How Did the Riggs-Less ‘Lethal Weapon’ Premiere Do in the Ratings?
Lethal Weapon made its big, game-changing return for Season 3 on Tuesday night.
Many fans thought the Fox cop drama wouldn’t be renewed after its co-lead, Clayne Crawford (Martin Riggs), was let go over complaints of bad behavior on set. The future of the series was solidified when Seann William Scott was announced as the new co-star alongside Damon Wayans (Roger Murtaugh). But many continued to wonder how the revamped show would fare with viewers.
In the premiere episode, we met Scott’s character, ex-CIA operative Wesley Cole. He becomes Murtaugh’s new partner after Riggs tragically dies in surgery following a gunshot wound to the chest.
Crawford’s exit was controversial, to say the least. Although he accepted responsibility for his actions and apologized to the cast and crew, he’s also maintained that the blame is not all on him, pointing to issues with producers, the studio, and Wayans that weren’t addressed.
After the premiere aired, some fans weren’t happy with the way the character was written off the show, and spoke out on Twitter. One major complaint was that Riggs didn’t appear, even briefly, to say a few final words. But did this fan frustration reflect in the ratings?
The series was down 32 percent in the key 18-49 demo and down 21 percent in total viewers from the Season 2 premiere (.8 in the 18-49 demo, and 3.45 million viewers), Neilsen reports.
It should be noted that Tuesday is a tough night: This Is Us reigns on NBC with 2.9 in the 18-49 demo and 10.40 million viewers. The night also brought the series premiere of Dick Wolf’s new procedural drama, F.B.I., which aired on CBS. It benefited from an NCIS lead-in, and debuted with a solid 1.3 in the 18-49 demo and 10.08 million viewers.
However, this is only the first week. Will Lethal Weapon rebound as viewers get to know the new Cole-Murtaugh dynamic? Time will tell!
Lethal Weapon, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Fox
Conversation34 Comments
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the show is dead in the water, RIP LETHAL WEAPON, wayans can't act, it will be one of the first shows canceled, already took of my shows to watch ,i watched the first 10 mins to see how they would deal with riggs,but when they killed him off they sealed there own fate.
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I agree! They wasted so much money bringing in that idiot to take Crawford's place. Too many people LOVED Crawford and thought that he made up 80% of the show!! Just a waste of time for anyone to watch this show now. It's totally USELESS.
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Shit happens between people.Actors are no exception.Seann William Scott could probably fill Crawford's shoes as Martin Riggs,not as someone who nobody gives a fk about.Their huge mistake is the fact they've killed Riggs.
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Well we'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think many people can stand Seann William Scott. I know I can't even stand looking at him and avoid any past movies he's ever played in. Crawford was 10 times the actor.
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Ofcourse i like Crawford way more than Scott, but my point is that the Riggs character was the whole show.
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Crawford made the series. It's Two and a Half Men all over again. RIP Lethal Weapon, to me the show died when he died.
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So I guess "Stifler" isn't enough for viewers to stick by "Lethal Weapon"...
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It was simply awful.It can't be Lethal Weapon without Martin Riggs.I mean you can't have Batman without Bruce Wayne.Period.
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That's kind of a bad example as there are at least four different Batmans in the DC comics universe but as far as Lethal weapon goes you are 100% correct!
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There are also 4-5 Spidermen but still Peter Parker is the original/best.
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But Bruce Wayne is a constant. As is Clark Kent with Superman.
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Bruce Wayne, Thomas Wayne, Terry McGinnis, to name a few... There have been plenty of successful Batmen...
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But no one has killed Batman. Martin Riggs, the character, is dead in a show called "Lethal Weapon". It is the same thing as having a show called "Batman" and Batman, the character is killed off. "Lethal Weapon" without Martin Riggs is a James Bond film without James Bond, because 007 has been killed off and you're left with Q, Moneypenny, and M and Stifler playing 008. That's my point.
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Please read all the comments before jumping to conclusions, I had only mentioned that Cyberpunk using Batman as an example was not the best example as there HAVE been other successful Batmans...but killing of Riggs was absolute stupidity...
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I'm not jumping to any conclusions, nor looking for any fights. We agree on the main point that killing the Character of Martin Riggs was insanity. And it's going to cause major havoc when the show and the franchise is eventually rebooted. See the "Aliens" franchise Killing off Ellen Ripley.
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You need to give the show a chance. I too liked Crawford but they did a great job replacing him. This is a better replacement than a lot of other show which had to replace unruly stars or stars who had to leave for health reasons.
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WAYNES IS A DIVA AND THAT TOTALLY TURNED ME OFF
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That is true. All of the Waynes are.
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It can;t be Lethal Weapon without the Riggs character.Period.I gave it a chance and i've regret it.Not gonna watch it again.
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Crawford though wasn't unruly. He yelled one time at a director of an episode (Wayans friend) because the director had lost control of the set and it was putting everyone behind by hours. That's why most of the crew was behind Crawford and why they let go 70+ crew members from the show. The way they treated Crawford was terrible. I would never watch a show that would treat people so terribly. I bought every episode of seasons 1 and 2, but hope that this show is cancelled now.
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A better replacement? Really! This was not a better replacement at all. There i no sense in giving it a chance.
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Clayne was fired for one reason and that was because Damon Wayans was jealous of Clayne’s popularity and wanted him gone. Well, he may have just kissed his show goodby because there’s just is not a Lethal Weapon without Riggs! Maybe the fans should have been listened to instead of a jealous co-star.
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You misread my post. I didn't say he was better than Crawford I said he was a better replacement that what other show have done. Learn to comprehend what is written.
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Nope.... Lethal Weapon is Riggs and Murtaugh... and with Damon Wayans forcing Clayne Crawford out only to say this is his last season as Murtaugh, the show is dead...They should have stuck with Crawford and just recast Murtaugh with another better actor....
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Yeah - wonder if it bugs the Sean guy that Wayans doesn't do table reads, is prepared and basically acts like a male version of a Diva. I will never ever watch anything with Wayans in it ever again.
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Oh forgot, too much of his wife was a total bore
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Wayans got his way and now he has to eat shit as he should
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Crawford made the show and without him, you can forget it. Now Wayans is also leaving. Whats the point? The new guy replacing Riggs is good, but the show is not the same. I really dont see this show lasting throughout season 3.
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Season 4...Bring back Crawford, say his death was part of a bigger planned stunt to further an internal investigation and replace Wayans with someone talented and known, like Cuba Gooding Jr or (nod to the original) Chris Rock
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Roseanne's show will have the same fate
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If they brought in Clayne Crawford to play Roseanne I would be good with that!
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R T i stopped watching when they added sean william scott.i have never liked him as an actor.he is terrible.
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I was so sick of Riggs. Total crap. I love the show now. The new guy is a thousand times better.
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"However, this is only the first week. Will Lethal Weapon rebound as viewers get to know the new Cole-Murtaugh dynamic? " OR...it will TANK because the curious viewers watched the first episode and gave up when they ACTUALLY killed off 1/2 of the Lethal Weapon concept and left the half that is being played by a tool that whined this whole mess into existence....like I keep saying....they may as well have brought in Bruce....er...Kaitlyn Jenner...
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