‘Greenleaf’ Debut Sets OWN Ratings Record

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Tuesday’s premiere of OWN’s new church-themed drama series Greenleaf delivered a ratings record for the network.

The Lionsgate-produced series, which features Oprah Winfrey’s first appearance in a scripted series in nearly two decades, averaged 3.0 million viewers in its debut, easily besting the 1.9 million viewers generated by the September 2014 premiere of the Tyler Perry-produced series If Loving You Is Wrong, said network officials.

The series'  premiere episode, which follows the drama within a close-knit family and their Memphis-based megachurch, also finished as the second most watched cable debut in 2016 behind FX’s The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, according to OWN. 

In addition, the season premiere of Perry drama The Haves and the Have Nots, drew  2.9 million viewers, said the network

OWN will debut two new episodes of the series tonight beginning at 9 p.m., the network said.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.