ABC's The Muppets has not been performing very well, and the show just hit a series low.
According to TV By The Numbers, Tuesday's episode of The Muppets drew in 3.78 million viewers, the worst ratings since the show premiered in September. The pilot earned 9.01 million viewers in the U.S, but it's been a gradual decline since then, with nearly every single episode attracting a smaller audience than the previous week.
Compared to some of ABC's other Tuesday night shows, 3.78 million viewers isn't actually that horrible. This week's episodes of Fresh Off the Boat and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. only took in 3.65 and 3.82 million viewers respectively. But The Muppets still has potential to be an enormous hit and appeal to people of all ages, and so far that hasn't really been happening.
Disney has already been taking note of the show's disappointing start, and though ABC ordered an additional six episodes, they plan to put The Muppets on hiatus after episode 10. It will then return with a new showrunner, and the network is reportedly planning to retool the series for the remainder of Season 1.
The show's ratings decline may be caused in part by its more adult nature, as it features edgier jokes than usual and storylines where the Muppets date and have sex. That's likely turning away parents who would otherwise watch the program with their kids. However, the series has done relatively well among viewers 18-34.
The Muppets airs Tuesdays at 8 on ABC.