Nobody at the CW is panicking over the lackluster ratings generated by Tuesday's much-hyped "Melrose Place" premiere.
That doesn't mean folks are happy about the numbers, either. Or that conversations aren't taking place about bringing original special guest star Heather Locklear back to the fictional apartment building.
CW execs are "disappointed" by the show's so-so kickoff, a person familiar with the situation conceded Wednesday. "Melrose" attracted about half as many viewers as last year's successful launch of "90210" (full ratings report here).
The numbers sting because the network gave the show a monster promotional push, taking over virtually every website and billboard it could lock down in the days before the premiere. And reviews were surprisingly strong for a trashy soap opera: Entertainment Weekly, the Wall Street Journal and the Hollywood Reporter all raved.
Despite all this, CW execs probably had an inkling the "Melrose" numbers wouldn't wow. According to sources at a rival network, while the new show had high name recognition, intent to view among viewers had been low all summer long.
In other words, many folks simply had no desire to check back into "Melrose."
And yet, it's too soon to declare the drama dead.
Unlike the feature world, TV execs -- particularly at a smaller network like the CW that's still in building mode-- can afford to be at least a little patient in waiting to see how a new show plays out with audiences. It will be at least a month before CW programmers have a clear sense of just how well or poorly "Melrose" is actually doing.
The big mystery: Will "Melrose" suffer the same massive week two dropoff experienced by "90210" last fall? That show lost 30 percent of its premiere audience in week two, and was down to just over 2 million viewers by its finale.
If "Melrose" slides another 30 percent next week, then it could very well be curtains for the show, since it's starting from a much smaller premiere base.
But what seems more likely is that the audience that did tune in for Tuesday's premiere was made up more of hard-core potential fans rather than nostalgia-seekers. Given the solid reviews and decent online buzz around "Melrose," don't be surprised if week two of the show slips a more modest 10 percent.
As one top industry agent puts it, "If they stay above a 2 (in the ratings), they'll be fine."
Indeed, it's worth noting that "90210" was renewed by the CW even though its series finale attracted just over 2 million viewers (vs. the 2.3 million who watched "Melrose").
The CW is also waiting to see how "Melrose" does once DVR data is figured in.
The network's shows regularly experience some of the biggest live-to-DVR jumps in the live-plus three and live-plus seven day figures. If "Melrose" shows big growth once DVR numbers are figured in, it'll make CW execs all the more comfortable with its performance.
