Even during a celebration, NBC’s low ratings were a punchline for Saturday Night Live. Ironically, the show earned incredible ratings for the network, so they might ask Lorne Michaels if a Sunday Night Live is possible.
NBC said this morning that early numbers from Nielsen show that the three-and-a-half-hour special drew an astonishing 23.1 million viewers overall and an even more eye-popping 7.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
If those numbers hold, it could be the biggest primetime entertainment telecast (excluding Super Bowls) for the network since the Will & Grace finale drew an 8.4 rating in May 2006. It was also the top-rated special since the February 2004 Friends clip-show, which had a 16.7.
In addition, it was the best-rated SNL special since a post-Friends special on a Thursday in February 2001. That episode drew a 9. rating.
It was also had the most viewers for a primetime entertainment telecast since 23.9 million viewers tuned in for a May 2004 ER episode that aired the night of the Fraiser finale.
Lastly, it was the most-watched SNL special since the September 1992
According to Entertainment Weekly, Nielsen social data shows that 9.1 million people saw 1.3 million tweets about the episode. That’s the highest impressions for any SNL episode.
You can check out our recap of the special here.
image courtesy of Roger Wong/INFphoto.com
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