Not only does Fox have a fan favorite on their hands with its hit show, “Empire,” but the network can now boast that the hip-hop drama is groundbreaking.
No other show in the history of Nielsen’s People Meters (dating back 23 years) has grown its viewership for five consecutive weeks after its premiere. There’s a possibility the record could go further back than that but Nielsen updated its system in 1991 and comparisons can only go back to that date.
Since the debut episode, which pulled in 9.9 million viewers, the Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson-led drama has garnered 10.3 million, 11.1 million, 11.4 million, 11.5 million and most recently 11.9 million viewers, respectively.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of “Empire’s” rating dominance is that it’s pulling in a record number of viewers despite the fact that its lead-in program, “American Idol,” is scoring some of the lowest ratings in the history of the long-running show.
