TNT's Leverage Scores Strong Growth as Hit Series Wraps Up Summer Season

TNT's hit series Leverage wrapped up its summer season Sunday with more than 3.7 million viewers in Live + Same Day delivery,up a strong 11% when compared to the series' 2009 summer finale. The episode enjoyed solid growth among key adult demos, including an exceptional 36% boost from adults 18-34. Leverage's growing popularity among young adults is also evident in the series' outstanding performance in time-shifted viewing, with Live + 7 deliveries (through Aug. 22) revealing significant growth over last summer among adults 18-34 and adults 18-49.

Leverage ratings highlights:

Leverage's summer finale was watched by 3,744,000 viewers; 601,000 adults 18-34; 1,345,000 adults 18-49; and 1,502,000 adults 25-54. The episode's total audience growth of 11% over last summer's finale was driven almost entirely by young adult demos, including adults 18-34 (+36%) and adults 18-49 (+6%).

For the summer, Leverage is averaging 4.5 million viewers in Live + 7 delivery (through Aug. 22). When compared to last summer, the series is up a solid 5% among adults 18-49 in Live + 7, with much of that growth coming from adults 18-34 (+15%). Meanwhile, Leverage's overall audience and delivery of adults 25-54 remain on par with last summer.

Leverage commands a strong, loyal following, as demonstrated by its outstanding performance in time-shifted viewing. The show's Live + 7 deliveries (through Aug. 22) show its total audience growing by 62% over Live viewing (34% over Live + Same Day); adults 18-34 by 111% over Live (47% over Live +SD); adults 18-49 by 87% over Live (46% over Live + SD); and adults 25-54 by 80% over Live (43% over Live + SD).

Leverage stars Academy Award(R) winner Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People), Gina Bellman (Coupling), Christian Kane (TNT's Into the West), Beth Riesgraf (Alvin and the Chipmunks) and Aldis Hodge (Friday Night Lights). The fast-paced series follows the adventures of a highly skilled team out to settle scores against those who use power and wealth to victimize others. Leverage is executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, TNT's The Librarian trilogy) and creators John Rogers (Transformers) and Chris Downey (The King of Queens). The series is produced for TNT by Devlin's Electric Entertainment.

Leverage is slated to return to finish out its third season in December. TNT has renewed the series for a fourth season, which will begin in summer 2011.

About TNT

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 100 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy(R) winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; HawthoRNe, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy(R)-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(R); and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 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.