds, and the second (behind NBC's "The Voice") among 18-49-year-olds. And according to Variety, "Among all scripted dramas to have aired multiple times this spring, the FX series ranks second in adults 18-49 on cable (behind only AMC's 'The Walking Dead') and seventh overall, according to Nielsen's 'live plus-3' estimates."
In addition to those episode-by-episode estimates, the series also averaged 12.7 million weekly viewers throughout its first eight weeks among combined linear and non-linear audiences (a.k.a. those who watched it live, and those who watched it via DVR, on demand, or streaming). FX has yet to crunch the numbers for the final two "O.J." episodes, but the show's success so far indicates that that 12.7 million average will likely rise to accommodate for additional non-linear views.
That's great news for the cable network, which pumped a lot of resources into the program, including landing a starry cast that featured Cuba Gooding Jr., John Travolta, Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, Nathan Lane, Sterling K. Brown, and David Schwimmer. Executive producer Ryan Murphy is known for splashy television; with "O.J.," he also delivered quality programming, too.
The next season of "American Crime Story" will be set around the events of Hurricane Katrina. No airdate has been announced yet.
[via: Variety]