*The ratings streak for “Empire” continues.
Fox’s smash hit grew again on Wednesday night, with 13.8 million total viewers and a 5.3 rating among 18- to 49-year-olds, according to Nielsen.
As previously reported, each week’s episode of “Empire” has drawn more viewers than the one before, an extremely rare occurrence on broadcast television. Usually, hordes tune in for a pilot, and then viewers steadily drop off as curiosity wanes.
Wednesday’s episode 8, “The Lyon’s Roar,” marked its seventh consecutive ratings increase. The show premiered in early January to 9.9 million viewers (who watched either live or on the same night; many millions more watched on-demand).
In early fast nationals numbers, last night’s “Empire” was up 2% from last week’s final numbers, reports Deadline. Compared to the 5.1 preliminary result of its February 18 episode, it rose 4%. In total viewers, “Empire’s” 13.8 million to easily be the night’s top show, even beating the double debut of new seasons of “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” on CBS.
Fox executive Gaude Paez Morose tweeted that Wednesday’s “Empire” rating “is the highest of any regular broadcast drama since ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in Sept 2010.”
Below, “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson on how she accounts for the unprecedented week-to-week growth: