ABC recently introduced a new sitcom to its popular Wednesday night, Mr. Sunshine. Will Matthew Perry’s new show find as much success as his former Friends castmate Courteney Cox’s Cougar Town?
On Mr. Sunshine, Perry plays Ben Donovan, the Manager of Operations at San Diego’s Sunshine Center sports arena. As he turns 40, Ben finds himself navigating though a seemingly never-ending series of bizarre requests, curious mishaps, and employee screw ups. It doesn’t help that he has a crazy boss (Allison Janney), sleeps with his marketing director (Andrea Anders), has a crazy new assistant (Portia Doubleday), and must put up with his boss’ less-than-skilled son (Nate Torrence). Ben’s best friend (James Lesure) works with him as well but also has a relationship with the marketing director.
The ABC sitcom debuted on February 9th to a healthy 3.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 10.52 million viewers. That was an improvement of 37% over the last original episode of Cougar Town in the timeslot.
Unfortunately, the following week, Mr. Sunshine’s ratings dropped by nearly 30% in the demo to a 2.6 rating an 6.93 million viewers. In week three, they dropped by 15.4% to a 2.2 rating and 6.12 million. Last week, they came back up to a 2.4 rating and 6.87 million.
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Right now, Mr. Sunshine is averaging a 2.7 rating and 7.61 million viewers. Based on the current ratings, it looks like the season will end up averaging about a 2.4 rating. That’s not great but puts the series in the middle of the pack. With the exception of Better with You, all of the ABC sitcoms are performing better (and have been renewed for next season).
ABC could go either way on this one but a renewal looks fairly likely. In the past, the network has renewed one or two shows that were on the bubble. This one would seem like a good choice if they still want to do that.
Cougar Town is averaging a 2.9 rating so, if ABC does decide to renew Mr. Sunshine, it probably won’t be back in the same timeslot — or maybe it could. However, at the recent TCA Winter press tour, ABC Entertainment Group President Paul Lee indicated that he’s interested in the network starting a second night of comedies. Mr. Sunshine could certainly help fill one of the timeslots, either on Wednesday or on a second night.
What do you think? Is Mr. Sunshine worth renewing or would you rather it be cancelled? Cancel or keep it?
Keep it but give it a chance by giving them a less competitive day! Put them on Mondays at the time that TAAHM USED to be! Part of the rating decline was that they played it on Mondays in Canada as well as Wednesday in USA. Now they don’t do that so really give it a chance to shine on its own! I love this show.
Keep it, I find it funny and very entertaining. I can’t say that ABC did not do anything with this show like I have stated millions of times with its hr-long dramas like V, Detroit 1-8-7, & Pushing Daisies, because the advertising was widely spread. However, I agree it needs to get out of that time slot, but stay on the same night. I’m not sure when Cougar Town is coming back because the recent issue of TV Guide Magazine says that “Happy Endings” is premiering the same date and timeslot as CT was supposed to return. Anyways, ABC needs… Read more »
I say keep it, I find it to be funny, and just give it time, I think it will get better as new episodes come out.
Keep it. I usually think Perry sucks, but he’s good in this. Don’t destroy the one thing the guy is good in. Plus, it exposes San Diego a bit, which may be good for business.
It’s much better now than it was in its pilot episode. I’ll keep watching.
Nobody currently working in television does a “take” as well as Matthew Perry.
This show is absurd in the very best sense of the term though I fear the humor may be too esoteric for the majority TV audience who only laugh at heavy handed punch lines.
Very funny – up there with the hit writing of Modern Family. Keep it for sure.
keep it and see if it improves the next time around since the acting and writing aren’t the worst expressions of talent out there now. i think it’s a cute quirky comedy with lots of potential.
Keep it, let the show find it’s legs. Matthew needs to lighten up. He needs to be more lovable. Not such a hard butt!
i agree jimbo. we watched the first episode and it didn’t grab us. My wife and I recorded the rest of the shows, but deleted them tonight without watching them.
Perry, the boss, the assistant, and the boss’ son will have to carry the show. The rest of the cast is not interesting.
it’s a ****. flush it.
I like Matthew Perry and I think he’s great in it but it’s the writing that’s very poor and most of it isn’t funny. I’m going to give it a couple of more chances but I’m getting ready to bail on it if it doesn’t get better.
Watched about 30 seconds of the first show…that was too much for that stinker.
Absolutely keep it! Matthew Perry was just finding his footing in the first couple of episodes, but the last episode was much more like him, and he seemed to be much more comfortable in the role! It is funny, and if he ups his biting sarcasm a bit – the show will be fantastic! I adore him in anything, and it would be a mistake to cancel this show!