It was the third latest starting post-Super Bowl show of the last 17-years and the results were mixed for 24:Legacy last night on Fox.
On the one hand the 11 PM ET launching spin-off of 24 clocked in the most watched episode ever in the franchise’s nearly 16-year history with 17.6 million viewers. On the other hand, even with the fourth most watch show in U.S. TV history as its primary lead-in, the Corey Hawkins starring Legacy was not the highest rated show of the November 6, 2001 premiering 24 franchise. with its 6.1 among the key demo.
That key demo distinction goes to the 24 Season 5 premiere of January 15, 2006 with its 7.3/16 rating. In fact, that Season 5 debut of the Kiefer Sutherland starring series was the previous most watched 24 ever with 17.0 million sets of eyeballs tuning in over 11-years ago.
However, last night’s Legacy was the highest rated debut on the Big 4 since 2 Broke Girls broke on to the scene on September 19, 2011 with a 7.1 rating – and no Super Bowl bounce. Compared to the last drama to get a post-SB slot, Legacy is down 31% from the overall viewership that the 10:38 PM ET The Blacklist had for the ninth episode of its second season that aired after Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 on NBC.
FYI – Over the run of the initial 24, a number of episodes popped up and around a 6.2 rating as well, so that takes more SB51 wind out of the spin-off’s sails.
Having said that, Fox are betting on a big delayed viewing comeback for Legacy in the belief that viewers hit the sack to begin the work week but DVR’d the newbie.
Meanwhile, Legacy is back tonight with its regular time slot debut of 8 PM.
