NBC’s Peter Pan Live may have earned some better reviews that The Sound of Music Live did last year, but the ratings took a nosedive. It might just be that Allison Williams doesn’t have the same star power as Carrie Underwood.
The three-hour special, which starred Williams in the title role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook, averaged just 9.1 million viewers and a 2.3 18-49 rating, notes Entertainment Weekly.
In both areas, the special fell over 50 percent from last year’s Sound of Music. That one drew 18.5 million viewers and a 4.6 rating in the key demo. It was NBC’s best non-sporting event broadcast since the ER finale in 2009.
Overall, Peter Pan drew a 5.9/9 share, which was 46 percent off from Sound of Music’s, notes Deadline.
Peter Pan did beat that ER finale as well, but it makes it clear that NBC really needs a big star for these specials. Williams is well known as a star on HBO’s Girls and the network certainly made sure that everyone knew that she’s NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams’ daughter, but she wasn’t enough to pull audiences in. Next year, the peacock hopes to do The Music Man.
Still, NBC Entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt tried to put on a happy face in a statement this morning.
“We’re very pleased with the Peter Pan ratings and it was a great night for NBC. We won every hour, which hasn’t happened on Thursday with entertainment programming since a year ago,” Greenblatt said. “I’m proud to be part of a company that takes chances and creates big events, and that’s exactly what we’re going to continue to do.”
image courtesy of William Bernard/ACE/INFphoto.com