"Sam & Cat" proved to be a hit for Nickelodeon, delivering Nick's biggest launch for a live-action series in three years, the network said Tuesday.
The series premiered June 8 at 8 p.m., averaging 4.2 million total viewers, up 76 percent over last year. In the all-important — for Nickelodeon — 2-11 demo, the "Sam & Cat" premiere posted a 6.2 rating, a 103 percent improvement over last year.
The new series stars former "iCarly" star Jennette McCurdy and "Victorious" vet Ariana Grande, reprising their roles from their respective series. In the spinoff, the pair become best friends and roommates who start a babysitting service. "Sam & Cat" was created by Dan Schneider, who executive produced "iCarly," "Victorious" and fellow Nickelodeon series "Drake & Josh" and "Zoey 101."
