Strange Empire, ratings-wise, is a bit of a bust. There’s no way to get around it. Regardless of the quality of the show, the show received 283,000 viewers for its October 20 episode. The show hovers around 250,000 to 300,000 viewers, all told. For all the promotional ballyhoo before the show debuted, a relatively small percentage of Canadians are interested in a period drama based on municipal establishment, and the women who help establish it.

At least Strange Empire does better than City’s Package Deal, which recently moved to Monday nights in an attempt to increase its viewership. I don’t see either show earning another season, yet CBC failing at serious, cable-style drama holds a lot more weight than City failing at a sitcom that looks halfway compatible with 2 Broke Girls.