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UPDATE 11:30AM: TNT’s new original series Rizzoli & Isles drew some 7.6 million viewers for its premiere last night to rank as the most watched ad-supported cable series launch of all time with commercials. (Overall, it is close second to the commercial-free 2008 debut of the now-defunct TNT legal drama Raising the Bar, which attracted 7.7 million viewers.) The series, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander, held onto almost 100% of its lead-in, the sixth-season premiere of The Closer, which delivered an also impressive 7.7 million viewers, up 7% over its fifth-season premiere last June. That means that TNT may have found a perfect companion for the Kyra Sedgwick-starring drama, with the two shows lifting each other up. Rizzoli & Isles built on its lead-in from The Closer among key adult demos, with 2.1 million adults 18-49 and 2.7 million adults 25-54. Lorraine Bracco co-stars on the Warner Horizon series based on Tess Gerritsen’s novels.
PREVIOUS 7:20AM: Total viewer numbers won’t be available until later today, but in the overnight ratings, TNT’s new drama Rizzoli & Isles scored a 5.6 national rating. The procedural starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander held onto 100% of its lead-in, the season premiere of TNT’s flagship drama The Closer (5.6), which rarely happens. There was also a nice bump for the veteran drama starring Kyra Sedgwick, which scored a 4.6 rating for its season premiere last summer. As for the shows’ audience, it should be pretty big – when The Closer opened with a 4.6 rating last year, it translated to 7.1 million viewers.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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So good, so much fun! TNT outdoes itself after it canceled “Damages” it needed to come back strong with something great and it has! Angie Harmon looks great… I was worried when I saw the Matrix / still/ spin that she was going to look like drag-glam-cop but she looks great in the show, younger. Sasha Alexander is a good contrast, pretty next to AH and a great actor.
Ummm… “Damages” was on FX.
TNT didn’t have “Damages,” it had “Raising the Bar.” And I agree, it needed to come back strong. “Raising the Bar” was good and getting better.
Yo previous commenter, Damages was on FX, but yes Angie Harmon is pretty and TNT rocks.
“Rizzoli and Ives” is a well made show with a smart script (and some nice asides) and Angie Harmon is so fascinating to watch and listen to with that rich-as-oak voice. I loved her droll comment on “Law and Order” when a felon denied being a drug addict and she said “Noooooo… you just like the smell of fine cocaine.”
I thought it was a solid debut. Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander had great chemistry and the supporting cast was solid too. The debut numbers are a little inflated. The show will probably stabilize at around 6M viewers and scew Women in the ratings.
Monday’s appear to be a good Chick procedural night on TNT.
I truly love this series. The two main characters are perfect together. I am so sorry I missed reading this book series, but I plan on making up for it. Alredy have one on my Kindle. I want to read them in order, though. I also loved the Closer and will watch them together!!! Smart move, TNT.
I’m so happy this show did well. I was afraid I’d be the only one to love it. Angie Harmon is one of the most watchable actresses on TV – she was by far my favorite ADA on Law and Order (sorry Jill Hennessy and Alana de la Garza – you’re close runners up), and she was great on Murder Club too. And Sasha Alexander is awesome too! A perfect combo with The Closer, which is so fun. Raising the Bar, however, sucked and I’m glad to see it go. This is way better! Let’s hope it holds up!
We loved this first episode of Rizzolii & Isles. The leads were good, but the supporting cast was great too. We also thought the actress in the opening scene and in flasbacks (who played doctor’s wife, Claire) was really good. She made that scene seem terrifyingly real. wish she could come back in another role!
As a fan of Tess Gerritsen’s novels I had a hard time picturing Angie Harmon as Rizzoli (Angie’s beautiful, Rizzoli… isn’t!). It was disconcerting watching her in the role though she did a great job. However, it was difficult to watch TWO of Gerritsen’s novels mashed together into about 48-52 minutes. I think it will be easier watching different storylines with these characters. Glad to see it did well, as did the Closer, one of my absolute favorites.
TNT and FX are sister networks. The same parent network presented us with Damages and now has done an outstanding job with Rizzoli and Isles
FX is not a Turner network. It is parented by Fox. Do a little research before repeatedly posting wrong information.
Absolutely fabulous show. the cast is super. Fun to watch and Angie is spectacular–a combination of toughness, brains, beauty and above all a cop’s personality. Her sidekick is a great foil for her too. TNT did it again with this and Southland. Cant wait for that to start again.