TNT's Successful Three-Night Strategy of Original Programming Continues With 3.9 Million Viewers Tuning in to the Season Premiere of Leverage And 3.5 Million Viewers for the Series Premiere of Dark Blue

July 16, 2009

Last night, TNT launched its third successful night of original programming as 3.9 million viewers tuned in for the second-season premiere of LEVERAGE, from executive producer Dean Devlin and starring Oscar� winner Timothy Hutton, and 3.5 million viewers watched DARK BLUE, the new series from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer and featuring Golden Globe� winner Dylan McDermott. LEVERAGE also outdelivered its first-season average among viewers and households.

The success of TNT's Wednesday night lineup is the latest step in the network's plan to create three nights of outstanding original programming, which this week was watched by a combined 23.5 million viewers. TNT's Monday night original series lineup features THE CLOSER and RAISING THE BAR, while Tuesday night pairs HAWTHORNE with SAVING GRACE.

"Last year, we laid out a strategy to create three nights of high-quality, original programming on TNT," said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "The success of LEVERAGE and DARK BLUE proves once again what can happen when you work with the very best talent in the industry."

Last night's second-season premiere of LEVERAGE was watched by 3,890,000 viewers and 2,724,000 households. It also scored a 2.8 coverage household rating/2.4 national household rating. The episode outdelivered its first-season Live + Same Day average, with viewers up 24% and households up 20%. It also elevated TNT's Wednesday 9-10 p.m. time period over the same night last year, with viewers up 113% and households up 70%.

DARK BLUE continued the success of its LEVERAGE lead-in by delivering 3,542,000 viewers and 2,717,000 households. It also garnered a 2.8 coverage household rating/2.4 national household rating. When compared to the same night last year, DARK BLUE raised TNT's Wednesday 10-11 p.m. time period deliveries by 129% among viewers and 104% among households.

On Mondays, TNT's THE CLOSER continues to rank as ad-supported cable's #1 series, averaging 6.5 million viewers and 4.8 million households for its fifth season. The second season of RAISING THE BAR has been the #1 entertainment program in its time slot among viewers (3.3 million, +7% vs. last season) and households (2.6 million, +5% vs. last season).

TNT's successful Tuesday night lineup of originals kicks off with HAWTHORNE, which in its first season is averaging 3.3 million viewers and 2.6 million households. HAWTHORNE is followed by SAVING GRACE, which is averaging 3 million viewers and 2.3 million households in its third season.

Sponsors for the premiere of LEVERAGE included Hyundai and Sprint, while premiere sponsors for DARK BLUE included The Weinstein Group, which presented special footage from Quentin Tarantino's upcoming film Inglourious Basterds.

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama and home to such original series as the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter; Raising the Bar, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Cold Case, Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. 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.