Over the course of its first season, which ended on Tuesday, the “Roseanne” reboot’s ratings declined substantially. But that’s probably better interpreted as a statement on the premiere’s viewership, which was massive, than the finale’s, which was still high, cementing the show’s influence as ABC preps for another season.
In final ratings, the “Roseanne” premiere drew 18.44 million viewers on March 27. The show’s ratings declined steadily afterwards, culminating in a season low of 10.33 million viewers tuning in to Tuesday’s finale.
But that’s still a big number, and even though “Roseanne” posted a season low, it remained the top-rated show of the night in the all-important 18-49 demo. As Deadline points out, “Roseanne” was Tuesday’s top-rated show in the demo for all eight weeks of its run this spring. The Hollywood Reporter notes it was “the highest-rated and most-watched series of the broadcast season.”
The comedy’s historic premiere will rightfully be remembered as an important footnote (if not more) in the history of the Trump era. And though the show failed to sustain those monster ratings, between continued media interest and its more-than-respectable viewership, “Roseanne” will return to television next season as a cultural juggernaut.
