Excerpts from a Rueters article:
"Lost" opened its second season with a stellar 23.1 million viewers and 10 rating/24 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. That marked all-time high ratings for the series, even higher than its first-season finale, a two-hour cliffhanger that brought in 20.7 million viewers and 7.8/19 in May even as it faced off against the final round of competition on Fox's "American Idol."
At 8 p.m., the "Destination: Lost" special (14.6 million, 5.6/16) got ABC off to a good start and made things tough for NBC's "Apprentice" (7.7 million, 2.5/7) and CBS' season premieres of comedies "Still Standing" (7 million, 2.1/7) and "Yes, Dear" (7.4 million, 2.5/7), nor did Fox have any traction with "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.1 million, 2.5/7).
At 9 p.m., NBC's "E-Ring" (9.4 million, 2.6/6) is looking at an uphill battle against the heat of "Lost." CBS also provided some unusual competition from 9-11 p.m. with its repeat of last season's two-hour "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" finale (10.5 million, 3.9/10) directed by Quentin Tarantino. (CBS' regular Wednesday 9-11 p.m. lineup of new drama "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY" bows next week.) "E-Ring" did manage to build on its "Apprentice" lead-in in viewers, and it grew slightly in both adults 18-49 and viewers in its second half-hour. There was no silver lining at all for Fox in the 9 p.m. hour as new drama "Head Cases" (3.3 million, 1.3/3) sank to basic-cable territory against the flames of "Lost."
At 10 p.m., "Invasion" (16.9 million, 7.1/18) kept ABC on top by a mile. "Invasion" and the second hour of the "CSI" finale conspired to push NBC's veteran "Law & Order" (13.1 million, 4.1/11) to a record low turnout for a season premiere episode.
For the night, it was ABC all the way with an average of 18.2 million viewers and 7.5/20. Its closest competitor, CBS, trailed with an average of 9.4 million viewers and 3.4/9 in adults 18-49."
"Lost" opened its second season with a stellar 23.1 million viewers and 10 rating/24 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. That marked all-time high ratings for the series, even higher than its first-season finale, a two-hour cliffhanger that brought in 20.7 million viewers and 7.8/19 in May even as it faced off against the final round of competition on Fox's "American Idol."
At 8 p.m., the "Destination: Lost" special (14.6 million, 5.6/16) got ABC off to a good start and made things tough for NBC's "Apprentice" (7.7 million, 2.5/7) and CBS' season premieres of comedies "Still Standing" (7 million, 2.1/7) and "Yes, Dear" (7.4 million, 2.5/7), nor did Fox have any traction with "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.1 million, 2.5/7).
At 9 p.m., NBC's "E-Ring" (9.4 million, 2.6/6) is looking at an uphill battle against the heat of "Lost." CBS also provided some unusual competition from 9-11 p.m. with its repeat of last season's two-hour "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" finale (10.5 million, 3.9/10) directed by Quentin Tarantino. (CBS' regular Wednesday 9-11 p.m. lineup of new drama "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY" bows next week.) "E-Ring" did manage to build on its "Apprentice" lead-in in viewers, and it grew slightly in both adults 18-49 and viewers in its second half-hour. There was no silver lining at all for Fox in the 9 p.m. hour as new drama "Head Cases" (3.3 million, 1.3/3) sank to basic-cable territory against the flames of "Lost."
At 10 p.m., "Invasion" (16.9 million, 7.1/18) kept ABC on top by a mile. "Invasion" and the second hour of the "CSI" finale conspired to push NBC's veteran "Law & Order" (13.1 million, 4.1/11) to a record low turnout for a season premiere episode.
For the night, it was ABC all the way with an average of 18.2 million viewers and 7.5/20. Its closest competitor, CBS, trailed with an average of 9.4 million viewers and 3.4/9 in adults 18-49."
