Memorial Day to Remember for E!, A&E

Debuts of E! Reality Shows Denise Richards: It’s Complicated, Living Lohan, A&E Miniseries The Andromeda Strain Boost Ratings

By Alex Weprin & Anne Becker -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/27/2008 6:29:00 PM

The premieres of reality shows starring actress Denise Richards and Dina Lohan delivered strong ratings for E! Entertainment Television on Memorial Day.

The premiere of Denise Richards: It’s Complicated drew a 1.57 household rating in 56 metered markets, according to E!, delivering a 15% increase in its time period at 10 p.m. over last year and doubling its lead-in audience. It’s Complicated also did significantly better in its metered-market premiere than current E! hit Keeping Up with the Kardashians did when it debuted last year.

Actress Lindsay Lohan’s mom also drew a strong metered-market debut with the premiere of Living Lohan, which premiered after It’s Complicated at 10:30 p.m. Living Lohan delivered a 1.46 household rating, up 50% from the time period the year before.

Night one of A&E Network’s The Andromeda Strain ranked as the network’s No. 2 telecast ever in the 25-54 demo with 2.7 million viewers, according to fast ratings from Nielsen Media Research. That put it above 2005 original movie Flight 93.

Andromeda averaged 4.8 million total viewers at 9 p.m., 2.5 million of them adults 18-49. Part two of the movie -- an adaptation of the best-selling Michael Crichton movie -- debuts Tuesday at 9 p.m.