Fall is the big time for broadcast, when NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox traditionally debut their most promising new dramas and comedies in hopes of kicking off the Nielsen season strong. And though there are far fewer new shows airing in the time of COVID-19, the Big 4 still managed to roll out some fresh series (and a few acquired titles that are fresh to them) over the last few months. Click through our gallery to see how Fall 2020’s new series ranked by premiere viewership.
Rank: 15 • Show: “Manhunt: Deadly Games” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 1.570 million • “Manhunt: Deadly Games” previously aired on Spectrum Originals earlier this year. But either way, this tally is a death sentence.
Rank: 14 • Show: • “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 1.582 million • “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” first aired on Nat Geo Channel before making its way to broadcast television. Perhaps it should have stayed on cable.
Rank: 13 • Show: “Connecting…” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 1.646 million • Didn’t really connect with all that many people. *Removed from NBC’s schedule Nov. 3, remaining Season 1 episodes aired on streaming service Peacock.
Rank: 12 • Show: “neXt” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 1.768 million • Nah, next. *Canceled by Fox on Oct. 30.
Rank: 11 • Show: “The Con” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 2.282 million • Couldn’t con its way into a stellar opener.
Rank: 10 • Show: “Filthy Rich” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 2.871 million • Off to kind of a poor start. *Canceled by Fox on Oct. 30.
Rank: 9 • Show: “L.A.’s Finest” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 2.881 million • “L.A.’s Finest” Season 1 already ran on Spectrum, so these numbers are…fine.
Rank: 8 • Show: “The FBI Declassified” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 3.337 million • Proves a docuseries about the FBI is no substitute for “FBI.”
Rank: 7 • Show: “Nurses” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 3.647 million • This Canadian import has an OK pulse.
Rank: 6 • Show: “Big Sky” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 4.033 million • More “medium” than “big” for this list.
Rank: 5 • Show: “Emergency Call” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 4.267 million • Not “9-1-1,” but this will do.
Rank: 4 • Show: “I Can See Your Voice” Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 4.457 million • We can see the “Masked Singer” bump this Ken Jeong-hosted competition is getting.
Rank: 3 • Show: “Supermarket Sweep” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 4.781 million • Leslie Jones-hosted revival swept into one of this fall’s top slots.
Rank: 2 • Show: “B Positive • Net: CBS Total Viewers: 4.961 million • More like a solid A (at least, for this season).
Rank: 1 • Show: “The Weakest Link” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 6.067 million • The strongest of the bunch — so far.
