'Riverdale' Season 2 Premieres to Series High in the Ratings

10/12/2017 05:38 pm EDT

Riverdale was watched live by an estimated 2.3 million people last night, making it the highest-rated episode of the series to date.

There were a few variables which could account for a nearly 60-percent jump in overnight ratings between January's series premiere and last night's episode. A move to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays gave it a somewhat more visible time slot, while the show's popularity seems to have soared over the summer, with fans binging the sexy, noir mystery based on Archie Comics's characters.

The audience ebbed and flowed throughout the first season, but The CW renewed it early anyway, showing faith in the critically acclaimed series. The season ended strong, but the season premiere still doubled the numbers that the Season One finale drew in the key 18 to 35 demographic.

A few weeks ago, The CW announced that they were developing The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a series based on the Archie Comics horror title of the same name. It is not clear whether Sabrina will be a direct spinoff from Riverdale, but the teenage witch's hometown of Greendale made a brief appearance at the end of last night's premiere.

The premiere picked up where last season's finale left off: Archie's dad, Fred Andrews, had been shot by a masked gunman and was clinging to life. In the premiere, it was revealed whether or not Fred lived, while a number of new plots were starting to kick into gear.

The episode ended with the surprising death of a supporting character, seemingly at the hands of the same man who shot Fred Andrews.

Riverdale airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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