Debut Ratings Of 'X-Files' And 'Lucifer' Give Fox A Powerful Monday Night Lineup

Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ: FOXA)'s "The X-Files" picked up right where it left off Sunday night and kept the momentum going into its new Monday night timeslot.

Initial numbers from the re-launch of the iconic Emmy winning series showed "The X-Files" gained from early data in both viewers and the 18–49 demo, topping off at 16.2 million and 6.1 rating.

The good news for Fox and its investors continued the following night, as 9.6 million viewers came back for the second half of its two-night premiere.

The series, which will run in the network's Monday's at 8 p.m. timeslot for the next four weeks, also scored a demo rating of 3.2.

Related Link: Fox Gets Nostalgic As Executives Discuss "24," "Prison Break" And "The X-Files" Return

Compared to the slot's usual inhabitant "Gotham," that's a sizable increase. The only time "Gotham's" out-performed those 18–49 metrics was its premiere, where it registered a 3.3. "Gotham" will return from its extended winter break next month.

The Good News Keeps Pouring In For Fox

Fox also saw good news for the launch of its latest drama "Lucifer," which trounced former time-slot holder "Minority Report."

As it stands, "Lucifer" is tied with breakout hit "Rosewood" as Fox's best-performing rookie show of the season. "Lucifer" tempted 7.2 million viewers and scored a demo rating of a 2.4. That's a 74 percent retention rate from its strategically placed "X-Files" lead-in.

By comparison, "Minority Report" opened to a 1.0 rating, which almost instantly rendered it DOA. "Lucifer" also out-performed "Sleepy Hollow" and "The Following," which held that slot over the past few years.

Investors will notice that for the second straight year, after a sub-par fall, Fox is seeing higher levels of success in its back half of the season. While nothing looks to match the runaway success "Empire" had when it bowed this time last year, the combination of "Rosewood," "The X-Files" and "Lucifer" should give shareholders something to celebrate.

Image Credit: By Marcin Wichary from San Francisco, U.S.A. [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons