The Winter Olympics threw a monkey wrench in the plans of NBC's rivals this winter, but it also may have helped simplify their sked decisions.
In most cases, it would seem networks -- including the Peacock -- held back more promising fare for the stretch run of the season while using the six-week period between the beginning of the year and the start of the Olympics to try new programs that figured to be, well, ratings-challenged.
After all, if any of these shows failed to generate viewer interest, they could quietly escape during the Games -- never to return.
Of the nine series to debut in January, two are already gone (NBC's "Book of Daniel" after three weeks and ABC's "Emily's Reasons Why Not" after a single airing), another should be put out of its misery (UPN's "South Beach"), and several others are hanging on.
CBS comedy "Courting Alex" is perhaps the best performer of the bunch, although it's hardly a smash.
Looking at the shows, ABC launched the most new product in January with the comedies "Emily's" and "Crumbs" and procedural "In Justice."
Facing reality
The much-hyped "Emily's" exited after a lousy debut (fourth-place 2.8 Nielsen rating in 18-49) as Alphabet execs felt the shaky creative direction of the show along with the weak ratings start meant it had no future. That looks to have been a good decision, as ABC has fared better in the timeslot since with reality shows.
"Crumbs," in the unusual 9:30 Thursday slot after the 90-minute "Dancing With the Stars," has faded after a decent start, averaging a 3.2 rating. It didn't help its cause last week by netting a meek 2.5 in a special Tuesday airing behind "According to Jim" (3.2).
"In Justice" also has had a hard time, settling for a 2.6 rating despite facing soft competish on Friday and having the potent "Dancing" results show as a lead-in.
ABC has better looking- dramas debuting in early spring ("The Evidence" and "What About Brian") as well as promising reality entries "American Inventor" and "Miracle Workers."
Fox's lone series bow in January was a "Dancing With the Stars" ripoff called "Skating With Celebrities." Auds had a chance to sample it behind "American Idol" but have not turned out in big numbers in its regular slot, where it averages a 3.4 rating.
NBC knew it had a tough sell in the controversial religious-themed "Book of Daniel" and wisely chose to get it out of the way before the Olympics. After three airings netted a 2.3 average on Friday, the net pulled the plug.
Buddy laffer "Four Kings" has done OK on Thursday, usually retaining all of its "Will & Grace" lead-in. It could continue to serve as a decent satellite show, but it hasn't generated much buzz at all.
Perhaps the longest shot on the board among January preems was CBS dramedy "Love Monkey." Though a quality show, it proved an ill fit alongside the cops and corpses that dominate the Eye's dramas, sinking to a 2.2 rating by its third episode.
CBS has done better with Jenna Elfman's "Courting Alex" (4.6 average rating), which has held onto about 85% of its "Two and a Half Men" lead-in. Like "Four Kings," though, it's like this show is playing in a vacuum, generating little water cooler or online chatter.
Ahead, the Eye has likable Julia Louis-Dreyfus laffer "Old Christine" and drama "The Unit," which should mesh well with "NCIS" on Tuesday.
And last -- and truly least -- are UPN's sudser "South Beach" and reality skein "Get This Party Started," which have each delivered embarrassingly low 1 shares.
It's perfs like these that makes UPN look smart to cut its losses and combine forces with the WB next season.
Contact Rick Kissell at
rick.kissell@variety.com