TNT's "Falling Skies" is Cable's #1 Series Launch of the Year, With More than 5.9 Million Viewers

Last night, the two-hour premiere of TNT's Falling Skies staked its ground as cable's #1 new series launch of the year. The epic saga about the aftermath of an all-out invasion by an alien military force drew more than 5.9 million viewers, according to fast national data from Nielsen Media Research. Falling Skies, which stars Noah Wyle and comes to TNT from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, also delivered more than 2.6 million adults 18-49 and 3.2 million adults 25-54.

"The enormous success of Falling Skies demonstrates what can happen when you partner with the best people in the business and give them what they need to do their very best work," said Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "TNT's Falling Skies is an exciting, fascinating and often moving story made possible through the magic of DreamWorks Television, an incredibly talented cast led by Noah Wyle and the vision of one of the greatest storytellers of our time, Steven Spielberg."

Falling Skies ratings highlights:

The two-hour premiere of Falling Skies, sponsored by Hyundai, delivered 5,905,000 viewers, ranking it as cable's #1 new series launch for 2011-to-date.

Falling Skies also ranks as cable's biggest scripted series debut since last year's record-breaking launch of TNT's Rizzoli & Isles (7.6 million on July 12, 2010). Falling Skies outperformed such high-profile launches as USA's Covert Affairs (4.9 million viewers - July 13, 2010) and AMC's The Walking Dead (5.3 million - Oct. 31, 2010).

Among TNT's key demos, Falling Skies averaged an outstanding 2,643,000 adults 18-49 and 3,240,000 adults 25-54. The show's delivery of adults 25-54 makes it cable's top series launch for the year-to-date.

This Sunday, Falling Skies will move to its regular 10 p.m. (ET/PT) timeslot, following the season premiere of TNT's popular caper series Leverage.

Falling Skies takes place in the chaotic aftermath of an alien attack that has left most of the world completely incapacitated. Tom Mason (Wyle), a Boston history professor and the father of three sons, must put his extensive knowledge of military history to the test as second in command of a regiment of resistance fighters protecting a large group of civilian survivors. Falling Skies also stars Moon Bloodgood. Will Patton, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight, Connor Jessup, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Sanguin Carter, Seychelle Gabriel, Mpho Koaho and Peter Shinkoda.

Falling Skies is executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, along with DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank, Graham Yost and screenwriter Robert Rodat, who wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Mark Verheiden and Greg Beeman serve as co-executive producers.

About TNT

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 100.5 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; 2011 Peabody Award winner Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; Hawthorne, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; and Southland, from Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER); as well as new series Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, The Mentalist, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and, starting next year, Castle; 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 Division I Men's Basketball Championship. 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.