'Kardashians' Ratings Drop Double Digits in Total Viewers, Key Demo

The reality this week wasn’t so great for Kim Kardashian and Co.: Sunday’s “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” dropped double digits from last week’s season premiere in both the advertiser-sought 18-49 demographic, and in total viewers.

The unscripted series’ 2.081 million total viewers was down 18 percent from its prior episode. In the key demo, its 1.327 million viewers fell by 15 percent week-over-week.

Previously, versus its most-comparable season premiere, the March 15, 2015 “Kardashians” opener was down eight percent in the demo year-over-year, but just one percent in overall audience.

Also Read: ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Premiere Down From Last Season’s Debut

Some drop-off is of course expected for most series from premiere to subsequent episode. “KUWTK” experienced a similar drop (within one percent) from Week 1 to Week 2 last year. There are some exceptions, however — like E!’s first scripted series “The Royals,” for example.

The Elizabeth Hurley show rose a strong 19 percent among adults 18-49 (to 756,000), though it slipped six percent in total viewers (to 1.321 million).

That means that the retention from the 9 p.m. March 22, 2015 “Kardashians” to the 10 o’clock “Royals” saw a difference of 760,000 total viewers, slipping 37 percent from one show to the next. That margin is slimmer than last week’s 45 percent overall drop.

Also Read: Rush Limbaugh Thinks if Kanye West Sang Racist Frat Song, ‘It’d Be a Hit’ (Video)

“The Royals,” which also stars Merritt Patterson, William Moseley, Joan Collins and Alexandra Park, among others, follows a fictional British Royal family set in modern day London, who inhabit a world of opulence and regal tradition that caters to any and every desire — but one that also comes with a price tag of duty, destiny and intense public scrutiny.

To its credit, the new drama had the biggest original cable launch to-date in 2015 among women 18-34 and women 18-49, excluding spinoffs and kids programming.

E! will release Live 3-Day numbers for both shows on Friday, which is the cable channel’s current standard for sharing Nielsen numbers.

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SURVIVOR
Now in its 30th season, viewers have tuned in to the reality game show in droves since 2000 to watch ordinary people physically, mentally and strategically duel with each other in order to win $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor.
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AMERICAN IDOL
The first televised competition show to let viewers vote on the talent themselves, "Idol" may no longer be a ratings juggernaut, but it still proves exciting.
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THE BACHELOR
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PROJECT RUNWAY
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REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY
The originator of the "Real Housewives" brand, "RHOC" showed viewers that being rich doesn't spare people messed-up lives; oftentimes, it actually makes those messes worse.
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JON AND KATE PLUS 8
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JERSEY SHORE
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THE OSBOURNES
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THE HILLS
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THE REAL WORLD
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AMAZING RACE
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DEADLIEST CATCH
This fishing boat-based program offers a rarity for viewers: a docu-series about a dangerous profession. Coast Guard rescue squads have frequently been a part of the show.
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BIG BROTHER
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RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE
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PAWN STARS
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AMERICAN CHOPPER
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TOP CHEF
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HERE COMES HONEY BOO BOO
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JACKASS
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KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS
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DUCK DYNASTY
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