The CBS sophomore drama Under the Dome returned to the air last night and picked up where it left off, owning summer Monday evenings for the network as fans flocked to see the small-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s hit book. Though Under the Dome ratings were enough to push it to the top, its numbers are down substantially from the series premiere a year ago.
Airing at 10pm, Under the Dome drew a total of 9.4 million viewers and a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demo. The 2.2. number is especially troubling for the series as last year’s series premiere drew a 3.3, and the low last season was a 2.1 — only a tenth of a rating’s point away from this year’s Season 2 premiere.
Even unimpressive Under the Dome ratings were able to overcome the competition in both overall viewers and demo ratings. Fox’s 24: Live Another Day, ABC’s The Bachelorette and MasterChef all suffocated under the strength of the dome.
Next week’s Under the Dome Season 2 ratings for the second episode will be telling about the long term viability of the series. It won’t be a good sign if the slide continues and another Monday evening show inches ahead of it.
