FX’s critically acclaimed comedy series Wilfred and Louie delivered stellar ratings performances Thursday night (6/23) as Wilfred (10:00 PM) posted the highest ratings ever for a comedy series premiere on the network and the season two premiere episode of Louie (10:34 PM) earned significant gains over its season one debut.
For its first-run airing, Wilfred delivered 2.55 million total viewers, 1.6 million Adults 18-49 and 834,000 Adults 18-34. Wilfred ranks as the number one FX comedy series premiere in Total Viewers, Adults 18-34, Women 18-49 and Women 18-34. The men/women audience composition for Wilfred was almost dead even, 51%-49%. Wilfred’s multi-telecast audience on Thursday night delivered 3.8 million Total Viewers and 2.4 million Adults 18-49.
For its first-run airing, the second season premiere episode Louie delivered 1.6 million Total Viewers and 1.0 million Adults 18-49, marking increase on +42% in both categories over its first season premiere episode (6/29/10, 11:00 PM). Louie also climbed +49% in delivery of Adults 18-34 (655,000). Louie’s multi-telecast audience posted 2.4 million Total Viewers and 1.6 million Adults 18-49. Last night’s episode is the most-watched single episode of the series in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
Wilfred is a half-hour, live-action comedy about “Ryan,” a young man struggling unsuccessfully to make his way in the world until he forms a unique friendship with “Wilfred,” his neighbor’s canine pet. Everyone else sees Wilfred as just a dog, but Ryan sees a crude and somewhat surly, yet irrepressibly brave and honest Australian bloke in a cheap dog suit. Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Happy Feet) stars as “Ryan” and Jason Gann, who co-created and starred in the Australian series, plays the title character “Wilfred.” Series regulars also include Fiona Gubelmann as “Jenna,” Ryan’s beautiful neighbor and Wilfred’s owner, and Dorian Brown as “Kristen,” Ryan’s sister.
Wilfred is based on the critically acclaimed Australian series of the same title and was adapted for FX by David Zuckerman (Family Guy, American Dad, King of the Hill). Zuckerman also serves as Executive Producer along with Rich Frank, Paul Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz of Prospect Park and Joe Connor and Ken Conner of Renegade, producers of the Australian version of the series. Jason Gann serves as Co-Executive Producer. Wilfred is produced by FX Productions.
The critically acclaimed FX original comedy series Louie is filtered through the observational humor of Emmy Award-winning comedian Louis C.K. From the inventive imagination of Louis C.K., Louie puts a spotlight on C.K.’s everyday ordeals, his quest to find love and his pursuit of humor. Each episode features a scripted story and a mix of his stand-up comedy, which is original material for the series. The single-camera comedy is shot in New York. The series debuted in June of 2010 and was widely hailed by critics as one of the best new series of the year. It recently received two Television Critics Association Awards nominations Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and Louis C.K. for Individual Achievement in Comedy, and two Critics’ Choice Awards nominations for Best Comedy Series and Louis C.K. for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.
Louis C.K. serves as executive producer, writer, director and editor for the series, and M. Blair Breard, Dave Becky and 3 Arts Entertainment are executive producers. The series is produced by FX Productions.
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 99 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning original series, an established film library of acquired box-office hit movies, and an impressive lineup of acquired hit series.
FX Productions co-produces the award-winning hit drama series Sons of Anarchy, and critically acclaimed hit drama series Justified. FXP produces the critically acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, and Louie, the animated hit comedy Archer, and FX’s newest comedy series Wilfred.
SOURCE: The Nielsen Company (Live+Same Day)
