'Longmire' Debut Sets A&E Ratings Record

'The Glades' draws 3.1 million viewers in third season premiere

By R. Thomas Umstead, Multichannel News -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/4/2012 4:57:11 PM

Sunday's premiere of A&E's new drama series Longmire pulled in a network record 4.1 million viewers, A&E officials announced Monday.

The western-themed series, which stars Robert Taylor as unflappable Absaroka County, Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire, is cable's top new scripted drama of 2012 among total viewers as well as adults 25-54 (1.4 million viewers), said the network.

Longmire drew more viewers for A&E than the July 2010 premiere of The Glades, which averaged 3.6 million viewers in its debut.

Sunday's season three premiere of The Glades drew 3.1 million total viewers, up 19% compared to its season two average. The series also averaged 1.4 million adults 25-54 (up 27%) and 1.1 million adults 18-49 (up 17%) compared to the previous season, according to network officials.