The premiere of The CW’s newest superhero series, Black Lightning, was a ratings success.
Despite being The CW’s fifth superhero series, Black Lightning did not suffer from viewer fatigue. It earned a 0.8 rating in adults 18-49 with 2.3 million total viewers.
These are solid numbers for The CW, especially considering the premiere retained the 0.8 rating of its lead-in, The Flash, as well as 92 percent of its total viewers. (The Flash had 2.5 million total viewers.)
These are also the best numbers for a non-crossover episode in the 9:00 p.m. Tuesday slot this season. The Arrowverse Crisis on Earth-X finale pulled in a 0.9 rating in adults 18-49 and 2.8 million total viewers in the same slot.
Black Lightning‘s premiere numbers are also the strongest for a CW series premiere since Legends of Tomorrow earned a 1.2 rating in adults 18-49 with 3.1 million total viewers in January 2016.
Critically, the series is also a rousing success; it is currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. And if Twitter reactions are any indication, The CW has another strong superhero property.