Nellie Andreeva

Last night’s MTV Movie Awards drew 4.5 million viewers on MTV, down a fraction from last year’s audience of 4.6 million. In MTV’s core demographic of persons 12-34, it posted a 3.9 rating, down 5% from last year’s 4.1 rating. Driven by Twilight, which dominated the awards show, the film’s core female teen audience tuned in in droves for a 8.3 rating, up 46% from last year’s 5.7 rating. On all 4 MTV networks that carried the Movie Awards, MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Logo, the awards show averaged 5.4 million viewers, down 7% from last year’s 5.8 million. For a second straight year, MTV used the Movie Awards as a launching pad for a new scripted series. Last year it was The Hard Times of RJ Berger, this year it was Teen Wolf. The series remake of the movie starring Michael J. Fox drew a so-so 2.2 million viewers and a 2.1 rating in persons 12-34. That was down from Hard Times‘ 2.6 million and a 2.6 12-34 rating last year. The big influx of female teens for the awards show carried over to Teen Wolf, which did a 5.6 rating in female teens, up 105% vs. the more male-skewing Hard Times. The real test for Teen Wolf will be tonight when the show premieres in its regular 10 PM slot. MTV opened the night with the season finale of Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew, which drew a 2.1 rating among 12-34, up 38% from last year’s Movie Awards lead-in.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.