Sampling: ABC's attempt to find a fourth wheel for its comedy night got off to a decent start, as Better with You (formerly Better Together, as in the above icon) managed a 2.5 demo out of its 2.7 The Middle lead-in. Considering The Middle premiered in this half-hour with a 2.6 demo last season, there's no reason why Better with You can't parlay that kind of demo into a successful run. But dropping out of the lead-in in the 8:30 half-hour (when HUT levels are rising) right off the bat is somewhat of a concern.
Retention: The show then dropped 12% to a 2.2, losing three ticks from its The Middle lead-in in week two. It's about an average drop percentage-wise, and the 12% decline from The Middle remains a bit of a concern but nothing too catastrophic.
Prognosis: I'm really unsure about this one. I don't think ABC was particularly hoping to get something that would drop out of already fairly modest The Middle at 8:30, but the relatively small drops would probably suggest the show isn't going to get yanked in the short-term. And maybe it'll be a grower late in the season as The Middle and Modern Family were last year. I haven't finalized "the system" yet but I'm fairly sure that Better with You's stats are going to be "borderline" in both categories, and combining that with the drop from an 8:00 lead-in, I will hesitantly say it's a one-season show. Even if it only lasts one season, I think it'll get more than 13 episodes. The net has several other comedies on the bench that might appear to be waiting to take its place, but they can get use out of those shows elsewhere.
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