5.8 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS WITNESS LIFETIME'S "DREW PETERSON: UNTOUCHABLE"
World Premiere Starring Rob Lowe and Kaley Cuoco Becomes
Cable's Most Watched Original Movie among Total Viewers in Two Years
LOS ANGELES, CA (January 23, 2012) - In its world premiere Saturday night, the Lifetime Original Movie Drew Peterson: Untouchable, starring Golden Globe(R) and Emmy(R) Award nominee Rob Lowe and Kaley Cuoco, generated record viewership, averaging 5.8 million Total Viewers, making it cable's most watched original movie in the demo in two years since Lifetime's The Pregnancy Pact on January 23, 2010. Additionally, the 5.8 million Total Viewers represent a 241% jump versus Lifetime's original movie premiere average in 2011.
Based on a true story about police officer Drew Peterson's (Lowe) fall from grace after the mysterious disappearance of his fourth wife (Cuoco), the movie posted Lifetime's best numbers for an original movie premiere among the key demos since the January 3, 2011, debut of The Craigslist Killer, including 2.5 million Adults 25-54 viewers (+233% vs. the network's original movie premiere average in 2011), 2.2 million Adults 18-49 viewers (+210%), 1.8 million Women 25-54 viewers (+215%) and 1.5 million Women 18-49 viewers (+178%), according to Nielsen Research. Drew Peterson: Untouchable also generated a 4.25 Household rating (+223%).
In social media, the movie resonated on Twitter as well, ranking as the fourth most social telecast in primetime on Saturday night (Source: Bluefin Labs).
"This is an amazing way to start the year and is a direct result of our aggressive strategy to green light quality programming that showcases such A-List talent as Rob Lowe and Kaley Cuoco giving captivating performances," said Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.
Drew Peterson: Untouchable will air again on Lifetime tonight at 8:00pm ET/PT and this Saturday, January 28th, at 6:00pm ET/PT, immediately before the world premiere of the Lifetime Original Movie The Pregnancy Project.
In the film, charming Chicago-area officer Drew Peterson seemed virtually "untouchable" in more ways than one when it came to his womanizing ways, having been married three times before landing the eye and affection of Stacy Cales (Cuoco), a woman half his age. As Peterson's relationship with Stacy blossoms, his relationship with third wife Kathleen Savio (Cara Buono) unravels in a bitter divorce -- until Kathleen is inexplicably found dead in an empty bathtub. Soon after making Stacy his fourth wife and having their first child, Peterson's jealousy and controlling ways begin to strain their marriage. Suddenly Stacy disappears, leaving her two children, and Peterson's older children behind. Peterson insists that Stacy left him for another man but in the wake of her disappearance, new questions are raised about Kathleen's death and her case is re-opened, drawing national media attention to Peterson and the strange cases of Kathleen and Stacy. Peterson seems to bask in the media attention, professing his innocence and announcing his engagement to yet another younger woman. But when authorities take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding both cases, a different kind of spotlight is placed on him as more questions arise. Are Kathleen's death and Stacy's still-unknown whereabouts just a tragic coincidence?
Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Drew Peterson: Untouchable was executive produced by Judith Verno and produced by Kyle Clark and Lina Wong. Mikael Salomon directed the movie from a script written by Teena Booth, based on the book, Fatal Vows, by Joseph Hosey.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT produces 6,000+ hours of programming annually in over 70 countries. SPT is a leader in local language productions, some of which are co-produced with local partners, and sells SPE-owned formats around the world. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 120 channel feeds, which are available in 159 countries reaching more than 543 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT owns Dutch entertainment company 2waytraffic, production company Embassy Row and Sony Movie Channel, and is a part owner of cable channel GSN, new 3D channel 3net, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
ABOUT LIFETIME
Lifetime Television is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation and NBC Universal.
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