Discovery Communications : OWN is Tuesday Night’s #1 Cable Network for Women With Season Premieres of “Queen Sugar” and “the Haves and the Have Nots”

'Queen Sugar' and 'The Haves and the Have Nots' are Tuesday Night's Top 2 Cable Telecasts for Women

Season Two Premiere of 'Queen Sugar' Is Highest-Rated Episode in Series History Across Key Demos

LOS ANGELES - OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network scored the #1 spot among cable networks on Tuesday night (6/20/17) for women with the season premieres of hit series 'Queen Sugar,' from Academy award-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, and Tyler Perry's 'The Haves and the Have Nots.' The premiere episodes were Tuesday night's Top 2 cable telecasts for women.

The season two premiere of OWN's critically-acclaimed drama 'Queen Sugar' (10 p.m.) aired its highest-rated episode in series history across key women and adult demos, with a 2.09 rating for W25-54 and 2.3 million total viewers. The premiere episode was Tuesday night's #2 cable telecast for women and was #1 in the time period across all cable for women.

The season premiere of OWN's hit drama series, 'The Haves and the Have Nots' from Tyler Perry (9 p.m.), earned a 2.17 rating for W25-54, up 13% vs. the prior season average (1.92), and 2.7 million total viewers. The episode was Tuesday night's #1 cable telecast for women.

Additionally, the premieres of 'Queen Sugar' and 'The Haves and the Have Nots' were the #1 and #2 most social cable series episodes, respectively, on Tuesday.

'Queen Sugar's' two-night premiere continues tonight, Wednesday, June 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on OWN.

Source: The Nielsen Company; Live+SD; Nielsen Social Content Ratings data, ranked on total interactions.

About 'Queen Sugar'

OWN's acclaimed original drama series 'Queen Sugar,' from Academy Award-nominated creator/executive producer Ava DuVernay ('Selma,' 'A Wrinkle in Time'), takes viewers inside the contemporary drama as the Bordelon siblings struggle to move forward with their lives as they strive to honor the legacy of their father following his unexpected passing. Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner, 'Unforgettable') relocates to Saint Josephine, Louisiana to help run the family business. As the only black female sugarcane mill owner, she must fight to regain her independence while rebuilding her relationships with her estranged siblings. Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe, 'Girls Trip') struggles to transform from a formerly incarcerated single father to a land owner in the eyes of his family as he works to restore his relationship with his son's mother. Nova (Rutina Wesley, 'True Blood') finds herself torn between her activism and her desire to be loved. Together, they must learn to rely on one another as they navigate their tenuous bonds as family. The expansive cast also includes Tina Lifford ('Parenthood') as the siblings' free-spirited Aunt Violet; Omar J. Dorsey ('Ray Donovan,' 'Selma') as Violet's much younger boyfriend Hollywood Desonier; Dondré T. Whitfield ('Mistresses') as trusted Bordelon family friend Remy Newell; Timon Kyle Durrett ('Single Ladies') as Charley's estranged husband and pro basketball player Davis West; Nicholas L. Ashe ('The Lion King' - National Tour) as Charley and Davis' teenage son, Micah; Ethan Hutchison ('The Path') as Ralph Angel's son, Blue; and Bianca Lawson ('Rogue') as Darla, Blue's mother who battles drug addiction. Additionally, guest star Henry G. Sanders ('Rocky Balboa') recurs as Prosper Denton, a farmer and longtime friend of the late Bordelon family patriarch, Ernest. 'Queen Sugar' is produced for OWN by Warner Horizon Scripted Television. The executive producers are Ava DuVernay, Oprah Winfrey and Monica Macer. The series is inspired by the book by Natalie Baszile. The debut season won an NAACP Image Award for Best Drama Series, Television Show of the Year from both American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), and was a People's Choice Awards nominee for Favorite Cable Drama.

About 'The Haves and the Have Nots'

The one-hour drama, 'The Haves and the Have Nots,' follows the tangled lives of the wealthy Cryer and Harrington families and the poor Young family. This season, 'The Haves and the Have Nots' continues to heat up as Hanna (Crystal. R Fox), the moral conscience, is tested like never before. Hanna and her son, Benny, (Tyler Lepley) are stripped of everything they have once Candace's (Tika Sumpter) latest hustle fails miserably. 'The Haves and the Have Nots' is created, written, directed and executive produced by Tyler Perry and is produced for OWN by Tyler Perry Studios.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand - and the magnetism of the channel. Winfrey provides leadership in original scripted and unscripted programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities. OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications. The network debuted on January 1, 2011. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime, anywhere on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own and https://press.discovery.com/us/own/.

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