The 94th Academy Awards happened last night, and plenty of people tuned in for all the drama, questionable programming, and surprises. Last year was the least-watched Oscars event ever, so this year’s show had something to prove. ABC’s Oscars broadcast clocked 13.73 million viewers and a 2.9 rating among adults 18-49. These numbers haven’t been adjusted for the live broadcast across the country, nor have they reflected portions of the show aired after 11 p.m. ET. The final ratings for the 2022 Oscars are still being evaluated and should be available Monday evening.
The early numbers indicate that this year’s show is already off to a better start than the final total for last year’s ceremony. The Academy’s previous showcase drew an all-time low of 10.4 million viewers and a 2.12 rating in the 18-49 demographic. Last night’s ceremony saw a 32% bump in viewership and a 37% jump in viewers 18-49.
Despite scoring better than the previous ceremony, Sunday’s Oscars are still the second least-watched event since Nielsen began tracking the show.
ABC’s telecast of the 94th Oscars generated plenty of interest across social media platforms. However, it wasn’t always for positive reasons. The night began with many people expressing their anger about the Academy hosting eight awards categories off-air. As if that wasn’t enough, countless viewers gasped when Will Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock across the face after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. As you can imagine, social media platforms were alive with the sound of hot takes after the shocking display. Many people who were not watching the Oscars before the incident then tuned in to see if Smith would win the Best Actor award for his performance in King Richard. Smith did win the category and delivered a tearful acceptance speech in which he apologized to the Academy for his behavior. Smith did not apologize to Rock for his actions.
Did you watch the 2022 Oscars and are you surprised by this year’s ratings? Do you think the altercation between Smith and Rock will lead to security and rule changes for next year’s event? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.