Ratings for last night's episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

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April 23 2014

Ratings for last night's episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Now that the final ratings are in, "The Only Light in the Darkness" got a 1.9/6 in the 18-49 demo.

Simon | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | 16:42 CET | 29 comments total | tags: agents of s.h.i.e.l.d.

At this point I think it's fair to say it is what it is - a show that, after adjustments consistently draws in the 1.8-2.2 range week in and week out. Given that the only show on Network TV last night that drew over a 2.0 was The Voice (and that show is dropping viewers)I'd say they are holding their own compared to what goes on Tuesday nights.

I do hope ABC decides to mix it up next year - I like the half-season approach idea, with a limited Agent Carter run built in. That, along with a Drew directed Daredevil Netflix run will make for a nice Marvel TV season. Hell, maybe Joss can crank out a script or two while he sits in the editing bay working on Avengers 2

TallMichaelJ | April 23, 17:03 CET

It's ABC's most popular new show this season, and is in no danger of non-renewal.

I do hope they move it to a more auspicious time slot. As it is they're pretty much doomed to be a permanent #3.

AndrewCrossett | April 23, 17:40 CET

Some notes from ABC's press release, courtesy of The Futon Critic:

ABC's "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Is Up from Its Last Original 8pm Telecast in Viewers and Adults 18-49

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (8-9pm - 5.7 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. took 2nd place in Adults 18-49 and was up 1-tenth from its last original telecast in the hour two weeks ago in the Fast Affiliate ratings (+6% - 1.8/6 vs. 1.7/6 Fast Affiliate on 4/8/14, which rose 2-tenths in the Nationals). Please Note: S.H.I.E.L.D. regularly increases from the preliminary Fast Affiliate numbers to the L+SD National ratings, rising between 1-2-tenths in Adults 18-49. So far this season, originals have gone up 15 times from the morning numbers to the afternoon numbers. In addition, the ABC drama was up 16% in Total Viewers over its last original in the hour (5.7 million vs. 4.9 million Fast Affiliate on 4/8/14), drawing its biggest overall audience in 3 weeks - since 4/1/14.

· S.H.I.E.L.D was the #1 scripted series in its hour among Men 18-34 for its 19th-straight original telecast. S.H.I.E.L.D. is Tuesday's #1 TV show this season with Men 18-34 and Men 18-49.

· S.H.I.E.L.D. improved its hour by 64% for ABC year to year in Adults 18-49, over the year-ago night with original programming.

JMaloney | April 23, 17:40 CET

The show seems to have burned up a lot of internet goodwill in the first ten eps or so, but I really hope people will come back and catch up during the season break. The last three episodes in particular have been phenomenal.

jeffk | April 23, 17:43 CET

Some basketball fans might have missed it live due to the playoffs. I know that was my reason.

fray-adjacent | April 23, 18:00 CET

I think it would be great if they'd move it to 9 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. I'd be able to watch it more. Also, I wish they'd put it up on HULU faster. Last night's episode is still not up yet.

Squishy | April 23, 18:03 CET

jffk, I hear you. My nephew told me he watched the first three episodes and hasn't gone back. Even when I told him that Ward the bored is now evil and superhot and the action is taking off like a sled heading straight down toward a tree (now what put that image in my head), he wasn't interested.

barboo | April 23, 18:18 CET

The thing is, people ARE catching up. I've seen a lot of people (and spoken to many in person) who have picked the series up again after Captain America, the problem is, those people either aren't Nielsen viewers or they're not watching Live TV. But that's the case with just about everything now, seems nobody watches live anymore so the ratings for everything are a lot lower than they would have been a few years ago.

At least people who watch online (via official sources) are still recognised in some regard by the network, even if it's not counted in overnight ratings so it never hurts for people to re-watch online the following day. Handy links at shieldtv.net/watch. Granted networks don't get as much advertising $ for online viewing but it's $ all the same AND it's an indication to them that more people are watching the show than the overnight numbers would have you believe.

Beth | April 23, 18:51 CET

Season 2 pickup will be announced within the next 3 weeks. ABC upfronts are the afternoon (ET) of May 13. These ratings are great for the new broadcast normal. Those numbers with men are key.

IrrationaliTV | April 23, 19:07 CET

Also, I wish they'd put it up on HULU faster. Last night's episode is still not up yet.

Unfortunately, ABC now has a one-week delay on putting their shows up on Hulu for free. If you want it immediately, you have to subscribe to Hulu Plus.

I think it still goes up On Demand within a day, though. Doesn't it?

AndrewCrossett | April 23, 20:50 CET

Adjusted up to 1.9 in 18-49, 6.04 million viewers.

Perseo | April 23, 21:42 CET

Adjusted up to a 1.9 :)

roadi | April 23, 21:42 CET

Biggest number of total viewers since episode 13, then. Kind of weird. Maybe it has something to do with NICS being a rerun.

Pudungurte | April 23, 21:46 CET

At some point one of the sub-genius's at ABC is going to figure out that putting a 7 day delay on streaming is really really stupid.

JDL | April 23, 21:52 CET

You can watch the latest episode on abc.com the next day.

JMaloney | April 23, 21:58 CET

abc.com allowed next day viewing again for a few episodes, but now they are back to requiring that you sign in with a cable account or wait a week.

Hulu Plus has a two week free trial available - if you time it right that can get you three episodes.

[ edited by Opti on 2014-04-23 22:05 ]

Opti | April 23, 22:04 CET

JDL, not really that stupid if you are trying to maximize advertising revenue (or the way they pay for the show). :) Can be frustrating though. It's available On Demand and on iTunes/vudu/etc. They aren't delaying access to the program just free access to it.

[ edited by IrrationaliTV on 2014-04-23 23:31 ]

IrrationaliTV | April 23, 23:31 CET

@IrrationaliTV
It is a bit stupid, though. I started watching it live again, but missed yesterday's episode due to the NBA playoffs. Now I can't watch it live next week because I will be an episode behind. Basically they just forced me to watch it on Hulu for the rest of the season when I would have been watching it live.

fray-adjacent | April 23, 23:38 CET

You can't buy it for $1.99? Then you're all caught up... Was it pre-empted in your area or did you choose to watch NBA instead? Usually if a show is pre-empted the station runs it at another time.

IrrationaliTV | April 24, 00:10 CET

Usually if a show is pre-empted the station runs it at another time.

Hmm... if only that were true where I live (pretty sure it's not, and I'm in the largest U.S. tv channels market there is.)

brinderwalt | April 24, 00:50 CET

I could pay $1.99, or I could just watch it for free next week; I'm going with the latter. Saying that the delay is stupid was a bit harsh. If delaying it by a week online increases live viewership by more than it decreases live viewership (due to the situation I described) then they are justified in making that call. I kind of doubt that it does, though.

Also, it wasn't pre-empted by the playoffs, but you pretty much have to watch sporting events live. I'd rather watch MAOS live, but it doesn't detract from the experience too much to watch it delayed online.

fray-adjacent | April 24, 01:52 CET

Didn't it get slightly higher ratings last week when it was at 9 o'clock?

Jason_M_Bryant | April 24, 01:58 CET

This was the first episode I watched twice. The earlier ones were rubbish.

Bunnies | April 24, 04:40 CET

It did Jason_M_Bryant.

My youngest son binge-watched it to catch up before seeing CATWS. He liked the series from the get go. My oldest son, who doesn't have time to watch at present, plans to get it when it comes out on DVD, since he just saw CATWS today. I have a feeling the series will pick up new viewers between now and the second season. (I will be cautiously optimistic about this, as 'Angel' fans know too well that good ratings and critical acclaim make no difference if the network folks who make the decisions turn out to be assholes.)

Nebula1400 | April 24, 04:48 CET

@IrrationaliTV
1) I will buy the DVD's through this site when they are available. I refuse to also pay an extra $2 to stream right this minute out of principle.

2) I understand the revenue aspect of this (retired acct), I really do but that's short term thinking. Putting a 7 delay on streaming is stupid for several reasons;

a) many cable systems either can't or choose not to participate in sharing their acct info with ABC*. Telling viewers they are
being scroogied because their cable systems are being over-protective is not real smart.

b) People quit on serialized shows when they can't keep up. This is bad for business.

c) It indirectly encourages illict downloading.

d) It does not add any revenue to the pot.

e) Other broadcast networks either don't do it at all or if they do do it they do it a great deal less. This makes ABC look petty and low.

*Only available for streaming through AT&T U-verse, BEK TV, Charter, Comcast XFINITY, Cox, DISH, Google Fiber, Midcontinent, Optimum and Verizon FiOS.

[ edited by JDL on 2014-04-24 05:16 ]

JDL | April 24, 05:07 CET

DVDs have been mentioned at least twice in this thread, and I can't wait to see this show on blu-ray. Maybe I'm just one of those people, but watching Game of Thrones on tv after catching up on all three blu-ray seasons is almost distracting, and I look forward to the opposite effect when I watch through this show again. And then the original effect again when season 2 starts. And bonus features. I really want to see some extras for this season.
Hopefully the opportunity to more conveniently binge-watch during the summer will bring in some more viewers for next year as well.

Trentaferd | April 24, 06:11 CET

Based on the wretched commercials that Hulu has been running, I'm going to start paying $1.99 to avoid them--the convenience factor merely seals the deal. There's one main reason I don't have cable or broadcast TV and "commercials" are it.

jclemens | April 24, 06:34 CET

If you watch it in Canada, it goes up the next day online for free, or if you have On Demand it's within a day or two.

redeem147 | April 24, 09:15 CET

I am a trooper for everything Whedon but I admit I was having a really really hard time sticking with the show. All of the sudden I am enjoying the show and it seems to be hitting a stride.

DarenG | April 24, 17:33 CET

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