“Glee” had its much hyped post-Super Bowl episode last night..duh, after the Super Bowl, and it was a ratings blockbuster compared to its regular averages…but otherwise it wasn’t anything especially notable.

The episode drew 26.8 million viewers, and a 11.1 rating in the adults 18-49 demo. While that’s great and far above the show’s normal viewership (generally around 11 million viewers and a 4.5 demo rating), it’s not gangbuster.

Last year, “Undercover Boss” premiered after the Super Bowl and drew more than 38 million viewers. When “House” aired after the game, it drew about 29 million viewers. Way back when, “Grey’s Anatomy” drew 37 million viewers after the game.

“Glee” will ultimately be the third-lowest rated program in the last 7 years, and right in the middle of the last decade of post-Super Bowl shows. Not a bust or a blockbuster.

But lets face it–“Glee” has a built in audience–and it doesn’t exactly mesh with the football crowd, despite its best attempt last night at a football centric episode. The show has also been a huge pop culture phenomenon for the past two years, so many who were curious have probably already sampled the show.

On a bright note, “Glee” did out-rate “The Office” when it aired after the game; that show drew 22 million viewers and an 11.0 in the demo.

“Grey’s Anatomy” is the last show that saw a huge uptick in regular viewership after the Super Bowl. It’s average rose by more than 5 million viewers each week, and the time slot helped make it into the hit is was in its prime.

“Glee” is unlikely to see the same sustained benefit. My guess is that ratings for Tuesday night’s all-new episode are back in the range of typical viewing levels–at best an uptick to 13-14 million viewers and a demo rating slightly over 5.0. But otherwise, you have to wonder if airing “Glee” after the Super Bowl was a good idea, or was it a waste of an opportunity to expose a show?

About The Author

Jason Woods is a Blast staff writer

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