Last week, NBC finally got around to premiering The Paul Reiser Show, a new sitcom starring Paul Reiser. As you may recall, he was the male lead in NBC’s very successful Mad About You sitcom that ran for seven seasons, from 1992 until 1999. Will Reiser’s new show stick around as long or be quickly cancelled instead?
The Paul Reiser Show follows the life of a fictional version of Reiser, a former television star. While he enjoys spending time with his family, Reiser finds himself wanting more and he enlists his friends to help him find what that might be. In addition to Reiser, the series features Ben Shenkman, Omid Djalili, Duane Martin, Andrew Daly, Amy Landecker, Brock Waidmann, Koby Rouviere, and Larry Dorf.
Taking the place of low-rated Perfect Couples, the Reiser Show debuted to a disastrous 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 3.37 million viewers. Those numbers aren’t just bad but they very likely represent the lowest Thursday night debut in the history of the network.
Typically, a show’s premiere episode attracts the best ratings of the season. People are drawn in by network advertising and 10-20% typically decide that the show’s not for them and don’t return to watch week two. With that in mind, the Reiser Show will very likely drop even lower tonight. If that happens, NBC will probably pull the sitcom from the schedule before next Thursday.
Unless the ratings miraculously turn around — and there hasn’t been any indication that that they will — The Paul Reiser Show is dead in the water and is sure to be cancelled very soon.
But what do you think? Is The Paul Reiser Show worth watching? Do you like it? Would you renew it for season two or just cancel it already?
Image courtesy NBC.
Yeah, so? Grey’s Anatomy did a 1.3 last week in the 18-49 The knuckeheads don’t talk about cancelling that played out show. Is any one else besides me sick of doctor shows? Just me? OK. I’m waiting for the Closer to start up again, I don’t care anymore. S– the networks.
@Bruce: Grey’s was a repeat last week and typically averages a 4.2. That’s a big difference and besides, they’re on different networks.
@admin: OK well thats a good point. But did Grey’s start OUT with bango “demo” or did the network “give it a chance?” It’s still played out, been on too long, in my opinion..and, true it IS a different network, ABC, who cancels shows like Life On Mars, Detroit 1-8-7, and so on, because they don’t catch on with that sacred “18-49” right away, or at least, in the antiquated way that the networks compile their ratings. You know, that’s insulting to me. Us folks over 49, what, our money’s no good? Can 18 year olds buy those Jags and… Read more »
Bring back Perfect Couples!!! The only reason I gave Paul Reiser’s show a try was because of Omid Djalili, who was so hysterical on Whoopi Goldberg’s old show. But Paul’s show is not that funny, which makes me wish for Perfect Couples return all the more. I think PC and Parks and Rec are the best things about Thursday night. And The Office.
“The Paul Reiser Show” is a very pathetic attempt to rip-off “Curb Your Enthusiasm” . . .
The first episode wasn’t very good the second is much funnier.
IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHERE SHOWS GOT TO GET GOOD RATING FROM THE GETGO. ITS JUST SAD, HOW MANY SHOWS GET THE AXE.
theres just so many jobs lost.
I feel bad for Paul Reiser. It seems he tries too hard and keeps falling. I did not feel Mad About You was a great show (well, better than this one as much as I can’t stand Helen Hunt) and am very surprised to see he has a new show esp. when it is about nothing. There is no substance – just everyday problems. Boring! We get enough of that in the real world. People turn on the tv to escape that. I find it difficult to connect to the characters and have to ask if this is his real… Read more »
This show has much more potential that the current NBC brain trust has patience. Most sitcoms now hailed as classics were not immediate ratings hits. Cheers, Seinfeld and even Mad About You come to mind. The audience needs time to “like” the show, while the show needs time to develop the characters, structure and rhythm. The current NBC management apparently is clueless about how to promote an audience for a show like this. Here’s a clue: NBC operates several Cable Networks such as USA. Advertise the show on these networks. I only found The Paul Reiser Show by accident while… Read more »
The best thing Paul could do to improve this show is to curb it’s enthusiasm. It was just too much!
I think it’s an okay show, but if this one or Breaking In or Happy Endings has to die soon it’s okay because I’m not that “invested” yet. Just don’t cancel Chuck. I’d rather Traffic Light and Mad Love survive than Reiser, Breaking In or Happy Endings (but that one is growing on me, I’m catching up online). I like Mr Sunshine, too. It needs more time on the air.