E1 Hails Opening Numbers for Rookie Blue

TORONTO/LOS ANGELES/LONDON: E1 Entertainment’s new police drama Rookie Blue opened to more than 7.3 million viewers on ABC on Friday night.

Simultaneously premiering on Global in Canada, the episode delivered more than 9 million North American viewers, E1 said. It was ABC’s best summer scripted opener in six years, and Global’s highest-rated premiere for an original commissioned drama in the last five years.

“Launching a new drama is always a challenge so we are absolutely thrilled and this success marks the latest step in our evolution as a leading independent studio,” said John Morayniss, the CEO of E1 Television. “This is further evidence that the model that we created for E1 Television a little more than two years ago is paying dividends, both in terms of the quality of our productions and the response from broadcasters, critics and viewers.”

E1 is distributing the show—about five cops fresh out of the academy—worldwide, and has already sold the exclusive global pay-TV rights (excluding U.S., Canada, France and Germany) to Universal Networks International.