Drop Dead Diva Delivers for Lifetime

LOS ANGELES: The comedic drama Drop Dead Diva delivered its highest ratings ever on Sunday on Lifetime among women 18 to 49 and women 25 to 54.

The show scored a 1.8 rating with women 18 to 49, a 16-percent increase over the season-to-date average, and a 2.0 rating with women 25 to 54, an increase of 13 percent. The series averaged nearly 3 million total viewers, up 7 percent on its season-to-date average, and posted a 2.4 household rating, a 10-percent increase.

The episode, which featured guest stars Kathy Najimy (King of the Hill) and Teri Polo (Meet the Parents), also grew at the half-hour mark in both demos—increasing 10 percent in women 18 to 49 and 7 percent among women 25 to 54. The network has renewed Drop Dead Diva for a second season, ordering 13 new episodes for 2010.

Army Wives, which follows Drop Dead Diva at 10 p.m., continues to score solid numbers. Its Sunday episode garnered the show’s highest household rating this season, posting a 3.3, which represents a 10-percent increase over its season-to-date average. Among women 18 to 49, Army Wives delivered a 2.4 rating and a 2.8 rating among women 25 to 54. Together, Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives make Lifetime the highest-rated and most watched network in the Sunday, 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. time period among women 18 to 49.