Heroes Season 2 Premeires With A Highest Rating

September 26, 2006 – Paced by the series debut of "Heroes," which posted the highest rating for any NBC drama premiere in five years, NBC won its second Monday night of the 2006-07 season in adults 18-49, according to preliminary "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Versus the second Monday night of last season, NBC's performance last night was up by 18 percent in adults 18-49 and up by 12 percent in overall total viewers.

At 9 p.m. ET, the debut of "Heroes" (5.9 rating, 14 share in 18-49, 14.3 million viewers overall) delivered NBC's highest 18-49 for any fall drama premiere in five years (since "Crossing Jordan" on Monday, Sept. 24, 2001). "Heroes" soared above the time period competition in the key demographic of adults 18-49, with a 31 percent margin of victory over second place (5.9 vs. a 4.5 for CBS' comedies). Pending updates, "Heroes" also won the hour in total viewers, adults, men and women 18-34 and other key measures.
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"Heroes" was up 48 percent versus NBC's 2005-06 season average in the time period, excluding sports (5.9 vs. 4.0). From its first half-hour to its second, "Heroes" grew by 13 percent (to a 6.3/15 from a 5.6/14) and by 1.1 million viewers overall.

Pending updates, "Heroes" is within one tenth of an 18-49 rating point of the highest rating so far this fall for any new series premiere, close behind Sunday's debut of "Brothers & Sisters" on ABC. By comparison, "Brothers & Sisters" benefited from a 9.6 lead-in rating in 18-49 from "Desperate Housewives," while "Heroes" had a 3.8 rating lead-in last night.

The powerful "Heroes" premiere will be rebroadcast on NBC tonight at 8 p.m. ET and on the SCI FI Channel this Friday, September 29, at 7 p.m. ET.