"White Rabbit" first aired in the United States on October 20, 2004.[2] An estimated 16.82 million viewers in America watched the episode on its first broadcast,and it finished second in its timeslot behind the 2004 Major League Baseball season playoffs.[9] Among adults aged 18 to 49, the episode earned a ratings share of 6.3/16, finishing in fourteenth place for the week.[10][11] Based upon the series' success, ABC picked up Lost for the full season soon after the broadcast of "White Rabbit", ordering another nine episodes beyond the thirteen it had already agreed upon.[12]