Broadcasts' Breakout Freshman Hits Attempt to Grow Audiences and Avoid Sophomore Slump

Young Sheldon, 9-1-1 and The Good Doctor all have plans to do so

There’s only one thing harder than creating a new broadcast TV hit: building on those ratings in the series’ sophomore season. Time and again during the past few years, a freshman phenom has broken through in a big way—like Empire, How to Get Away With Murder, Blindspot and Quantico—only to lose a large portion of that audience in Season 2, if not by the end of Season 1.

Only This Is Us has been able to avoid the sophomore slump across broadcast, as Season 2 of the NBC drama was the highest-rated entertainment broadcast series in the adults 18–49 demographic last season, with a 5.4

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in