As expected, Fox has picked up Batman drama “Gotham” for a second season and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” for a third. The big reveal came however, when the network announced it had renewed the hip-hop drama “Empire” for a second season after only two episodes.
But the news is only partly surprising. As previously reported, “Empire‘s” premiere episode tied ABC’s newest hit “How to Get Away with Murder,” as the season’s highest-rated series debut among adults 18-49 years old, making it Fox’s highest rated new show in years. Despite a low build-up of viewers from it’s lead-in, “American Idol,” “Empire” stunned the industry by rising in the ratings during it’s second week, a very rare occurrence, especially after a strong debut.
According to Nielsen, “Gotham” has averaged a 4.2 rating the demo and 10.6 million viewers when including DVR playback, “Empire” averaged a 5.3 in the demo and 11.7 million viewers, and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” ranked a 2.7 in the demo. The success of all three shows is much-needed comeback for Fox, whose ratings have declined more than any other network in the last year.
Congrats to Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson and the remaining cast on their new-found success. Will you continue to tune into Fox’s new hip-hop drama?
