Nickelodeon's SAM & CAT Debuts at Number One

By: Caryn Robbins Jun. 11, 2013

Nickelodeon's brand-new live-action comedy, Sam & Cat, vaulted to the top in its debut week as TV's top-rated kids' show among total viewers for 6/3-9/2013. Nick's biggest live-action launch in three years, Sam & Cat also swept kid, tween and teen demos as number-one on Saturday, June 8, among K2-11, K6-11, Tweens 9-14 and Teens 12-17. Among its target K2-11 demo, the show raised last year's levels by triple digits and handily beat direct competition by high double digits.

Bowing Saturday, June 8, at 8 p.m. (ET), Sam & Cat earned a 6.1/2.0 MM among kids 2-11, up +103% over last year; and averaged 4.2MM total viewers, up +76%. The show also handily beat the next closest competitor (Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie) by +58% in the time period.

For the week, Nickelodeon earned a 2.7/888,000 among kids 2-11 (up +8%) and averaged 1.7MM total viewers, extending its streak of year-over-year gains to 19 straight weeks.

In Sam & Cat, Nickelodeon's funny gals Jennette McCurdy (iCarly's Sam Puckett) and Ariana Grande (Victorious' Cat Valentine) are back as their respective iconic characters from iCarly and Victorious in this new spin-off comedy. Sam & Cat follows feisty Sam and flighty Cat as they become best friends and unlikely roommates who start a babysitting service. The series is created by award-winning executive producer Dan Schneider (iCarly, Victorious, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101).

Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).