With massive lead-in support from the latest “Modern Family” Valentine’s Day special, new ABC comedy “Mr. Sunshine” got off to a respectable start.
By no means is the Matthew Perry starrer a runaway hit; its retention out of “Modern Family”‘s 5.0 adults 18-49 rating and 13.10 million viewers was far from glorious, and it could very well suffer a post-premiere dip in the coming weeks. But in posting a 3.7 with 10.56 million viewers, “Sunshine” improved greatly upon what “Cougar Town” had recently been delivering in the slot.
Earlier in the night, “The Middle” remained down from its highs but still respectable against “American Idol,” scoring a 2.6 with 8.84 million. “Better with You” garnered a 2.0 and 6.78 million viewers, a disappointment given its sandwiching between two popular ABC comedies.
“Off the Map” closed ABC’s night with a soft 1.8 and 5.56 million viewers.
