Andy DehnartA&E’s smash hit Duck Dynasty returned last night for its third season and destroyed its competition, both on cable and broadcast TV. The network said that it is now “the #1 nonfiction series on cable in 2013” and the “season three premiere grew by 132% in total viewers, 117% in adults 25-54 and 127% in adults 18-49 versus the season two premiere.”
Even more impressive, Vulture’s Joe Adalian has a series of devastating comparisons–at least, they’re devastating for broadcast networks that target huge audiences yet have been beaten by a low-budget, scripted reality show:
Last night’s DUCK DYNASTY brought in 5M adults 18-49, more than any scripted show on Fox last week or any show on NBC at all.
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) February 28, 2013
In A18-49, DUCK DYNASTY also outdrew the Thursday episode of IDOL + scripted heavyweights such as HIMYM, NCIS, Grey’s & The Following
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) February 28, 2013
In A18-49, DUCK DYNASTY also outdrew the Thursday episode of IDOL + scripted heavyweights such as HIMYM, NCIS, Grey’s & The Following
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) February 28, 2013
Oh, and DUCK DYNASTY at 10 also beat AMERICAN IDOL last night in A18-49, 4.0 vs. 3.9. No. 1 show on TV last night in the demo
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) February 28, 2013
And to follow up on last tweet, that means DUCK DYNASTY scored a bigger A18-49 rating than MODERN FAMILY. Will DD get bazillions in syndie?
— Joe Adalian (@TVMoJoe) February 28, 2013
He pointed out in a later tweet that there’s a “[g]ood chance nets will jump ahead” when ratings that include DVR viewings within seven days are included. But again, if you’re a network spending millions and millions of dollars on a single episode of a show and interest is so weak that most people would rather tune into a dumb but fun fake reality show on cable, you have a problem.