While “Glee”‘s dive into the ratings abyss has garnered significant media attention, it is not the only story of struggle in FOX’s weekly lineup.
For the second straight week, Tuesday comedy series “New Girl” dipped to a series low in total viewers.
Tuesday’s episode posted a paltry 1.7 adults 18-49 rating with an average of just 3.26 million viewers. Initially a ratings juggernaut and almost always a passable performer in its first two seasons, “New Girl” is now flirting with the idea of being a black mark on FOX’s weekly schedule.
Unlike “Glee,” which is long past its prime and almost certainly going to end after next season, “New Girl” was thought to have a bright, long future at FOX. While it showed signs of weakness last season, it never lost confidence from FOX, which booked it for the coveted post-Super Bowl slot this winter.
Based on its recent performances, that confidence has surely subsided.
“New Girl,” nonetheless, is in no immediate danger. It remains the top-rated series (in the adults 18-49 demo; this week’s “Brooklyn Nine Nine” drew more viewers) in FOX’s Tuesday comedy lineup, and the network is definitely hoping the post-Super Bowl episode will convert samplers into regulars.
And even if that dream fails to come true, “New Girl,” now in its third season, would only need one more season to reach the syndication threshold. Given the prospective financial reward associated with syndication, renewing “New Girl” for a fourth season is nearly a no-brainer.