“American Odyssey” ratings could lead to an earlier-than-expected end to a complicated story arc. (NBCUniversal photo)
Chances are, the plot twists, conspiracies and layered storytelling that make up NBC’s soldier-focused “American Odyssey” have not caused you any great confusion.
Because chances are, if ratings are to be believed, you haven’t watched the show.
The Sunday-night drama, which showcases a female soldier’s escape from a U.S.-backed hit squad and the descent of her and the rest of the cast into a web of big business, traitors and terrorism, received mixed reviews from critics prior to its April 5 debut. It’s received less-than-mixed ratings: Last night’s airing had a 0.6 share in the 18-to-49-year-old target demographic, dead last among first-run network programs and tied for last with a repeat of “A.D.: The Bible Continues” that aired on NBC in the 8 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific) hour.
A new episode of “A.D.” aired at 9 p.m. and earned a 1.1 rating — down 35 percent from the previous week, Deadline.com reported, but still nearly double the 10 p.m. showing of “Odyssey.” Both shows have fallen steadily since their Easter Sunday debut, and while first-run “A.D.” numbers remain fairly competitive with the rest of Sunday’s network programming, “Odyssey” is looking up at everything, including a 7:30 p.m. re-run of the animated “Bob’s Burgers” on Fox (0.8 rating).
Television-industry blog TV By The Numbers now has “Odyssey” ranked as “certain to be canceled.” The blog’s cancellation-news delivery system, The Cancellation Bear, even took a swipe at the show via Twitter:
Even for NBC, #AmericanOdyssey ratings (0.6 A18-49) are now an embarrassment. For the bear, it's #bearchow.
— Cancellation Bear (@TheCancelBear) April 20, 2015
Before you question the validity of a four-legged entertainment-industry source, it’s worth pointing out that the bear has more than triple the Twitter followers than the show in question. The bear also hit the mark when predicting the fate of the last high-profile Army-related network TV casualty.
Are you watching the show and hoping it’ll last until the plot twists unwind? Did you try to watch and give up? Give us your review in the comments below.
