Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s ‘Undercovers’ Underwhelms in the Ratings

Doctor Who star Gugu Mbatha-Raw is one of the many Brits who’ve found a home on America’s airwaves this fall. But if her show Undercovers doesn’t pick up in the ratings, the gorgeous actress might find herself evicted.

The romantic spy drama from J.J. Abrams “underwhelmed” in its season premiere last night, scoring only 2.0 in the 18-49 demo according to The Hollywood Reporter. That’s 13 percent less than the now-cancelled Mercy did in that same slot last fall. Um, yeah, that’s not good.

Undercovers garnered mostly fair reviews from critics. Even the positive reviews seem a bit measured. The L.A. Times‘ Mary McNamara says Mbatha-Raw and on-screen hubby Boris Kodjoe are “so energetic and appealing that it’s hard to take your eyes off them,” but she worries that there isn’t enough conflict between the pair. “Could that banter be a little testier? Could the marriage be a little rockier? Yes and yes. The writers seem so concerned with ensuring that their characters are preternaturally decent and likable that they go for sunny skies when there should be storm clouds.”

The Hollywood Reporter‘s Andy Bailey calls Undercovers “a misfire” that “breaks no new ground creatively, opting for formulaic chase sequences from one exotic locale to the next.” Yikes.

Remember Ms. Mbatha-Raw as Tish Jones, Martha’s sister, from Doctor Who? She looks so young in this clip: