Ratings

The comment that the ratings were terrible is erroneous. The problem was it started in the top twenty, fell the next week to the top thirty, and continued to fall until in fell in the middle range , or slightly lower. The network saw the show lost its initial ratings and lost momentum, then plateaued out. This, combined with trouble on the set (Bette being a diva, having her husband replaced by another actor) and the big salary Midler was getting, sealed its doom.