Fall TV Logjams: NCIS: New Orleans vs. The Rookie vs. New Amsterdam

Is there such a thing as a TV Logjam when two out of the three shows featured are new to the schedule? It may sound strange but in the case of Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time, we actually think so. In NCIS: New Orleans, The Rookie, and New Amsterdam you are looking at three shows featuring familiar leads and concepts that have stood the test of time. You’ve got two crime shows and a medical drama and all three of them, presumably, could have solid lead-ins on the schedule.

NCIS: New Orleans – It remains one of TV’s most under-appreciated shows, mostly because it doesn’t seem to get much publicity unless someone is leaving it. Yet, it did continue to draw almost 9 million viewers a week live during season 4, which is a drop of less than 8% versus season 3. Any show that keeps more than 90% of its audience year-to-year is doing something right.

The Rookie – If there is a threat to the NCIS: New Orleans viewership, it is another cop show. This one features a reliable star in Nathan Fillion playing a newbie cop and we do think that the appeal here will be fairly instant and universal across large demographics. It should get off to a decent start, but what is working against it is the fact that it’s in a timeslot that is traditionally terrible for ABC. It’s a total toss-up insofar as competition goes because of that.

New Amsterdam – Finally, we turn to another question mark in the Ryan Eggold series. Of the three, it’s the most likely to win the two weeks of the fall because of it airing after This Is Us on the schedule. Whether or not it can maintain that viewership will be the big struggle here. If it turns out to be an excellent show, we anticipate it winning this timeslot for the majority of the season. If it struggles, than we wouldn’t be surprised if the competition between these shows turns out to be a dead heat. This should be one of the most interesting timeslots to follow this year.

What are you planning to watch Tuesday nights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern this fall? Share in the comments!

(Photo: NBC.)