The Muppets returned to television this week after an extended hiatus, but despite being retooled by a new showrunner, its ratings have only continued to decline.
According to Variety, the Feb. 2 episode of The Muppets drew 2.7 million viewers with a 0.8 share in the 18-49 demographic. That's a new low for the ABC comedy, which garnered 3.8 million viewers in its final episode of 2015. It has lost over one-third of its audience since the September premiere.
This is a huge disappointment for ABC, as the network was hoping a soft reboot would bring audiences back on board. The program's ratings had been in a downward spiral all throughout the fall, and ABC executives admit they were unhappy with the quality of the series, as we previously reported. In response, they hired a new showrunner, who was tasked with making storylines more joyful and less mean-spirited.
The Muppets isn't completely beyond saving, though. Shows returning from an unusually long break often suffer in the ratings because viewers simply lose track of when the next episode is scheduled to air. The gang's latest outing also earned more favorable reviews among critics, so if it can build up positive word of mouth over the next few weeks, The Muppets may just be able to survive for another season.
The Muppets airs Tuesdays at 8:30 on ABC.