TV viewers were looking to get away with a few crimes, or at least watch people do so because The Purge premiered to solid ratings last week on the USA Network.
The series drew 2.3 million on USA in total viewers, +63% from L+SD, and 1.1 million adults 18-49, +61%. These numbers include delayed viewing but it’s pretty much in line with what the network typically averages for its currently airing series’.
Helping The Purge is that the series is also going to be rerun at times on USA’s sister-station Syfy. Running it on two NBC-Universal owned networks could help it draw a larger audience, or at least minimize the cost to one network.
The Purge stars Gabriel Chavarria, Jessica Garza, Hannah Emily Anderson, Colin Woodell, Reed Diamond, Lili Simmons, William Baldwin, Lee Tergesen, Paulina Gálvez, Allison King, Fiona Dourif, and Amanda Warren. From creator James DeMonaco, and based on his feature film franchise, the drama unfolds in the United States, which is under totalitarian rule. The story centers on a 12-hour period during which all crimes, including murder, are legal.
