or


[07/13/10 - 11:18 AM]
TNT's Rizzoli & Isles Sets Record with Cable's Biggest Ad-Supported Premiere After Outstanding Season Debut of the Closer
TNT spins the numbers for Monday, July 12.

[via press release from TNT]

TNT's Rizzoli & Isles Sets Record with Cable's Biggest Ad-Supported Premiere after Outstanding Season Debut of The Closer

Monday night's premiere of TNT's new original series Rizzoli & Isles now claims the record as cable's #1 commercial-supported series launch of all time, with 7.6 million viewers. The series, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander, raced out of the starting gate after an equally strong performance for the sixth-season premiere of The Closer, which delivered 7.7 million viewers, up 7% over its fifth-season premiere on June 8, 2009. Both premieres also rank as ad-supported cable's top series telecasts for the year-to-date among viewers and households.

"The tremendous viewer response to Rizzoli & Isles is very gratifying," said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "Rizzoli & Isles is shaping up to be a great companion for The Closer, which continues to deliver extraordinary numbers in its sixth season on our network."

Rizzoli & Isles premiered Monday at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) with 7,553,000 viewers and 5,647,000 households, making it cable's most successful commercial-supported series launch of all time. The episode ranks a close second behind the September 2008 commercial-free debut of Raising the Bar among all series premieres on ad-supported cable. Rizzoli & Isles built on its lead-in from The Closer among key adult demos, with 2,079,000 adults 18-49 and 2,722,000 adults 25-54.

The Closer, starring Golden Globe� winner and current Emmy� nominee Kyra Sedgwick, kicked off its sixth season at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) with 7,660,000 viewers and 5,716,000 households, ranking as ad-supported cable's top series telecast for the year-to-date in both categories. The telecast delivered strong growth when compared to the fifth-season premiere, with viewers and households up 7%. Among key adult demos, The Closer averaged 1,995,000 adults 18-49 and 2,680,000 adults 25-54.

Rizzoli & Isles brings two powerful women to TNT's roster of strong female characters. Based on the crime novels by best-selling author Tess Gerritsen, this crime drama stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander as Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles, good friends and sometimes partners, who together solve crimes and bust some of Boston's most notorious criminals. Lorraine Bracco co-stars as Jane's demanding and intrusive mother. Rizzoli & Isles also stars Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill and Jordan Bridges. The series comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television and is being executive-produced by Janet Tamaro and Bill Haber's Ostar Productions.

The Closer, which ranks as cable's #1 series of all time, stars Sedgwick as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, head of the LAPD's Major Crimes unit. She is joined by the show's four-time SAG Award�-nominated ensemble cast, including Corey Reynolds, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Raymond Cruz, Michael Paul Chan and Phillip P. Keene. The series also stars Jon Tenney as Brenda's husband, FBI Agent Fritz Howard; J.K. Simmons as her demanding boss, Will Pope; and Robert Gossett as the head of Robbery-Homicide, Commander Taylor. The Closer is produced for TNT by The Shephard/Robin Company, in association with Warner Bros. Television. The series was created by James Duff, who serves as executive producer with Greer Shephard, Michael M. Robin, Rick Wallace and Kyra Sedgwick.

In addition to The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles, TNT's summer originals line-up includes the second season of Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton (Sundays at 9 p.m.); the second season of HawthoRNe, starring Jada Pinkett Smith (Tuesdays at 9 p.m.); and the debut season of the new hit series Memphis Beat, starring Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard (Tuesdays at 10 p.m.). In August, Jerry Bruckheimer's high-octane cop drama Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott, returns for its second season, with Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer joining the cast.

About TNT

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 99.6 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; the upcoming Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy�-winning producer John Wells (ER). TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. The NCAA men's basketball tournament will appear on TNT beginning in 2011. TNT is available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.





  [july 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· RIZZOLI & ISLES (TNT)





[11/01/24 - 02:01 PM]
HBO Orders Original Limited Drama "DTF ST. Louis" to Series
The limited series stars and is executive produced by Jason Bateman and David Harbour.

[11/01/24 - 02:00 PM]
Disney Branded Television Greenlights "How We Became the Biggest Band in the World" and "Vampirina" (Working Titles) for Disney Channel and Disney+
The Latter series is based on the books written by Anne Marie Pace and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, and inspired by the Disney Jr. animated series "Vampirina" from Chris Nee.

[11/01/24 - 12:48 PM]
Peacock Renews Long-Running Soap "Days of Our Lives" for 61st Season
The renewal comes on the eve of "Day of Days," the annual fan event at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles being held on Saturday, November 2, where the show's 60th season will be celebrated.

[11/01/24 - 12:01 PM]
Video: "Rhythm + Flow" Season 2 - Cast Announcement - Netflix
The search for the next face of hip-hop moves to Atlanta as global hitmakers Ludacris, Latto and DJ Khaled join the judging panel to mentor fresh talent.

[11/01/24 - 12:00 PM]
60 Years After Debuting on the Network, Christmas Classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" Returns to NBC for a Special 75-Minute Telecast on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Said date was the same it premiered in 1964 as part of the "General Electric Fantasy Hour."

[11/01/24 - 11:54 AM]
"High Potential" Continues Linear Dominance as ABC Wins Tuesday 10 p.m. Hour in Total Viewers for First Time in 4 Years
Season to date through week five, "High Potential" stands as ABC's most-watched (10.42 million) new series in six years - since the 2018-2019 season with "The Conners."

[11/01/24 - 10:31 AM]
Video: AMC/AMC+ Debut Riveting First-Look at Season 3 of the Hit Noir Thriller "Dark Winds"
The series will return with all new episodes exclusively on AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, March 9 at 9pm ET/PT.

[11/01/24 - 10:05 AM]
TBS "All I Watch for Christmas" and TNT "Christmas Maximus" Kick Off Holiday Programming on Saturday, November 2
With countless blockbuster films airing over 8-weeks, TNT "Christmas Maximus" takes holiday movies to the next level, serving as a hub for endless seasonal offerings and high-energy classics.

[11/01/24 - 10:03 AM]
'Tis the Season for Holiday Cheer on ABC
Highlights include a new season of "The Great Christmas Light Fight," along with news of a season 13 pickup for 2025.

[11/01/24 - 10:00 AM]
FOX and Gordon Ramsay Count Down to the Super Bowl with "Kitchen Nightmares: Road to Super Bowl LIX"
Gordon Ramsay's iconic series returns with a supercharged two-hour episode, Wednesday, January 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), with regular episodes airing on Wednesdays from 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT, beginning January 8 on FOX.

[11/01/24 - 09:30 AM]
Prime Video Reveals "Pimpinero: Blood and Oil" will Premiere Exclusively on November 22
The film is set in the desert bordering Colombia and Venezuela, where gasoline smugglers known as "pimpineros" risk their lives transporting illegal fuel from one country to another.

[11/01/24 - 09:06 AM]
Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas" Returns with Yuletide Cheer This December
A delightful collection of Christmas favorites is being offered to make spirits bright, including "Home Alone," "The Santa Clause" trilogy and "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000).

[11/01/24 - 09:00 AM]
Watch CBS News and Stations' "America Decides: Election '24" Team Coverage Across Broadcast, Streaming and Digital
Primetime election night coverage on CBS and CBS News 24/7 will begin at 7:00 PM, ET, anchored by Norah O'Donnell from CBS News' election headquarters in New York City.

[11/01/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Miss Scarlet" Season 5 Preview
Criminals have never stumped Eliza Scarlet, but a new Detective Inspector...? She's on the case!

[11/01/24 - 07:31 AM]
Video: "Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was..." - Date Announcement - Netflix
Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning actor. Grammy-winning singer. Beloved comedian. Jamie Foxx returns to the stage to set the record straight.