Shonda Rhimes may be a ratings machine over at ABC with three of the network's top shows coming from the critically-acclaimed producer's Shondaland company, but viewers weren't there for her on Monday night as her latest drama debuted. Although heavily promoted during Rhimes' regular season successes, "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal," and "How to Get Away with Murder," "Still Star-Crossed" failed to find an audience and became one of the least-watched premieres on the network this year.
Series a continuation of 'Romeo and Juliet'
Premiering on Memorial Day likely hurt the first episode of the series, as summer series like "Still Star-Crossed" tend to have low viewership when compared to regular season shows.
With the addition of a holiday Monday premiere, the series sunk near the bottom of ABC's most-watched debuts.
Pulling in just 2.43 million viewers during its 10 p.m. time slot, the novice series was handily beat out by a rerun of CBS's "Scorpion." In fact, the show received fewer viewers than every other prime time series on each of the Big Four major networks, even losing out to a repeat of the now-cancelled "Two Broke Girls."
"Still Star-Crossed" is a definite departure from Rhimes' usual prime time fare, which may have caused a disconnect with her usual audience. Set in Verona immediately following the deaths of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the series follows a Capulet cousin named Rosaline and the couple's surviving family members, as they navigate the aftermath of the scandal created by the pair.
Fans used to seductive characters like "Grey's Anatomy"s McDreamy and McSteamy, and the high-speed pacing of "Scandal" likely didn't know what to do with a show based on a play that most Americans haven't read since high school.
This new series is based on Melina Taub's young adult novel of the same title.
Taub is likely best known as a writer for "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee."
Reviews for first episode are mostly mixed
Following the premiere of the first episode of "Still Star-Crossed," the majority of critics panned the show but most did also manage to find a few things to praise. Both the pacing and the use of computer-generated backgrounds have been a consistent source of criticism, and some have openly wondered if the pilot would have been brought to series without Rhimes' name attached to it.
There has also been talk about how much ABC actually believes in the show, having only provided reviewers with a single episode prior to its television debut, when most producers allow critics to see multiple episodes, or even a full series before airing.
The saving grace of the show seems to come from the casting, which is consistently solid across Shondaland series. Reviews, including from BN's own Amanda Joyce, point out the watchability of Lashana Lynch as Rosaline. The return of Anthony Head -- best known as Giles from "Buffy: the Vampire Slayer" -- to American television has also been greeted warmly.
Despite its low ratings and less-than stellar reviews, odds are good ABC will continue to air "Still Star-Crossed" to its conclusion, as all the episodes of this limited series are already produced. But, unless things pick up significantly, it's doubtful viewers can expect a second season.
