Last week, the FOX network debuted a new reality TV series called Buried Treasure. Will this one be a goldmine for the network like American Idol or dead weight that will be quickly cancelled?

Buried Treasure follows twin brothers and appraisers Leigh and Leslie Keno as they visit people’s homes. Appearing as appraisers on the PBS series Antique Roadshow, the “treasure hunters” help people discover that some of the items in their homes may be worth a lot more than they know. For example, the old cabinet that was your grandmother’s might be worth enough to wipe out your credit card debt or pay for your kid’s college education. Viewers also get to see how these discoveries affect the owner’s lives.

The TV show debuted last Wednesday to a very disappointing 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 3.67 million viewers. It ranked fourth in its timeslot, well behind CBS’ Big Brother, NBC’s Minute to Win It, and a repeat of ABC’s The Middle. Buried Treasure is currently the lowest-rated FOX series of the summer schedule.

By running Buried Treasure in the middle of summer, FOX obviously doesn’t have a lot of faith in the show and, based on the ratings, it doesn’t look like they were off base. Still, they aren’t pulling the series and are instead adding encores to the schedule for added exposure. This Wednesday’s original installment will be followed by a repeat of the premiere. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to help.

Coming from ITV Studios, only four episodes of Buried Treasure have been produced. It seems likely that FOX will air them all but there’s simply no reason for the network to order any more.

But, what do you think? Is Buried Treasure worth watching? Would you renew it for another season or should it be quickly cancelled instead?

Image courtesy FOX.