'Anger Management' Returns Down in Season Two Premiere

'Archer' comes back strong; 'Legit' debuts low

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/18/2013 8:38:37 PM

The second season premiere of FX's Anger Management drew 1.82 million total viewers, down considerably from the show's first season.

The 9 p.m. premiere, which kicked off the Charlie Sheen starrer's 90-episode order, was down 60% from Anger's season one average (4.53 million) and 67% lower than its series premiere audience of 5.47 million viewers. The premiere was also down big with adults 18-49, drawing only 903,000 viewers, down 64% from the 2.5 million the first season averaged.

The 9:30 p.m. episode that followed increased 10% with adults 18-49 to 994,000 but fell 9% to 1.66 million total viewers. It should be noted that Anger Management faced much tougher competition than in its first season, when it aired in the summer.

Animated comedy Archer returned strong in its fourth season premiere, notching the second-most watched telecast in series history with 1.61 million viewers. The 10 p.m. debut was also Archer's most-watched episode ever with adults 18-49 (1.28 million) and adults 18-34 (882,000).

At 10:30 p.m., the series premiere of Legit drew only 650,000 viewers, losing almost 60% of its lead-in. The premiere also drew 461,000 adults 18-49. Late-night series Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell returned to 331,000 total viewers and 261,000 adults 18-49.