‘Saint George’ Hoping For 10-90 Success

Comedian George Lopez’s new FX sitcom Saint George got off to a so-so start on Thursday night with 1.21 million viewers and 556,000 adults 18-49, based on Nielsen final live-plus-same-day ratings.

As a point of comparison, FX’s primetime average the week ending Feb. 23 was 1.14 million viewers, and 615,000 adults 18-49. 

It led into Anger Management with Charlie Sheen, which had an audience of 1 million viewers.

If Saint George achieves FX’s so-called audience goal over 10 episodes, the network will order 90 more episodes, triggering its sale by Debmar-Mercury into broadcast syndication.

Debmar-Mercury has used the 10-90 model with other shows, notably Anger Management, which has been sold into more than 90% of TV homes for fall 2014 broadcast syndication.

George Lopez’s previous sitcom, the George Lopez Show on ABC early last decade, aired in syndication from 2007 to 2011. Warner Bros. distributed that show.