Courtesy of NBC
The Ellen DeGeneres-produced game show has scored an early pickup after airing only two episodes.
NBC isn't wasting any time in securing the future of its newest unscripted hit.
The network has handed out an early renewal to its Ellen DeGeneres-produced series Little Big Shots.
The news comes after the Steve Harvey-hosted series has aired only two episodes — including one in its permanent home on Sundays.
The series, which showcases young performers — including musicians, singers, dancers and more — was sampled a week ago Monday in NBC's prime post-Voice slot. It opened to an impressive 2.9 rating among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic and 12.8 million total viewers. That was good enough to become the highest-rated alternative series premiere (or preview) on any network in the demo since Fox's The X-Factor launched in September 2011. With three days of DVR returns, Little Big Shots grew to feature the largest L3 total viewer lift for an alternative series, growing to 14.7 million total viewers.
The series, from Warner Horizon Television, East 112th Street Productions and DeGeneres' WBTV-based A Very Good Production, moved to its regular slot on Sunday where it collected 2.8 million in the demo and a whopping 14.8 million overall viewers.
“Little Big Shots is that rare show that starts out as a good idea and then, somewhere along the way, turns into a bit of magic," said WBTV unscripted and alternative president Mike Darnell. "The incredible combination of Steve Harvey, Ellen DeGeneres and amazing kids is irresistible — fun, funny and insanely family-friendly. I am incredibly proud of this production, and it’s nice to see that the right alternative concept at the right time can still attract a huge audience.”
Little Big Shots marks the latest unscripted series to focus on kids. It follows Fox's MasterChef Jr. and forthcoming So You Think You Can Dance: Next Generation. Spike TV also recently picked up a kid-focused incarnation of Lip Sync Battle, fittingly called Lip Sync Battle Jr.
