FOX kicked off its pandemic-proof fall schedule Monday night with the premieres of L.A.’s Finest and Filthy Rich.
L.A.’s Finest Season 1 Episode 1, which has been available on Spectrum for over a year, delivered 2.9 million total viewers and a 0.5 rating.
While these numbers are soft, given that the series is an acquisition, it would not have been a costly pickup for FOX.
The big disappointment, however, is Filthy Rich, which was pushed from earlier this year to the fall schedule so that the network had more original content during COVID-19 times.
Filthy Rich Season 1 Episode 1 had 2.9 million viewers and a paltry 0.4 rating in the demo.
Given that new shows tend to drop in the vicinity of 10 to 20 percent in week two, this is not a good start.
The series will need to be a roaring success in post-airdate results to stand a chance at sticking around.
Over on CBS, Love Island was steady as a rock with 1.8 million total viewers and a 0.5 rating.
Despite not being a success in the traditional ratings, it is bringing the network the 18-34 crowd.
Last year, the series pulled in solid ratings through CBS All Access, so it’s possible that it could be just as strong… or even stronger this season.
Time will tell.
Manhunt: Deadly Games, an acquisition, had an anemic 1.6 million total viewers and a 0.3 rating in the demo.
It is nothing more than schedule filler as the network prepares to bring back its original scripted series later this year.
American Ninja Warrior was steady for NBC with 3.4 million viewers and a 0.5 rating across two hours.
Dateline closed off the night with 3 million viewers and a 0.4 rating.
The CW’s Whose Line Is It Anyway (0.8 million viewers and a 0.2 rating) and Penn & Teller: Fool Us (0.7 million/0.1 rating) were on par with recent results.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.