The fireworks of the Republicans’ record-setting primary debates could be what lures viewers to tune in and catch the other, so-far quieter side of the political divide tonight, in hopes a Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders bout will spark up the race in the Democrats’ first face-off, debate watchers say.

But political observers say they don’t expect the record viewership the Republicans got in their first two debates.

“It’s become a little bit of a mini-series, and if you watched the first couple Republican debates, the next installment is the Democrats,” Alan Schroeder, a Northeastern University debate expert, said of tonight’s five-person CNN showdown headlined by Clinton and Sanders.

“It probably mostly will be the Sanders and Clinton Show, but some of that is going to depend on how the debate is moderated,” Schroeder said, predicting a “wonkier” debate than the Donald Trump-dominated affairs on the Republican side.

“Will CNN choose to focus on them? My guess is they will. … I think it’s a really important chance for him to use that platform to connect with all those millions of viewers,” Schroeder said.

Political watchers say the pairing of Clinton, Sanders and three of the race’s lesser-known candidates in Jim Webb, Martin O’Malley and Lincoln Chafee is unlikely to match the record viewers Republicans drew on Fox News (24 million) and its CNN-hosted event (23 million).

As one of just six scheduled debates between Democrats, it’s a rare head-to-head opportunity for Clinton to show her vaunted debate skills — and re-establish herself amid dipping poll numbers — and for Sanders to drive a wedge between he and Clinton on progressive policy issues.

California Congressman Xavier Becerra, a Clinton surrogate and chair of the House Democratic caucus, said yesterday he’d love to see more debates.

“The more the merrier,” he said, even heaping praise on Sanders for the passion he brings.

“I want to see Bernie go as hard as he can because he brings out the best in Hillary Clinton,” Becerra told students at Boston University, adding, “I think Democrats, if you really believe in a particular position or value, you should stick to your guns and really fight out on those issues. … I think if (voters) saw they really had a fighter behind those issues they’d come with us.”

Trump, meanwhile, isn’t predicting a highly rated affair.

“I think people are going to watch for 10 or 15 minutes and turn it off,” Trump told reporters before speaking to a crowd at the No Labels Problem Solver Convention in Manchester, N.H. “I think it will be interesting for at least the first 10 minutes.”