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TV This Week

For ‘Angie Tribeca,’ how low can she go

The TBS comedy posts low ratings, down quite a bit from its first season

By Louisa Ada Seltzer

August 8, 2016

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Sometimes just posting OK ratings and producing intelligent programming is enough for a network. It doesn’t need every show to be a hit.

“Angie Tribeca” has already been renewed for a third season, even though the show, which wraps up its second season tonight at 9 p.m., has not posted good numbers for TBS.

It’s averaging a 0.25 adults 18-49 rating, down 25 percent from its first season, according to Nielsen. Among total viewers, the show has averaged 579,000, also off by a quarter.

You might wonder, what’s the point of keeping the show around?

The ratings declines indicate people aren’t that interested. And though critics like it, it’s no Emmy bait. There are comedies on cable with not only much bigger ratings but also greater critical cache.

‘Tribeca’s’ big strength: Rashida Jones

But one reason “Tribeca” has survived is its star, Rashida Jones, one of the smartest TV actresses around and someone lots of networks want to be in business with. While “Tribeca” isn’t a hit, Jones’ next show could be, and TBS wants to be there for that.

Another reason is that TBS is still deciding how low is too low for its moderately rated programs. The network’s biggest strength is repeats, and it needs some original fare beyond “The Big Bang Theory” and sports programming to sell to advertisers.

While “Tribeca’s” not a hit, it’s also not an embarrassment, and right now that’s enough.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
MONDAY, AUGUST 8
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	ABC	“Bachelor in Paradise” (R)	After record-setting ratings during its season premiere last Tuesday night, the show settles into its usual Monday time slot.
8 p.m.	NBC	“Rio Olympics” (S)	First weeknight of Olympic event coverage includes swimming, beach volleyball, diving and gymnastics.
8 p.m.	VH1	“Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” (R)	Second half of a two-part, season-ending episode for VH1’s highly rated reality series.
9 p.m.	TBS	“Angie Tribeca” (C)	Already renewed for a third season, TBS’ spoof of TV detective/cop show clichés wraps up its sophomore season.
9:30 p.m.	Science	“How Do They Do That?” (N)	For the show’s 14^th-season premiere, a look at how to build the world’s fastest ferry and how baklava is made.
10 p.m.	Lifetime	“UnREAL” (D)	Season finale. As Coleman plans to expose the secrets of the “Everlasting” show, Rachel stands up to him; an unexpected turn derails Quinn’s intentions.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9
Time	Network	Program	Description
6 p.m.	NBCSN	“Olympic Soccer” (S)	The Carli Lloyd-led U.S. Women’s soccer team, fresh off its Saturday victory over France, takes on Colombia as it tries to pass to the next phase of medal contention.
8 p.m.	USA	“WWE Smackdown” (T)	While Olympic coverage will dominate the night in viewership, expect a sizable slice of young men to give “Smackdown” its usual demographic edge.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Bachelor in Paradise: After Paradise” (R)	The second-season premiere of this spinoff of a spinoff (“Bachelor in Paradise”) debuts after a special airing of “Paradise” at 8 p.m.
9 p.m.	TNT	“Animal Kingdom” (D)	Season finale. While Baz hunts down clues in Catherine’s disappearance, the police threaten to clamp down hard on the Codys.
9 p.m.	Travel	“Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” (N)	A peculiar Cyprus dish and the world’s oldest cookie are the subjects of the 16^th-season premiere of Travel’s long-running series.
10 p.m.	HBO	“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with…” (S)	For its 11th season premiere, cameras follow the just-relocated Los Angeles Rams team as it prepares for its first season in its old-new home city.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 p.m.	ESPN	“MLB Baseball” (S)	Few weekday regular season MLB games could stand out against Olympic coverage. Big exception: The NY Yankees playing against the Red Sox at Boston’s Fenway Park in primetime.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Big Brother” (R)	While NBC’s swimming, gymnastics and beach volleyball Olympic coverage will dominate the night, CBS’ reliable reality franchise should do okay in the 18-49 demo.
8 p.m.	E!	“Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry” (R)	For its second-season premiere, E! brings Melissa Joan Hart, Madison Beer and Snooki’s family (huh?) in contact with the famous psychic reader.
9 p.m.	Animal Planet	“Clash of Africa’s Giants” (S)	If BBC America’s “The Hunt” has left you hungry for more nature programming, this two-hour special about a herd of elephants clashing with a pride of young lions should do the trick.
9 p.m.	USA	“Suits” (D)	Already renewed for a seventh season, USA’s original series draws much better numbers than buzzy lead-out “Mr. Robot.”
10 p.m.	MTV	“Catfish: The TV Show” (R)	Fifth season premiere of MTV’s reality docu-series about the perils and dangers of online dating.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
Time	Network	Program	Description
3 a.m.	Hulu	“Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016″ (S)	A comedy special featuring a dog puppet (aka Robert Smigel) crashing into a political convention ranks among the LEAST bizarre things about the current election cycle? Yep, it’s been that kind of year.
7 p.m.	ESPN	“Little League Baseball” (S)	The commercialization of the Olympics got you down? Then spend time with back-to-back regional semifinal games (Mid-Atlantic and Western regionals) starring the next generation of ballplayers in their childhood prime.
8 p.m.	NBC	“Rio Olympics” (S)	NBC doubles down on swimming and women’s gymnastics (individual all-around finals) on an August summer night in which most other networks (broadcast and cable) offer little competition.
8 p.m.	Reelz	“Autopsy: The Last Hours Of…” (N)	Reelz focuses “Autopsy” and “Too Young to Die” (at 9 p.m.) on the life and premature death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman.
9 p.m.	History	“Mountain Men” (R)	While Marty embarks into a journey through the Alaskan wilderness, Morgan has a close call with a grizzly bear.
10 p.m.	FX	“Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” (D)	Johnny’s charity anthem catches on, to Gigi’s dismay; Rehab isn’t too happy with his contributions to the group’s “Feast” musical.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
Time	Network	Program	Description
3 a.m.	Netflix	“The Get Down” (D)	The first half of director Baz Luhrman’s (“Moulin Rouge!”) expensive and much-delayed hip-hop drama about South Bronx teenagers growing up in 1970s New York City finally debuts. Six episodes drop today, with the remaining six scheduled to debut in early 2017.
2:30 p.m.	NBCSN	“Olympic Basketball” (S)	The U.S. women’s team takes on Canada. Followed at 6 p.m. by the U.S Men’s team taking on arch-rival, Serbia… just kidding.
7 p.m.	NFL Network	“NFL Football” (S)	Exhibition double-header between Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders visiting the Arizona Cardinals. Not the best teams or greatest match-ups, but good-enough for Friday night against the Olympics.
9 p.m.	PBS	“The Great British Baking Show” (T)	It’s all about which of the three finalists becomes Best Amateur Baker during the show’s sixth-season finale.
9 p.m.	We	“Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars” (R)	Back-to-back episodes conclude the show’s seventh season. Which of the reality celebrity couples gets kicked off the show before the ring ceremony heartbreak? Gotta tune in to find out.
10 p.m.	Cinemax	“Outcast” (D)	Season finale of Cinemax’s demonic possession drama, which was renewed for a second season before it premiered.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
Time	Network	Program	Description
7:30 a.m.	CNBC	“English Premier Soccer” (S)	With NBCSN tied up all day with Olympic programming, the financial network hosts the start of the new season of English Premier League with back-to-back-to-back games.
2 p.m.	Fox	“2016 U.S. Senior Open” (S)	Third-round coverage of the golf tournament featuring the over-50-but-still-competitive best players in the world. Live from Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Rush Hour” (D)	In a network TV version of “Suicide Squad,” CBS goes all-out with new programming (a burn-off episode of “Rush Hour” and back-to-back “48 Hours” installments) against NBC’s primetime Olympics. Good luck.
8 p.m.	ESPN	“NFL Football” (S)	Get an early look at the Los Angeles Rams’ temporary digs (while the city builds them a new stadium) as they host the visiting Dallas Cowboys.
9 p.m.	Hallmark	“Summer in the City” (M)	Taylor (Julianna Guill) becomes manager of a big-city department store, forcing her to adopt a personality that clashes with her Midwestern upbringing. Vivica A. Fox, Natasha Henstridge and Marla Sokoloff co-star.
10 p.m.	OWN	“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (N)	For its ninth-season premiere, profiles of Kevin Jonas (Sir Mix-a-Lot) and Barbara Eden (“I Dream of Jeannie”).
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14
Time	Network	Program	Description
3 p.m.	CBS	“2016 PGA Championship” (S)	Final-round coverage of the John Deere Classic, live from TPC Deere Run in Silvis, IL.
7 p.m.	NBC	“Rio Olympics” (S)	NBC and its advertisers hope the network’s reliance on gymnastics and beach volleyball in primetime remains attractive as the Olympics hit the halfway mark.
8 p.m.	ABC	“Celebrity Family Feud” (G)	After taking last week off, ABC’s line-up of revival game shows (“Feud,” “$100K Pyramid” and “Match Game”) returns with new episodes as counterprogramming against the Olympics.
9 p.m.	BBC America	“The Hunt” (N)	The finale of this seven-part nature series looks at conservation efforts to keep the predator population from dwindling.
9 p.m.	CMT	“Still the King” (C)	With a second season already assured, CMT’s original comedy series starring Billy Ray Cyrus wraps its rookie season with back-to-back episodes.
11 p.m.	AMC	“Geeking Out” (T)	AMC’s weekly late night show premieres in its regular timeslot, following an hour-long “Talking Dead” at 10 p.m. to promote “The Walking Dead’s” upcoming seventh season.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.