TAKING THE FALL
Grading the season’s new network shows
WE’RE now a month into the new TV season, with most of the broadcast networks’ new fall series sampled and in the books. So that means ... it’s time again for our annual fall “Report Card,” in which we grade the new primetime shows on their chances for survival. For simplicity’s sake, we’ve graded only those new entries from ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC; grades are based on total viewers. Some series have thrived, others are just meh and there are a few bombs. But, so far, nothing has been axed — a victory of sorts for prime-time TV (trying to ward off competition from streaming TV).
Here’s a network-by-network look:
ABC
“Marvel’s Inhumans”: Eight-episode Marvel comics-inspired series had tanked in total viewers and in viewers under 49. Not good. Grade: D “Ten Days in the Valley”: No one’s watching this life-imitating-art drama about a TV producer (Kyra Sedgwick) whose young daughter disappears. Grade: D “The Mayor”: Hyped sitcom starring Brandon Micheal Hall as a rapper-turned-instant-mayor has underwhelmed. Grade: C“Kevin (Probably) Saves the World”: Viewers have yet to save this dramedy in which Jason Ritter plays a hapless dude tasked by God with saving mankind. Grade: D
NBC
“Will & Grace”: Reboot starring the original cast members got off to a terrific start but has, predictably, slipped a bit of late. Still, has done better than expected and has a loyal audience. Grade: B+ “The Brave”: Military drama starring Mike Vogel and Anne Heche has struggled in both total viewers and adults 18-49. Grade: C “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders”: Eight-episode series about convicted killers Lyle and Eric Menendez opened to apathetic numbers and hasn’t improved much — even with Edie Falco as defense
attorney Leslie Abramson. Grade: CCBS
“Young Sheldon”: “The Big Bang Theory” prequel starring Iain Armitage (as Sheldon Cooper) premiered to over 20 million viewers, but won’t return until Nov. 2. Whether it can sustain its ratings momentum is a question for kid genius Sheldon, but still ... Grade: A
“Me, Myself & I”: Likable sitcom has found a mediocre middleground on TV’s top-rated broadcast network. Grade: B
“Wisdom of the Crowd”: An entrepreneur (Jeremy Piven) develops an app that enables the populace to help solve crimes. Good concept and is showing signs of ratings growth. Grade: B
“9JKL”: This farcical apartment-house sitcom star Mark Feuerstein as a divorced actor living next to his parents (Linda Lavin, George Segal) and his brother. Has done OK, but not great. See “Me, Myself & I.” Grade: B-
Fox
“Ghosted”: Paranormal sitcom starring Craig Robinson and Adam Scott is off to meh start but is on par with Fox’s Sunday-night lineup. Grade: C
“The Gifted”: Drama series starring Amy Acker and Stephen Moyer as parents of kids with mutant abilities is getting a nice lift in time-shifted viewing. Grade: B+