Theresa Giudice's first TV appearance since being incarcerated on bank fraud-related charges nearly a year ago is rumored to have generated ratings far below levels Bravo network officials were hoping for.

According to the New York Daily News, the premiere episode for "Real Housewives of New Jersey: Teresa Checks In" attracted just 1.2 million viewers. Giudice is featured on the show via jailhouse phone calls with her husband Joe and the couple's four young daughters.

"Viewers don't seem to want to support criminals, and Bravo is paying attention," a source said. "They'll see what the rating are for the [remaining parts] and go from there."

Making the situation all the more intriguing is the fact network officials have already signed Teresa to return to the cast of "Real Housewives" once she has served out the terms of her 15-month sentence at the Danbury Correctional facility. Some media outlets have reported Giudice could earn an annual salary of $2 million per season, and show producers have delayed filming on the new season in order to incorporate her in more of the scenes.

Improving ratings on "Teresa Checks In" could simply require Teresa and Joe change the way they come across to fans, learning from the low ratings of the first episode.

"She should play up how difficult it is so that when she comes out, people want to hear what she has to say," a source said. "They have the daughter [Gia] saying Teresa looks great, Joe's saying [the jail is] basically like a low budget spa, they're delivering diamond necklaces and Teresa's doing yoga."

In addition, Joe recently turned heads and drew more than his fair share of criticism when he appeared on an episode of Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live," where he blamed brother-in-law Joe Gorga for his wife's predicament.

"Joe Giudice doing that live interview did no favors for him," a source added. "Bravo can clean them up [on "The Real Housewives"] and make them look like good people, but when you put him on TV, he is who he is and he doesn't take accountability."

Joe is slated to commence serving out the terms of his 41-month sentence on similar charges, once his wife has been released.