Fall is the big time for broadcast, when NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox traditionally premiere their most promising new dramas and comedies in hopes of kicking off the Nielsen season strong. Though there are certainly setbacks with shows debuting in the time of COVID-19, the Big 4 has still managed to roll out several fresh series over the past few months. Click through our gallery to see how Fall 2021’s new series — so far — have ranked by premiere viewership.
Rank: 1 • Show: “NCIS: Hawai’i” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 6.582 million • When your show starts with “NCIS,” the (older) viewers will come.
Rank: 2 • Show: “FBI: International” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 6.427 million • See “NCIS: Hawai’i.”
Rank: 3 • Show: “Ghosts” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 5.522 million • Broadcast TV viewers didn’t “ghost” this comedy.
Rank: 4 • Show: “La Brea” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 4.779 million • No sinkhole here.
Rank: 5 • Show: “CSI: Vegas” • Net: CBS • Total Viewers: 4.123 million • Not exactly the “CSI” of old, but people aren’t quite watching broadcast TV like its 2000 all over again either.
Rank: 6 • Show: “Ordinary Joe” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 3.852 million • Not extraordinary, but a hair beyond ordinary.
Rank: 7 • Show: “The Wonder Years” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 3.230 million • Hey, it was the highest-rated of the newbies among adults 18-49.
Rank: 8 • Show: “American Auto” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 2.950 million • Low on the list, but not a wreck.
Rank: 9 • Show: “Alter Ego” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 2.933 million • “Masked Singer’s” alter-ego does well — just not nearly AS well.
Rank: 10 • Show: “Grand Crew” • Net: NBC • Total Viewers: 2.352 million • By no means a grand entrance.
Rank: 11 • Show: “Queens” • Net: ABC • Total Viewers: 1.751 million • Nas, queen.
Rank: 12 • Show: “Our Kind of People” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 1.646 million • Sadly, this is Fox’s kind of viewership number.
Rank: 13 • Show: “The Big Leap” • Net: Fox • Total Viewers: 1.474 million • Big leap, small audience.
