THE NEW NORMAL Debut Tops Rating Competition

At 9:30 p.m. ET, the debut of NBC's new comedy series THE NEW NORMAL (2.5/7 in 18-49, 7.0 in total viewers) topped the ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox slot competition in all key categories. In addition, the series premiere retained 74 percent of its "Go On" lead-in in the all-important 18-49 demographic.

In the episode, Shania (Bebe Wood) is working to adapt to her new surroundings and, much to the delight of Bryan (Andrew Rannells), begins impersonating Little Edie from ‘Grey Gardens.’ Later, David (Justin Bartha) and Bryan reminisce about the first time they met and decide to have a night on the town like they did when they were younger. Elsewhere, Jane (Ellen Barkin) finds something disturbing in the boys’ room and enlists Goldie’s (Georgia King) ex-husband Clay (Jayson Blair) to try and woo her granddaughter back to Ohio. 

On THE NEW NORMAL, these days, families come in all forms – single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors… It's 2012 and anythinggoes. Bryan (Andrew Rannells, "Girls," "The Book of Mormon") and David (Justin Bartha, "The Hangover") are a Los Angeles couple and they have it all. Well, almost. With successful careers and a committed, loving partnership, there is one thing that this couple is missing: a baby. And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie (Georgia King, "One Day"), an extraordinary young woman with a checkered past.

A midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother (Emmy and Tony Award-winner Ellen Barkin), Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious eight year-old daughter. Desperate and broke – but also fertile – Goldie quickly becomes the guys' surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams. Surrogate mother, surrogate family.

Photo credit: Jordin Althaus/NBC

To post a comment, you must register and login.