Lifetime's 'Drop Dead Diva' Scores Highest Ratings of the Season in Women 18-49 and Women 25-54

Lifetime's 'Drop Dead Diva' Scores Highest Ratings of the Season in Women 18-49 and Women 25-54

Hit Series Posts a 2.0 Rating With W18-49 and 2.3 Rating in W25-54; Original Comedic Drama Builds Audience for Third Consecutive Week ARMY WIVES Scores Highest Women 25-54 Rating of the Season with a 3.0

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifetime Television's break-out hit of the summer, Drop Dead Diva, scored its highest ratings ever among Women 18-49 (2.0), a 25% increase over its season-to-date average, and Women 25-54 (2.3), a 28% increase over its season-to-date average, with last night's performance at 9 PM ET/PT. The one-hour original comedic drama starring Brooke Elliott has built upon its audience for three consecutive weeks among the key demographics.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/LA68439)

Last night's episode, which featured special guest stars Gregory Harrison (Lifetime's Maneater, Trapper John, M.D.) and Marla Sokoloff (Lifetime's Maneater, The Practice), averaged more than 3.4 million Total Viewers (3,412, 437), a 25% increase over its season-to-date average, and garnered a 2.8 Household rating, up 27% above its season-to-date average.

Guest stars throughout the first season of Drop Dead Diva include Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Tim Gunn, Liza Minnelli, Delta Burke, Sharon Lawrence, Nia Vardalos, Jorja Fox, Mark Moses, Shirley Knight, Faith Price, Devon Gummersall, Elliott Gould, Chuck Woolery and Diedrich Bader.

In addition, Lifetime's hit drama series, Army Wives, which follows Drop Dead Diva at 10 PM ET/PT, continues to perform strongly. Last night's episode garnered its highest W25-54 rating this season, posting a 3.0, which represents a 20% increase over its season-to-date average. Among W18-49, the Network's top original drama series delivered a 2.4 rating, a 9% season-to-date increase and a 3.5 rating among Households, a 17% increase versus season-to-date averages. In Total Viewers, Army Wives drew more than 4.1 million (4,189,068), a 14% season-to-date average increase. Army Wives also gained audience at the half-way mark - rising 10% in W18-49 and 11% among W25-54.

Together, Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives make Lifetime the highest-rated and most watched ad-supported cable network in the Sunday, 9-11 PM time period among W18-49. The strong deliveries of both Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives, and Lifetime's top performing original movies are joined by the Network's Project Runway, the number one unscripted competition show in ad-supported cable.

ABOUT DROP DEAD DIVA

When beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb (Brooke D'Orsay) has a fatal car accident, she suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven's gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman), who declares her a self-centered "zero." Outraged, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum (Elliott). A brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant, Teri (Margaret Cho), Jane has always lived in the shadow of her more comely colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, Deb must come to terms with inhabiting Jane's curvier frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty.

Drop Dead Diva is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Through his Osprey Productions, Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime's Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment are executive producers. Alex Taub (Eli Stone) is executive producer and show runner and David Petrarca (Brothers and Sisters) is a director and executive producer. Thania St. John (Eureka) is a consulting producer as are the team of Jeanette Collins and Mimi Friedman (Big Love).

ABOUT ARMY WIVES

The hit series, about the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women -- and one man -- living with their spouses and families on an active army post, is filmed on location is Charleston, South Carolina. The series stars Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Brian McNamara, Sterling K. Brown, Wendy Davis, Drew Fuller and Catherine Bell. Army Wives is produced by ABC Studios for Lifetime Television. Mark Gordon (Grey's Anatomy) and The Mark Gordon Company's President of Production, Deborah Spera (Criminal Minds), serve as executive producers. Jeff Melvoin (Alias), Harry Bring (The X-Files) and Marshall Persinger (Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession) also serve as executive producers. The series is based on the book Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives by author Tanya Biank, who serves as a consultant.

Photography is available at www.lifetimepress.com.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/LA68439
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN13
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Lifetime

CONTACT: Cindy Ronzoni of Lifetime Networks, +1-310-407-8525,
cronzoni@lifetimetv.com

Web Site: http://www.mylifetime.com/

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