You are reading an exclusive WrapPRO article for free. Want to level up your entertainment career? Click here to subscribe.
The premiere of Dan Harmon’s new adult animated series “Krapopolis” has launched as the most-watched animation series to debut over the past decade.
As viewers tuned in to watch Hannah Waddingham, Richard Ayoade and Matt Berry take on roles within a dysfunctional family of mortals, gods and monsters, the Sunday evening premiere of “Krapopolis” on Fox drew in 3.6 million total viewers and scored a 1.2 rating in the key broadcast demographic among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen live-plus-same-day figures.
Standing as the most-watched telecast from a Harmon animated series, exceeding telecasts of “Rick and Morty” and “Strange Planet,” the premiere also became the most-watched entertainment telecast (excluding award ceremonies) since the premiere of “Next Level Chef” on Feb. 12, which followed the 2023 Super Bowl.
The Sunday airing also boosted “Krapopolis” to the most-watched original comedy telecast of the year, as it exceeded the debut viewership of NBC’s “Night Court” reboot in January.
The series launch likely benefited from its NFL doubleheader lead-in before it debuted its first two episodes at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Beginning Oct. 1, “Krapopolis” will move to its permanent time slot at 8:30-9 p.m. ET/PT, following episodes of “The Simpsons” at 8 p.m.
The debut also secured the “Krapopolis” premiere as the highest-rated entertainment program in the key demo during the week of Sept. 18-24, breaking a record first set by the “Family Guy” series premiere in 1999 that saw an animated series debut become the week’s highest-rated entertainment program.
Fox has displayed its commitment to “Krapopolis” since the start, when the network first picked up the show to series based on just the pilot script, and later into its development when the show scored an early renewal for its second and third installments before the Season 1 premiere.
“I’m so appreciative of Fox for giving us the space to create and breathe in this world,” EP Steve Levy told TheWrap of the renewals for Season 2 and 3. “I think we really push the boundaries of what Fox typically allows or explores in their animated programming, so this is all fun new territory for them, and it’s all fun new territory for us.”
“Krapopolis” premieres Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET.
