Wednesday’s premiere of NBC’s poorly reviewed The Mysteries of Laura drew 10.2 million total viewers and a 2.0 demo rating (per finals), in a special time slot leading out of the America’s Got Talent finale.
That’s up sharply from Ironside‘s year-ago debut (6.8 mil/1.3) and marks TV’s most watched series launch since Believe (which in March led out of The Voice with 10.6 mil).
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Worth noting: In fast nationals, Laura — which TVLine readers gave an average grade of “C+” — opened with 11.3 mil and a 2.3, then slipped to 9.6 mil/1.9 in its second half hour.
The Debra Messing starrer moves to its regular, Wednesdays-at-8 time slot next week, where it will face off against Hell’s Kitchen, Survivor, The Middle/The Goldbergs and, eventually, Arrow.
The aforementioned AGT (12.2 mil/2.4) was up 10 percent in viewers but down a tenth in the demo from its previous finale.
The night’s other big bow, Fox’s Red Band Society, presented with a slow pulse, sadly, drawing 4.1 million viewers and a 1.3 rating — down significantly from The X Factor‘s year-ago numbers (7.3 mil/2.2) in the time slot. That said, the heartwarmer’s numbers held steady throughout the hour. TVLine readers gave the premiere a “B+.”
Over on CBS, Big Brother (6.7 mil/2.2) dipped 4 percent and two tenths, while the Extant finale (5.4 mil/1.0) popped 20 and 25 percent. Versus its June launch, the summer series — which TVLine readers gave an overall grade of “C+” — wound up down 43 and 37 percent.
Elsewhere: Hell’s Kitchen opened Fox’s night with 4 mil/1.4, dipping 9 percent and a tenth…. The CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us (1.6 mil/0.5) was flat.
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