The premiere of the newest Court TV (@CourtTV) original series “Interview With a Killer” on Sunday, October 20 is the network's most-watched original series debut.
Despite a night packed with high-profile sports programming, including Sunday Night Football, the National League Championship Series and WNBA Finals, the initial telecasts of “Interview With a Killer” was up +50% with Persons 2+ and +60% in P25-54, to become Court TV's top-performing original since the network began being Nielsen rated. The previous most-watched original series debut was “Someone They Knew With Tamron Hall” that aired on March 6, 2022.
“Interview With a Killer” takes viewers inside the walls of the country’s highest-security prisons and inside the minds of some of the most-notorious convicted killers. Award-winning investigative reporter David Scott (ABC News, HBO's “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel”) sits down, face-to-face with five murderers, four of whom have not spoken publicly about their convictions. Scott delves deeply into their psyches and confronts them about their heinous crimes. Ethan Nelson, head of Court TV, and Emmy-award winning producer Zach Toombs serve as executive producers.
New “Interview With a Killer” episodes premiere Sunday nights at 8 p.m. Upcoming cases include:
- “Honor Killings” – October 27: Dubbed "honor killings" by the national media, the murder of two teenage girls near Dallas, Texas, sparked a nationwide manhunt for the prime suspect: their father. Now, for the first time since his conviction, Yaser Said talks about the night he fatally shot his daughters, the events leading up to the tragedy and how he managed to evade capture for over a decade.
- “Catfishing for Murder” – November 3: Denali Brehmer agreed to kill her best friend for a man she met online offering millions for a murder. In this exclusive interview, Brehmer reveals she's far from a naive teen led astray by an outside influence. So, who was the predator and who was the prey in this catfishing crime?
- “The Blackout Killer” – November 10: Bo Pete Jeffrey claimed no memory of the crime for which he was convicted, the brutal beating and murder of his wife. But now, four years into his life sentence, Jeffrey tells a different story.
- “Teenage Rage” – November 17: Tyler Hadley was a troubled 17-year-old when he bludgeoned his mother and father to death with a hammer. In chilling detail, Hadley describes the shocking crime and how the idea took root in his mind.
Scott is a veteran investigative reporter whose work over the last three decades has garnered the industry's top honors including a Peabody Award, two Columbia DuPont Batons, and 14 Emmy Awards. Now, in a series of chilling face-to-face encounters, Scott turns his compelling, direct interviewing technique to convicted killers.
“Interview With a Killer” follows other fall primetime lineup announcements recently made by Court TV, including the new series “VPI: Vinnie Politan Investigates,” hosted by popular Court TV lead anchor Vinnie Politan, along with the second season of “Victim to Verdict with Ted Rowlands.” Additionally, Court TV continues to cover high-profile cases that dominate headlines, including the current trial for Sarah Boone, who is accused of zipping her boyfriend into a suitcase and leaving him to die.
Source: Nielsen Panel; NNTV; Live+SD; Interview with a Killer, October 20, 2024; P2+ and P25-54 gross delivery on the launch date on Court TV, 8pm premiere and 11pm encore telecasts and ION Plus 8pm telecast; comparison to Someone They Knew with Tamron Hall series launch on Court TV, March 6, 2022 at 9pm; Court TV Nielsen ratings began in 4Q21 (09/27-12/26/21)