Lifetime's 'Army Wives' Averages 4.2 Million Viewers in 5th Season Premiere

Last night's season five debut of Lifetime's hit drama Army Wives generatEd Strong viewership, showing significant premiere-to-premiere growth in the key demos and becoming ad-supported cable's number two original drama season premiere in 2010-2011 among Women 18-49. Army Wives averaged 4,228,000 Total Viewers, up 27% from its season four debut on April 11, 2010; 1,955,000 Adults 25-54 viewers (+13%); 1,435,000 Women 18-49 viewers (+19%); and 1,485,000 Women 25-54 viewers (+8%), according to Nielsen Research. It secured a 3.2 Household rating (+23%). In addition, yesterday's episode is Lifetime's second most watched original season premiere ever among the key demos, including Women 18+ (2,972,000) and Adults 18+ (3,907,000), behind the season two debut of Army Wives.

Immediately following Army Wives at 10:00pm, Lifetime's unscripted series Coming Home also enjoyEd Strong viewership with triple digit year-to-date time period growth, becoming the network's number one all-new original un-scripted series launch ever across all key demos, excluding Project Runway. Featuring U.S. armed forces service members' surprise family reunions after serving long tours of duty, Coming Home averaged 2,681,000 Total Viewers (up 146% compared to Lifetime's YTD average); 1,396,000 Adults 18-49 viewers (+217%); 1,319,000 Adults 25-54 viewers (+183%); 1,043,000 Women 18-49 viewers (+213%); and 998,000 Women 25-54 viewers (+189%). The show generated a 2.0 Household rating (+131%). Coming Home is the second most watched original un-scripted premiere on ad-supported cable in 2011 among Women 18+ (1,898,000).

Online, myLifetime.com secured its best season premiere of Army Wives traffic ever, with more than double the number of visitors to the series' site than season four premiere.

Army Wives follows the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women - and one man - living with their spouses and families on an active army post. The series stars Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Brian McNamara, Sterling K. Brown, Wendy Davis, Drew Fuller, Terry Serpico and Catherine Bell. Army Wives is produced by ABC Studios for Lifetime Television. Mark Gordon and The Mark Gordon Company's President of Production, Deborah Spera, along with Jeff Melvoin serve as executive producers. The series is based on the book Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage by Tanya Biank, who serves as a consultant.

In paying tribute to American armed forces personnel and their families, Coming Home follows the unforgettable and inspiring surprise reunions of members of all five branches of the military with their spouses, children, parents and other loved ones as they return home from active duty throughout the world. Hosted by former American Idol finalist Matt Rogers, each of the program's 13 hour-long episodes will highlight five reunions featuring service members and their emotional stories. With hundreds of thousands of members of the armed forces serving the country in the Middle East and elsewhere across the globe, military family reunions have become a sensation online, where millions of people have been inspired watching touching footage of loved ones and friends re-connecting with one another after enduring long periods of time apart. Coming Home is produced by RelativityREAL, LLC with Tom Forman (creator of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) and Star Price (The Amazing Race) serving as executive producers.

 

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