NBC got a strong sampling for rookie drama The Mysteries of Laura on Wednesday, drawing a 2.1 rating with adults 18-49, airing behind the season finale of America’s Got Talent, according to Nielsen overnight numbers.
The 10 p.m. premiere also attracted 10.4 million total viewers, the most for any network debut since NBC previewed Believe to 10.6 million viewers in March. Laura makes its time period debut next Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Leading into the Debra Messing-starrer, America’s Got Talent – which ran a bit over 10 p.m. so final numbers may dip for Laura – finished its season with a 2.3 rating, down two tenths from last year, but up 28% from the previous week. NBC was the night’s top network, averaging a 2.2 rating and 7 share.
The other new drama, Fox’s Red Band Society, struggled against AGT at 9 p.m., drawing a 1.3 rating in the demo and 4 million total viewers, which was down 43% from the 2.3 that The X Factor premiered to on the same night last year. Earlier, Hell’s Kitchen dipped a tenth from last week with a 1.4. Fox averaged a 1.4/4.
CBS averaged a 1.4/5. Big Brother was down 8% from last Wednesday at 2.2. The season finale of Extant was up one tenth from last week at 1.1.
ABC aired reruns, averaging a 1.0/3. The CW averaged a 0.4/1. Penn & Teller: Fool Us was up one tenth from last week at 0.6.
