‘Empire’ Draws 16 Million Viewers for Season Two Premiere
Empire‘s Season Two premiere was a shocking and insane television spectacle, and its ratings were just as massive as the show itself. On Wednesday night, 16 million people tuned in to the show’s highly anticipated return, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The new episode not only beat every other TV show that aired last night with its numbers, but it also outperformed everything that aired this week, excluding football. The Season Two premiere garnered a 6.5 rating among adults 18-49, and the episode was only outdone by the Season One finale.
Following its January premiere, Empire has become one of the biggest television shows of the past few decades. An impressive 9.9 million viewers tuned in for the pilot and the numbers grew each week, an unprecedented phenomenon in modern television. The March finale was watched by 17.6 million viewers.
The Season Two premiere picked up where last season left off; Luscious Lyon is still in jail, and his ex-wife Cookie is not only trying to take over the business, but keep her sons together. The premiere was packed with huge guest stars, including Al Sharpton, André Leon Talley, Don Lemon, Marisa Tomei and a cannibalistic Chris Rock. Subsequent episodes will feature Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Pitbull and Oprah Winfrey. Last season, Courtney Love, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige and Raven-Symoné turned heads on the show with their shocking guest spots.