History’s drama series Vikings drew 3.6 million total viewers for its season-two debut Thursday night, according to Nielsen Fast National ratings that are subject to change.
That was a sharp decline from the season-one premiere, which drew 6.2 million total viewers. But the series launched with mega-hit The Bible as a lead-in show.
Compared with the final four episodes of season one, without The Bible leading in, last night’s episode was up 3% in total viewers, 10% in men 25-54 (1.2 million) and men 18-49 (1.1 million) and up 6% in adults 18-49 (1.7 million), History said.
Overall, Michael Hirst-createdVikings was the top new cable series of 2013 and averaged 4.3 million total viewers. Season-one episodes that followed The Bibleaveraged 5 million total viewers.
The A+E Networks outlet said only TheWalking Dead and American Horror Story: Coven surpassed the Vikings season-two start this year among all cable dramas, per Nielsen Research. And the Vikings season two launch was Twitter’s most talked-about cable program for the night, up 28% versus season one’s debut, and History’s most tweeted about premiere year-to-date, per Nielsen SocialGuide.
