ABC is happy with The Rookie's debut, despite so-so ratings

The Hollywood Reporter

About 5.38 million watched the debut of the Nathan Fillion vehicle, which also drew an average 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demo. But ABC is touting the numbers, saying it "scored ABC's most-watched drama debut in the hour in over 7 1/2 years and tied as the top-rated with adults 18-49 in more than 4 1/2 years." The Rookie's 10 p.m. Tuesday timeslot has been a tough one over the years. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, no series has lasted more than a season in that timeslot. So ABC's words might mean that it really is impressed with The Rookie's performance. ALSO: The Kids Are Alright premieres to 6.6 million viewers.