If its premiere ratings are any indication, FOX's new open-ended Forever Eden reality series might not make it through the end of its initial twenty-five episode commitment, never mind airing "forever."
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Despite the presence of a 65-minute American Idol: Uncut special which drew 19.3 million viewers and an 8.3 rating/22 share in the Adults 18-49 demographic as its direct lead-in, according to preliminary Nielsen ratings estimates reported by Reuters, Forever Eden's 9:05 PM ET/PT premiere only got off to a mediocre start, drawing 11 million viewers and a 5.2/13 Adults 18-49 rating/share.
Mediaweek notes that Forever Eden also only drew an estimated 7.2/10 overall rating/share, a performance that placed it fourth in the overall ratings for its time period, while its Adults 18-49 ranking was only slightly better, placing third. Additionally the news got worse in the second half-hour of the Paradise Hotel-like series, as viewers appeared to lose interest in the program and change the channel, resulting in a significant ratings drop from 8:00-8:30 PM (8.2/11) to 8:30-9:00 PM (6.2/9).
When compared to January's premiere numbers for the network's previous Monday 9PM time period occupant, the performance was also disappointing. Premiering January 19 (but with a stronger American Idol season premiere broadcast that drew 29 million viewers as its lead-in) My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance drew 19.6 million overall viewers and a 9.1/20 Adults 18-49 score. The performance kicked off a successful six-episode Fiance run that drew anywhere from 13.3 million viewers and 6.2/14 Adults 18-49 performance in its second episode to an excellent 21.3 million viewers and 10.2/23 Adults 18-49 performance for its finale.
Perhaps with a "real" American Idol episode as the lead-in to tonight's second Forever Eden episode, Eden can also experience a similar rebound before being exiled to its regular Thursday 9 PM ET/PT on March 18 -- where the going is only going to get even tougher airing versus both CBS' CSI and NBC's The Apprentice.