For years, The CW had pretty much left weekend programming to the whims of local affiliates, but they decided to step up their game this past fall by expanding their prime time lineup to six nights a week. In doing so, they allowed for Supergirl and Charmed to lead the way in this new venture.
Of course, people have been tuning in, but it can be kind of difficult getting folks on board after they’d gotten used to watching whatever Fox, ABC, NBC or CBS had to offer on Sundays. As such, the ratings have been what you’d think of as average, though perhaps not what one could achieve midweek.
Unsurprisingly, the “Elseworlds” crossover event has grabbed the attention of more people, as it pulled in 1.8 million viewers for a 0.6 ratings share in the 18-49 demographic. This is down from 2.7 million and o.9 share boasted by the first chapter of “Crisis on Earth-X” just one year ago, but it’s not too shabby, either.
Truth be told, ratings for Arrowverse shows haven’t exactly matched the heights of previous seasons so far this fall, so I can’t say I’m too shocked. But when we factor in Batwoman joining the fold for tonight’s chapter, then it’s very possible for a rise in viewership.
So, even though “Crisis” had more eyes affixed to it from the start, I still believe it was wise for the network to kickoff the event with The Flash by effectively having it trade places with Supergirl for this occasion. After all, the Scarlet Speedster’s series is among their most popular, so having him take point probably helps entice the casual fan.
“Elseworlds” continues tonight on Arrow, then wraps up tomorrow night on Supergirl.