NBC’s midseason slate got off to a strong Monday, with both “The Voice” and “Smash” delivering in their timeslot premieres. The same cannot be said for ABC’s lineup.
Tuesday’s two-hour premiere of “The River” started slowly, garnering just a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating and 7.5 million viewers. Given the curiosity inflation that typically accompanies a drama premiere of the sort, the number is a definite disappointment.
Worse, as the show progressed, it turned off a sizable portion of its audience. After beginning with a 2.5 rating at 9PM, it steadily dipped by a tenth each half-hour, closing its opening night with a 2.2 at 10:30PM.
The 9PM viewership average was 8.2 million, compared with 6.8 million for hour two.
Given that trend and the already-disappointing introductory viewership, should not hold his breath on “The River” turning itself into a hit.