'Doctor Who' Premiere Scores Big Ratings
by EG
Jodie Whittaker's first outing as Doctor Who was well-watched, as the season premiere of the series got significantly higher ratings than last season's finale. In the UK, Whittaker's Doctor scored the biggest debut of any modern regeneration. Read on for details.
Via Deadline.
There were two firsts for Doctor Who’s latest season debut this weekend with the long-running series premiering globally on a Sunday and Jodie Whittaker taking over as the 13th and first female Time Lord – and that translated into some strong ratings for BBC America.
Simulcast with the UK, the rest of the planet and a New York Comic Con screening, the 1:45 PM ET airing of “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” episode snared 1.4 million viewers. In the key adults 18-49 demo, the Season 11 opener written by new showrunner Chris Chibnall delivered a 0.5 rating. That’s up 48% in total audience and 67% in the demo from what Peter Capaldi’s final cycle as the 12th Doctor Who drew in the Season 10 debut on April 15, 2017.
However, while up from David Tennant and Matt Smith’s first series appearances as the Doctor in 2005 and 2010, respectively, compared to Capaldi’s debut as the two-hearted Time Lord in the very different TV era of four years ago, Whittaker’s opener was down 38% in total sets of eyeballs.
With just over 2.2 million viewers, that August 23, 2014 “Deep Breath” episode penned by now-former showrunner Steven Moffat was and remains the series high on BBC America.
In the UK, Whittaker’s series introduction as the Doctor on Sunday beat debuts by previous doctors Tennant, Smith and Capaldi’s openers with 8.2 million viewers and a 40.1% share for BBC One.
Get the rest of the story at Deadline.
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