The numbers are in for NBC鈥檚 December 2 broadcast of Annie Live!. The TV musical pulled in 5.16 million viewers on the network, according to Nielsen numbers as reported by . That figure is simultaneously a high and low: While it came out above other networks鈥� non-football programming (including ABC鈥檚 interview with Alec Baldwin following the Rust controversy), it鈥檚 NBC鈥檚 lowest rating for a live musical yet.
Annie Live! scored a .9 rating in the coveted 18鈥�49 demographic鈥攁gain on the low end for past TV musicals, though it is worth noting the musical鈥檚 target audience, should the musical鈥檚 cast of characters or the broadcast鈥檚 ad buys be any indication, would skew younger than, say, Jesus Christ Superstar or Rent (the latter ).
The title that began the current trend of live musical broadcasts鈥�2013鈥檚 The Sound of Music Live!鈥攔emains the top earner, having amassed 18.62 million viewers. since then, with Fox鈥檚 2016 broadcast of Grease at 12.2 million, with The Wiz, Peter Pan, Hairspray, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Christmas Story, Rent, and now Annie trailing.
The Lion King alum Celina Smith starred as the beloved title orphan, from TV critics for her energetic and optimistic performance. Among those joining her in the cast were Harry Connick, Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace, as Rooster, as Lily St. Regis, and Alan Toy as FDR.
