NBC's new dramedy, 'Mysteries Of Laura' premiered to strong ratings despite getting bad reviews from critics.

According to Deadline, the show earned a 2.1 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic as it followed the 'America's Got Talent' finale. Earning 10.4 million viewers on its first episode, it reportedly got the highest rating for any ABC, CBS or NBC show in that time slot.

'Will And Grace' star Debra Messing stars as Laura Diamond, a homicide detective in New York City who is having a hard time managing her domestic life. She has two kids who cause all kinds of trouble and a husband she can't get rid of because he won't sign the divorce papers.

According to Zap2It, NBC relies on the show's humor and authenticity to keep the ratings afloat.

"I went on a drive-along and got to be ready to get the bad guys," Messing told Zap2It about her role as a cop. "We had gun training. Being able to look like someone who was very comfortable with a gun in my hand was important. Capt. Jack is our resident expert and he makes sure everything is the way it would be in the real world."

Despite Messing's optimism, however, several critics have not been impressed by the new show.

Vulture said it "fail in its execution" and insists it isn't "grounded enough to be a serious show."

The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, thinks Messing looks amazingly fit. However, the rest of the show is "a bit less amazing."

The second episode brought more hope for the show, according to Entertainment Weekly. Episode two "was more enjoyable than the first" according to its recap for the new series.

'Mysteries Of Laura' episode one delved into more police work and showed Laura as a serious detective who sympathizes with victims. According to EW, the characters were fun and the mysteries were "fresh."

What did you think of 'Mysteries Of Laura?" How did you like Debra Messing's return to television?