At the Television Critics Association Press tour this morning, FOX announced some renewals for the 2015-2016 season. It should come as no surprise to anyone, that the breakout hit, Empire will return to the airwaves next season. Also, Gotham and Brooklyn Nine-Nine will return to FOX.
Averaging a 5.3 rating in Nielsen’s Most Current measure, Empire has emerged as the No. 1 new series of the season. Following its second episode, it is the only new broadcast drama this season to grow from week one to week two.
From Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Precious”), Emmy Award winner Danny Strong (“Game Change,” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”) and Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “24”), comes Empire, a drama about a family dynasty, set within a world of music, glamour, danger and power.
Featuring music by prolific producer Timbaland, the series stars Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard (Crash, Hustle & Flow) and Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson (No Good Deed, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button).
We’re covering Empire on the blog. If you haven’t caught an episode yet, I suggest you do. It’s my new favorite show. Top notch acting, and while the storylines are soapy as hell, they also reasonate on deeper level, as it chronicles the tribulations of a very troubled family. And the music is TERRIFIC. And Taraji P. Henson IS A QUEEN.
Also renewed by FOX: The Batman origin story, Gotham will return for a second season. Averaging a 4.2 rating in Adults 18-49 and 10.6 million viewers, Gotham is this season’s No. 1 broadcast drama overall among Men 18-49 and Men 18-34. The debut episode, which exploded into Premiere Week with a 6.0/18 rating among Adults 18-49, outperformed The Blacklist and Scorpion and delivered FOX’s highest-rated fall drama debut in 14 years. This Live +7 rating reflects the largest post-three-day ratings gain (+0.9) of any broadcast drama, ever.
The series stars Ben McKenzie (Southland, The O.C.), Donal Logue (Vikings, Sons of Anarchy), Jada Pinkett Smith (Hawthorne, Collateral) and Robin Lord Taylor (The Walking Dead).
Also, a third season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is coming our way. Season-to-date, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is averaging a 2.7/7 in Viewers 18-49, up +17% in the key demographic versus last season, and generating the largest year-to-year gains of any sophomore series. Additionally, the series’ Jan. 4 broadcast delivered a Live +3 rating of 3.6/9 in Adults 18-49, the show’s highest Live +3 rating of the season.
Created and written by Dan Goor (Parks and Recreation) and Michael Schur (Parks and Recreation, The Office), Brooklyn Nine-Nine stars SNL alum, Andy Samberg, as a talented, but carefree, detective and Andre Braugher as his by-the-book precinct captain.
