Weeks into the 2022 Fall TV season, audiences have had ample opportunities to check out all the new primetime fare that broadcast networks have to offer. And while average TV viewership is again trending downward, that doesn’t indicate only bad news in the slightest. Just look at CBS’ new drama Fire Country with SEAL Team star Max Thieriot, which has already earned some excellent news from the network after just two episodes, and it’s sharing that celebration with fellow freshman series East New York and So Help Me Todd.
Two days ahead of its third episode hitting the air, CBS publicly announced that the hot and hectic new show has been granted a full episode order for its first season, which is almost certainly a huge burst of confidence-boosting good news for all involved. Thieriot knew he was taking a relatively big risk by joining Fire Country’s cast as a series regular while still a big part of the CBS-turned-Paramount+ drama SEAL Team, but he was also predominantly the reason this important and true-to-life story is being told in the first place.
CBS is boasting Fire Country as the #1 new series of the 2022-2023 season thus far by way of total viewership, and can do so both in terms of regular weekly stats and Live +7 Day delayed-viewing tallies. Across its two weeks, the drama is averaging 8.26 million viewers, and is crushing a lot of the competition in that respect, and not just new shows, but also other established series. In fact, for its time slot, Fire Country is drawing in over 3 million more viewers than anything else, and is drawing more eyeballs than its Friday night predecessor Magnum P.I., which was canceled earlier this year before being picked up by NBC.
It’s not doing as well when it comes to the all-important 18-49 age demographic, averaging around 0.6 with Live +3 Day viewing. That isn’t too bad, and is on par with shows such as The Conners, the two FBI spinoffs, and La Brea, but ranks lower than FBI proper, The Voice, Young Sheldon and others. But helping to balance that is Fire Country’s popularity amongst those with Paramount+ subscriptions. According to CBS, the drama immediately rose up to enter the streaming platform’s top ten most-watched shows, and it took the crown as the #1 new series based on viewer numbers.
But Fire Country isn’t the only new show with something to celebrate, as East New York also earned a full episode order from CBS, thank in part to sitting pretty as TV’s #2 new series where audience numbers are concerned. With an average of 7.37 million viewers, the NYPD-centric drama is also the #1 new show on Sunday nights, which admittedly wasn’t stacked with new programming to begin with.
With a cast led by Amanda Warren and Jimmy Smits, East New York is right on par with Fire Country’s demo numbers, also earning a 0.6 after +3 numbers were tallied, though it did place slightly higher than Max Thieriot’s show with its Same Day stats. CBS also touts the freshman series as being quite popular among Paramount+ subscribers, but a big factor here is that ENY is reported as being the #1 new show and the #2 show overall when it comes to Black audiences. Only the network’s The Equalizer ranks higher in that respect.
Starring Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin, So Help Me Todd is the third of CBS' new shows to land a fully expanded first season. You might see a patter developing here, but the network comedy is the #3 biggest show to debut this TV season, and the top new show on Thursday nights. It's bringing in around 6.6 million viewers after Live +7 Day stats are compiled, with a demo rating slightly lower than the other two, with a 0.5. That said, CBS notes that it's also a popular entry for Paramount+ audiences.
Gotta love all the good news being passed around CBS today. Don’t forget to check out all three CBS shows when they air: Fire Country on Fridays at 9:00 p.m. ET, East New York on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET, and So Help Me Todd on Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. ET.
