TNT Launches Hit Tuesday Lineup as "Rizzoli & Isles" Draws 5.6 Million Viewers, Followed by "Franklin & Bash" with 3.1 Million

TNT has taken Tuesdays to a new level with last night's season premieres of Rizzoli & Isles and Franklin & Bash, which welcomed millions of new viewers to the lineup. Rizzoli & Isles opened the night at 9 p.m. with 5,620,000 viewers, setting a new record as basic cable's #1 Tuesday premiere ever for an original scripted drama series. It was followed at 10 p.m. by Franklin & Bash, which brought in 3,070,000 viewers, up 12% compared to the show's launch last summer.

Among key adult demos, last night's season three premiere of Rizzoli & Isles averaged 1,537,000 adults 18-49 and 1,900,000 adults 25-54, while the season two premiere of Franklin & Bash averaged 1,089,000 adults 18-49 and 1,245,000 adults 25-54.

Both series delivered across-the-board growth for TNT when compared to the launch of last summer's Tuesday night lineup (June 14, 2011). Rizzoli & Isles outdelivered last year's 9 p.m. season premiere of Memphis Beat by 86% among viewers, 64% among adults 18-49 and 76% among adults 25-54. And Franklin & Bash beat last year's season premiere of Hawthorne at 10 p.m. by 19% among viewers, 13% among adults 18-49 and 18% among adults 25-54.

About Rizzoli & Isles

Television's smartest (and most attractive) crime-solving duo are back on the case as Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander star in the chart-busting series back for its third season. Based on characters created by best-selling crime novelist Tess Gerritsen, Rizzoli & Isles stars Harmon as Jane Rizzoli, a tough-as-nails Boston police detective, and Alexander as Maura Isles, a smart, impeccably dressed medical examiner from a privileged background. Despite being complete opposites, the two women share an offbeat chemistry and strong working relationship that lets them solve complex murder mysteries in the city of Boston. Rizzoli & Isles also stars Lee Thompson Young, Bruce McGill, Jordan Bridges, Brian Goodman and Lorraine Bracco. The series comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television and is executive-produced by Janet Tamaro of Hurdler Productions and Bill Haber of Ostar Productions, as well as Michael Katleman.

About Franklin & Bash

TNT's hit buddy legal drama series is back in the courtroom for a second season. The series stars Breckin Meyer as Jared Franklin and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Peter Bash, two young, fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants street lawyers who caused a seismic culture clash when they joined a legendary, button-down law firm. Jared loves sticking it to authority every chance he gets. Peter, meanwhile, has a knack for connecting with judge and jury any way he can. Malcolm McDowell plays Renaissance man Stanton Infeld, the brilliant and eccentrically spontaneous patriarch of the law firm. Also starring are Reed Diamond, Dana Davis, Garcelle Beauvais, Kumail Nanjiani. Franklin & Bash is produced by Four Sycamore Productions, Left Coast Productions and FanFare Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television. Jamie Tarses, Jason Ensler, Kevin Falls and Bill Chais serve as executive producers.

About TNT

TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households, TNT is home to such original drama series as The Closer, Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Franklin & Bash, Leverage, Southland and the upcoming Major Crimes, Dallas, Perception and Monday Mornings. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like this summer's The Great Escape and the upcoming Boston Blue (w.t.) and 72 Hours (w.t.). In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order and Castle, which starts this year; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards?; blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

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.