NBC’s “Heroes” faltered in its second week, grabbing its lowest rating for an original episode to date, while neither “Chuck” nor “Life” increased from last year’s debuts.

“Heroes” took in a 4.4 rating/10 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data.

Compared to last week’s two-hour premiere, Monday’s “Heroes” slid 12% to its lowest rating ever.

“Chuck” (2.6/7) returned to the schedule after its strike-shortened run last year to a decline of 28% from its start last September.

A special Monday showing of “Life” (2.7/7) slipped 33% from its Wednesday premiere last year, but fell close to its season average. The police drama airs again this week in its regular Friday slot. NBC placed third with a nightly average of 3.2/8.

First-place CBS saw week-to-week drops for its entire lineup. “The Big Bang Theory” (3.3/9) and “How I Met Your Mother” (3.7/9) dropped 8%, “Two and a Half Men” (4.7/11) slipped 11% and “Worst Week” (3.1/7) took an 18% downturn from last week’s premiere.

“CSI: Miami” (4.3/11) leveled out from its high premiere, declining 17% to stay near its previous average.

CBS took home a 3.9/10 nightly average.

ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” (4.5/11) dropped 15% week-to-week, marking the show’s largest decline from week one to week two. “Boston Legal” (2.3/6) aired near its previous average. ABC was a close second on the night with a 3.8/10.

Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (2.0/5) and “Prison Break” (2.0/5) both suffered declines, dropping 13% and 20%, respectively. Fox placed fourth with a 2.0/5.

As the shine of last week’s season premieres fades, The CW’s “Gossip Girl” (1.9/5) and “One Tree Hill” (1.9/4) enjoyed increases of 19% and 27% from last week. In The CW’s key demographic of women 18-34, “Gossip” held steady with a 3.8/10, while “Hill” gained 15% with a 3.8/10.

“Hill” had its best performance in both adults 18-49 and women 18-34 in nearly two years.

The CW placed fifth in adults 18-49 with a 1.9/5.

Football dominated the ratings Sunday night, while ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” and “Brothers and Sisters” led the night in non-sports-related programming with their lowest-rated premieres ever.

NBC’s telecast of the Eagles-Bears game scored a preliminary 6.3 rating/15 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research data.

Compared to last week’s faceoff between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday’s matchup slipped 22%. Due to the nature of live television, this data should be considered approximate and subject to change.

NBC nabbed first place for Sunday night with a 5.2/13.

The cap of ABC’s “Stay at Home Week” arrived Sunday with the season debuts of “Desperate Housewives” (7.0/16), “Brothers and Sisters” (4.7/12) and two back-to-back episodes of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (2.2/7, 3.7/9). All shows declined compared with their premieres last year.

“Housewives” slid 7%, while “Brothers” dropped 6%, marking the lowest start for both shows. “Makeover” tumbled further, landing 24% and 23% down from last year’s premiere.

ABC ended the night in third place with a 4.4/11.

Animation returned to the Fox schedule with season premieres of “The Simpsons” (4.4/12), “King of the Hill” (3.3/8), “Family Guy” (4.5/10) and “American Dad” (3.2/7). With the exception of “Dad,” the animation block declined year-to-year, with “Guy” taking the biggest tumble with a 20% downturn. “Dad” increased one-tenth of a ratings point from last year. Fox finished second for the night with a 4.6/12.

CBS’ “The Amazing Race” hit a bump in the first episode of its 13th iteration, declining 28% from last year’s starter with a 3.1/8. However, “Race” debuted last year behind a big Colts/Patriots game in 2007, partially explaining the differential.

Both “Cold Case” (2.7/6) and “The Unit” (2.6/6) slipped slightly from last year’s premieres, while “60 Minutes” (2.1/6) ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point from last year. CBS took fourth with a 2.6/7.

The CW ended the night in fifth with a 0.6/2, airing mainly repeats.

Four of Thursday night’s six season premieres ranked as the lowest-rated in the series’ history, including “Survivor,” “Ugly Betty” and “ER.”

The two-hour season premiere of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” brought in a 7.3 rating/18 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. “Grey’s” slipped 18% from last year and was only one-tenth of a ratings point above its lowest premiere to-date, for its first season in 2005.

“Ugly Betty” (3.3/9) also returned, down 15% from last year for its lowest launch yet. ABC took home a 6.0/15, putting it in first place for the night.

“Survivor’s” (4.4/11) season premiere declined 12% year-to-year, marking the show’s lowest launch yet. CBS took in a 3.8/10 for the night.

Both “My Name Is Earl” (2.7/8) and “ER” (3.3/8) bottomed out against previous season premieres, although “The Office” stumbled only 6% versus last year with a 4.8/11. NBC took third place with a 3.6/9.

Facing stronger competition, Fox’s “Kitchen Nightmares” (2.1/5) dipped 25% from last week. A special “Nightmares” at 8 p.m. brought in a 1.9/5. Fret not, “Hole in the Wall” returns next week. Fox landed fourth with a 2.0/5.

The CW’s “Smallville” (1.7/5) slid just one-tenth of a ratings point week-to-week, while “Supernatural” (1.3/3) struggled against “The Office,” losing 24% from last week. The CW placed fifth with a 1.5/4.

NBC’s “Knight Rider” hit the wrong gear off the line, stalling out in the ratings during its premiere. Bringing in a 2.4 rating/7 share, “Rider” came in one-tenth of a ratings point behind “Deal or No Deal,” which occupied the slot last year, according to Nielsen Media Research.

A heavy promotional presence at Comic Con, as well as on-air promos didn’t boost the series premiere from a third place finish in the hour.

Other key points for the night:

The president’s address to the nation affected the preliminary ratings for everything after 9 p.m. as all programming shifted back 15 minutes. Full numbers will be available later today.

—CBS’ comedies didn’t fare well against ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” placing fourth in the time period. “The New Adventures of Old Christine” drew a 2.1/6, while the premiere of “Gary Unmarried” landed a 2.3/6. CBS is banking on a rise next week as “Stars” settles into its normal Monday/Tuesday run.

—“Stars” (3.5/10) stumbled 15% from last year’s special Wednesday first-week debut, after giving the heave-ho to television’s dark specter of cancellation, Ted McGinley.

—Even though the presidential address will affect final numbers, CBS looks to be the strongest competitor thanks to showings from the season premieres of “CSI: NY” (4.2/11) and “Criminal Minds” (4.2/11). Tentatively, CBS ended the night in first with a 3.5/10.

Fox took Tuesday night in the ratings with its “House”/”Fringe” duo, as debuts on the rest of the networks’ numbers ran the gamut from solid (CBS’ “The Mentalist) to unimpressive (ABC’s “Opportunity Knocks”).

Fox obtained a nightly average of a 4.5 rating/12 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. “House” did a 4.9/14, down 13% from last week’s season premiere. “Fringe” declined 18% from last week’s second-week high, with a 4.2/10.

Here’s the rest of the night’s stats:

—CBS trotted out “The Mentalist” (3.5/9) to good numbers. “Mentalist” grew 25% over “The Unit’s” season premiere last year in that time slot. “NCIS” increased 9% from last year’s debut. “Without a Trace” (2.8/7) took a hit from last year’s premiere on Thursday, declining 40%.

—ABC’s “Opportunity Knocks” stumbled in its debut, pulling in a 1.8/5. Compared to last fall’s premieres in the time period (“Cavemen”/ “Carpoolers” on Oct. 2), “Knocks” tumbled 49% versus the average rating. The second part of “Dancing With the Stars’” (4.7/12) first week stayed consistent with last year’s part two, only slipping one-tenth of a ratings point.

—NBC’s “Biggest Loser: Families” (2.9/8) dipped 9% from its season premiere last week. “Law & Order: SVU” (3.7/10) dropped 23% from its premiere last year, marking a season premiere low.

—The CW’s “90210” declined 15% from last week in its key demo of women 18-34, drawing a 2.8/8. “Privileged” also slipped in the demo by 14% to a 1.8/5.

As for tonight, NBC rolls into mid-week with one of its most heavily promoted debuts, “Knight Rider,” as well as the season premiere of “Lipstick Jungle.” CBS is all brand-new with a new night for “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” and the debut of “Gary Unmarried,” as well as premieres for “CSI: NY” and “Criminal Minds.”

NBC’s “Heroes,” which was one of the biggest shows to have its season cut short by the writers strike, re-emerged on the schedule Monday night to a 4.9 rating/12 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research.

After being off the air for nine months, the show dipped 25% from its previous season premiere. However, it was down just one-tenth of a ratings point from its last airing on Dec. 3, 2007.

As for the rest of the night’s premieres:

—ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” opened its new season to a 5.3/13, down 9% from its last start. “Boston Legal,” with a 2.5/6, began on par with its last season opener in 2007.

—CBS’ comedy block also returned, with “The Big Bang Theory” (3.6/10), “How I Met Your Mother” (4.0/10), “Two and a Half Men” (5.3/12) and the premiere of “Worst Week” (3.8/9). “Theory” ended just one-tenth of a ratings point shy of its premiere last year, when it aired at 8:30 p.m. behind "Mother." “Mother” increased 21% from last year’s 8 p.m. start, while “Men” jumped 10% from its previous season premiere.

Facing stronger competition, The CW’s “Gossip Girl” fell 9% in the key demo of women 18-34 from its record-setting numbers last week, bringing in a 3.9/11. “One Tree Hill” slid 14% in that same demo, ending the night with a 3.7/9.

However, Fox’s “Terminator” (2.2/6) and “Prison Break” (2.5/6) looked strong against the competition, both finishing one-tenth of a ratings point ahead of last week’s numbers.

For the night, CBS took first place with a nightly average of 4.5/11. ABC placed second with a 4.3/11, followed by NBC with a 4.1/10. Fox grabbed fourth with a 2.4/6 and The CW landed in fifth with a 1.5/4.

More wasn’t merrier, as the five-host setup of ABC’s “The 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards” sent the awardscast to a ratings low not seen since 1992.

Drawing a 3.8 rating/9 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, the Emmys dipped 12% from last year’s telecast, against competition from a strong football game on NBC, according to preliminary Nielsen data.

NBC’s coverage of the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys caught a 7.8/19, up 8% from last week’s Steelers-Browns matchup.

NBC took first place last night with a 6.7/17, followed by ABC’s 3.2/8 and CBS’ 2.8/7. Both NBC’s and CBS’ data are approximate due to live events.

Fox’s “Hole in the Wall” settled into its second week on Thursdays with some minor ratings declines, while “Kitchen Nightmares” held steady from last week. Fox took home the night in adults 18-49 with a 2.4 rating/7 share. Here’s the highlights from last night (all ratings are expressed in adults 18-49):

—“Hole in the Wall’s” back-to-back episodes brought in a 1.8/6 and 2.2/7, down 10% and 15% week-to-week.

—“Kitchen Nightmares” (2.8/8) dipped one-tenth of ratings point from last week.

—The CW unveiled its eighth season premiere of “Smallville” (1.8/6) and fourth season debut of “Supernatural” (1.7/5). Compared to last year’s premieres, “Smallville” declined 10%, while “Supernatural,” which launched last year in October, leapt 42%.

—CBS’ “Flashpoint” posted its highest-rated episode last night with a 2.6/7.

—On NBC, a special Thursday “America’s Got Talent” tied its lowest rating of the summer with a 2.3/7.

“America’s Got Talent” propped up NBC for a nightly win in the ratings as the show’s season winds down. Hitting an eight-month non-Olympic high in its time slot, “Talent” brought in a 3.1 rating/9 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, up 7% from last week. NBC grabbed a nightly average of 2.7/8.

Fox’s comedies, “’Til Death” (1.9/5) and “Do Not Disturb” (1.6/4), slid 17% and 16% from last week’s premieres. The shows both placed third in their time periods, despite running against mainly repeats, aside from “Talent.” “Bones” rattled a 7% increase from last week, up to a 3.2/10.

The CW's “America’s Next Top Model” (2.1/6) increased one-tenth of a ratings point from last week. “Model” also swung up 6% in its key women 18- to 34-year-old demographic to a 3.7/11.

Further analysis and a full ratings chart coming soon.

Fox captured the ratings crown Tuesday night, averaging a 5.3 rating/14 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, thanks to the return of “House” and an invigorated “Fringe,” up two whole ratings points from its premiere last week.

Here are some of the high points from the night:

“Fringe” drew a 5.2/13 and 13.4 million viewers, a 63% increase in ratings and a 47% increase in viewership, according to Nielsen Media Research. “Fringe” held 95% of “House’s” adults 18-to-49 rating and 93% of its total viewers.

“House,” moving time periods and pulling in a 5.5/16 last night, slipped 30% from last year’s premiere on Sept. 25. However, “House” did best “Bones” in that time slot by 67%.

“90210,” with a 1.7/5, held steady from last week. The show’s 3.3/10 in women 18 to 34 increased 6% despite being up against “House,” “Biggest Loser” and the season finale of “Wipeout.”

“The Biggest Loser: Families” (3.1/8) stayed on par with its premiere last year on Sept. 11.

A chart and more analysis to come throughout the day.

A shootout of a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles brought ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” its best ratings ever, as well as the largest audience in cable history.

Scoring a 7.3 rating/21 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, yesterday’s “MNF” hit its highest ESPN ratings and the show’s best numbers since November 2005, when the game aired on ABC, according to Nielsen Media Research.

With 18.6 million viewers, the game dominated as the most-viewed program on television Monday night and in cable ratings history, edging out a 2007 “MNF” broadcast between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots.

In non-sports-related programming, the season finale of TNT’s “The Closer” scored a 1.7/4, up a tenth of a ratings point from last week. The show also drove in a 3.7/8 in women 25-54, up 6% from last week.

Showtime's "Weeds" wrapped up its fourth season with 1 million viewers, increasing 36% from its previous season finale. Overall, the fourth season of the show improved 16% in viewers compared to last season.

(4 p.m.: Updated throughout)

“Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill” enjoyed an increase in viewers week-to-week, as “Girl” continues to ride its ratings high to set another record Monday.

“Girl” drew in a 1.9 rating/5 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.

Last night’s episode increased the adults 18-49 rating by 12% from last week’s series high. Monday’s episode also increased 27% in women 18-34 (4.2/12) and 25% in women 18-49 (3.0/8). “Girl” also topped in total viewers with 3.7 million.

“Hill” also took away a two-year high with its adults 18-49 rating of 1.9/5 and its women 18-34 rating of 3.6/9.

The CW placed fourth for the night with a 1.8/5.

Fox and CBS tied for first with a nightly 2.2/6 average, with CBS airing comedy repeats and Fox showing new episodes of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (2.0/6) and “Prison Break” (2.4/6). The new episodes slid 17% and 7%, respectively, from last week.

A possible explanation for the slide could come from ESPN, as “Monday Night Football” aired a hectic, wild NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. That contest more than likely will dominate the night once cable ratings are released later today.

ABC took fourth with a 1.9/5, airing feature film “Batman Begins,” while NBC took the rear with a 1.7/4. Both “Deal or No Deal” (2.0/6) and “America’s Toughest Jobs” (1.6/4) hit Monday original lows. “Dateline” dropped 22% from last week.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: “Fringe” at 9 p.m. is entering its second week off a lower-than-anticipated premiere. “Fringe” is benefiting from tonight’s season premiere of “House” at 8 p.m. This week’s paranormal investigation on “Fringe”: Mysterious floating letters letting people know where they are.

The CW: Week three of “90210” at 8 p.m. “90210” faces off against “House,” but doesn’t have to worry about “The Secret Life of the American Teen” on ABC Family, which ended its run last week.

NBC: “The Biggest Loser: Families” premieres tonight at 8 p.m.

Lifetime’s premiere Saturday of “Coco Chanel,” starring Shirley MacLaine, fashioned itself as the second-most watched film on the basic-cable network this year.

Airing to 5.2 million viewers, “Chanel” trailed only Lifetime’s No. 1 film, “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter,” by 600,000 viewers.

The film also brought in 1.3 million viewers in Lifetime’s key demographics of women 18 to 49 years old and 1.5 million in women 25 to 54 years old.

Football ran all over the rest of the night in ratings, while Fox threw in some extra bells and whistles to generate support of its rebroadcast of the “Fringe” pilot.

The Cleveland Browns versus the Pittsburgh Steelers took the top spot in the ratings, pulling down a 6.5 rating/16 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.

The game is on pace with last week’s Colts/Bears season opener in the fast nationals. Of course, live events are more subject to change in prelim ratings and should be considered approximate.

NBC brought in a 5.4/14 for the night, putting it in first place.

CBS, with a 3.0/8, took second thanks to its NFL overrun (6.5/20). “Big Brother” (2.3/6) took a 12% dip from last week as the show heads toward its Tuesday conclusion. Again, CBS’ data is considered approximate.

ABC and Fox tied for third, as ABC took in a 2.1/5 with its repeats and Fox nabbed a 2.1/6 with reruns of “The Simpsons” and “Fringe” (2.3/6). Besides carting out “Fringe” for a second lap, Fox also aired a preview for next week’s episode, as well as made-for-TV movie “24: Redemption” and feature film “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Despite being a repeat, “Fringe” slid only 28% from its first run on Tuesday. The additional viewers could add some momentum to “Fringe’s” second episode Tuesday, which also has the benefit of a big lead-in in the form of the return of “House.”

The CW placed fifth with a 0.8/2.

What to Watch for Tonight:

NBC: “Deal or No Deal” is new tonight at 8 p.m. After giving up the show’s first million-dollar prize earlier this month, NBC has given the Banker the option to deal in either lire or dinars. But only the Serbian dinar. NBC and the producers can’t afford to be paying out those big Tunisian dinars. They have families to feed.

Viewers opted to reflect on Sept. 11, 2001, as History “Time Machine” documentary special on 9/11 topped ratings in cable yesterday.

Pulling in a 2.0 rating/6 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic “Machine” ranking number one on cable in the demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. It also earned No. 1 in total viewers with 5.2 million.

On USA, “Burn Notice” took the No. 2 spot for the night, returning after nearly a month off to solid numbers (1.7/5). Compared to its last showing on Aug. 22, “Notice” increased its rating 31%. The episode ranked as the series’ second-highest installment ever.

After two previews earlier in the week, “Hole in the Wall” finally burst into its regular time slot to midlevel ratings, as Fox wrapped up the Thursday nightly win on the back of reality.

“Wall” in its hourlong incarnation brought in a 2.3 rating/7 share among adults 18 to 49 years old, according to Nielsen Media Research, raising 21% from Tuesday’s post-“Fringe” preview.

“Kitchen Nightmares” increased by 21% from its two-hour special last Thursday, in part because it didn’t have to compete with the NFL this week.

Fox took the night with a 2.6/8.

Ratings took an uptick as CBS’ “Big Brother” winds down, increasing 17% from last week to a 2.7/8, as the show enters the final stretch of its 10th season. “Flashpoint” also enjoyed a bounce with a 2.2/6, the show’s highest numbers.

CBS placed second with a 2.4/7.

NBC, with repeats and a low-rated half-hour special episode of “America’s Got Talent” (2.3/8), placed third with a 1.8/5. Repeats gave ABC fourth with a 1.5/4 and The CW fifth with a 0.7/2.

What to Watch for This Weekend:

Friday

Fox: “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” returns at 9 p.m. to form Fox’s “Pushy Show Title Friday Night Block.” The 8 o’clock show, “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” sincerely questions the viewer’s intelligence, while “Lyrics” commands you to remember songs. Quit hasslin’ me, Fox.

The premiere of Fox’s “Do Not Disturb” launched Wednesday night to so-so ratings, while “America’s Next Top Model,” after a low opening last week, enjoyed a bounce in its numbers.

“Disturb” debuted to a 2.0 rating/5 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data.

The show fell 17% from its lead-in, “’Til Death,” which premiered its third season to a 2.4/7, down 14% from its premiere last year when it aired at 8:30 p.m.

“Bones,” although it declined 12% from last week, was the highest-rated show of the night with a 2.9/9.

Fox finished the night in second with a 2.5/7.

On The CW, “Model” grabbed a 2.0 rating/6 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, increasing 18% from last week’s premiere. “Model” also increased 13% in the network’s key demo, women 18-34, with a 3.4/10. The CW tied for fourth place with ABC, scoring a 1.6/4 in adults 18-49.

First-place NBC aired an on-par “America’s Got Talent” (2.8/8) and a repurposed USA original episode of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (2.1/6). The network ended the night with a 2.6/7.

“Greatest American Dog” on CBS finished its season with a 1.6/5, on average with its run during the summer. CBS placed third with a 1.7/5.

Grab your numbers in chart form here.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: You’ve enjoyed it in half-hour chunks, now prepare for the holes for a whole hour! “Hole in the Wall” settles into its official hourlong time slot at 8 p.m. Next season, expect the exciting spinoff: “Open Door or Just a Really Clean Panel of Plexiglas?”

Consider it the Barack bump, as presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s visit to CBS’ “The Late Show” lifted David Letterman’s program ahead of NBC’s “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” in the nightly ratings.

Pulling in a 4.1 rating/10 share in overnight metered households in 55 markets, according to Nielsen Media Research, “The Late Show” topped Leno by two-tenths of a ratings point. It was only the fourth time this season that has occurred, and it tied with “Late Show’s” highest rating this year.

“The Late Show” also enjoyed a 48% increase over its summer average.

Momentum ran over into Craig Ferguson’s “The Late Late Show,” as the program overtook “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” with a 1.9/7 versus Mr. O’Brien’s 1.8/6.

A surprise ratings success, ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” wrapped up its first season with the show’s highest numbers in key female demographics.

Pulling down a 3.7 rating/14 share in the 18- to 34-year-old demo, according to Nielsen Media Research, “Teenager” surpassed The CW’s “90210” in that key advertising arena Tuesday.

“Teenager” aired opposite “90210,” meaning the Beverly Hills drama may see an increase next week in that demo thanks to the lack of competition.

Taking a 1.8/5 in the 18- to 49-year-old age group and 4.2 million viewers, “Teenager” ruled the night.

On FX, “The Shield” tumbled from last week’s low-rated premiere by 20%, ending with a 0.8/2, the show’s lowest rating ever.

Despite being one of the most-hyped premieres of the fall, Fox’s “Fringe” brought in only a fair amount of viewers, raising questions as to what to expect from this season.

“Fringe” drew a 3.2 rating/9 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, as well as 9 million viewers.

The numbers aren’t explosive, but neither are they abysmal, more in the decent to OK range. However, they were good enough to give “Fringe” the victory for Tuesday night among viewers 18-49.

As for a silver lining, the show carried its audience throughout the airing.

“Fringe” is Fox’s top premiere in total viewers in two years, minus any premieres after “American Idol” or sporting events.

Compared to other J.J. Abrams fare, it’s near the back of the pack, which you can read about here.

“House” premieres next week at 8 p.m., which should give “Fringe,” following at 9 p.m., a shot in the arm.

Fox also saw its second airing of “Hole in the Wall” bring in a 2.1/5.

Both ratings are more tentative than usual, as “Fringe” ran 8 to 9:35, compromising the preliminary numbers for “Wall.”

Fox finished the night in first place with a 2.9/8.

Compared with last week’s big start, “90210” lost traction, dipping 35% from last week’s 18-49 numbers with a 1.7/5, and dropping 36% in women 18-34 with a 2.9/8.

While tumbling, the show landed remarkably close to “Gossip Girl’s” successful Monday numbers.

Debuting Tuesday, “Privileged” took in a 1.3/3 in 18- to 49-year-olds and a 2.2/6 in women 18-34. “Privileged” dropped 13% in 18-49 from “Reaper’s” premiere in 2007.

The CW took fifth in 18-49 with a 1.5/4.

“Wipeout” continues to perform for ABC as two episodes (2.8/8, 3.0/8) helped boost the network to a second-place finish with a 2.7/7. “Wipeout” at 8 p.m. increased 33% from last week.

NBC, with a 2.4/6, aired “America’s Got Talent,” down 10% from last week. “Big Brother” on CBS ran two-tenths of a rating point higher than last week, while “Fashion Rocks” drew a 1.9/5, the highest number ever in the fourth year of the fashion/music event. CBS placed fourth with a 2.1/6.

Don’t like all of these letters and words cluttering up your enjoyment of the numbers? Then you’ll be happy to know this blog will feature a daily chart for prime-time ratings. Today’s is located here.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: “Do Not Disturb” premieres tonight at 9:30 p.m. Just like a newsroom or a doctor’s office, the hotel shall go down in the Hall of Fame of sitcom backdrops that aren’t 1/50th as exciting as they seem on television. Also, “’Til Death” returns for a third season at 9 p.m.

In the J.J. Abrams spectrum, “Fringe’s” debut beat “Felicity” and “What About Brian?” in terms of premiere numbers, but Abrams-created powerhouses like “Lost” and “Alias” tower over the launch.

“Fringe’s” premiere, with its preliminary 3.2 rating/9 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic and 9 million viewers, overtook The WB’s “Felicity,” created by Mr. Abrams, by 14% in ratings and nearly 2 million more viewers.

ABC’s “What About Brian,” executive produced by Abrams and launched in April 2006, nearly ties the “Fringe” premiere numbers, with 3.2/8 and 7.1 million.

How did “Fringe” fair against Mr. Abrams’ staple, ABC's “Lost”? “Lost’s” premiere in 2004 drew a 6.8/20, more than double “Fringe's” debut, and an audience of 18.7 million.

As for the rest of the Abrams stable, “Alias” in 2001 brought in a 6.2/14 with 15 million viewers, while the short-lived ABC show “Six Degrees,” executive produced by Mr. Abrams, took in a 5.4/14 and 12.6 million.

In fairness to “Fringe,” however, it is important to point out that “Fringe” premiered relatively early this season, while “Lost,” “Six Degrees,” “Alias” and “Felicity” launched later in September, when television use is generally higher.

Also, due to the irregular run time of “Fringe” (8-9:35 p.m.), its ratings are approximate until final ratings are released later today.

Fox's premiere last night of "Fringe" was the second-highest rated premiere of the fall so far. The J.J. Abrams-created mystery-thriller drew a 3.2 rating/9 share in the 18-49 demographic and nearly 9 million viewers tuned in, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers.

Fox's special sneak preview on Sunday of "Hole in the Wall" still holds the top spot, scoring 9% better than the "Fringe" debut.

Viewers didn’t return to hug it out with “Entourage” on Sunday, as the show hit a three-year low for Sunday’s fifth season premiere, while “Monday Night Football” grabbed a cable viewership high on ESPN.

Racking in a 1.0 rating/2 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, “Entourage” slipped 29% from last June’s premiere, a low not seen since July 2005. The episode brought in 1.6 million viewers.

Meanwhile, HBO’s launch of “True Blood” increased 75% over the previous show in its Sunday 9 p.m. time period, “Generation Kill,” with a 0.7/2. “Blood” hooked 1.4 million viewers.

On MTV, the Video Music Awards posted strong increases with a 4.2/10, the highest score the show has pulled in since 2005. A towering 9.2/33 in female teens showed a 56% increase from last year’s VMAs.

For Saturday, the series premiere of “The Locator” on WE tv set a network premiere record with a 0.98 household rating. Two episodes of “Locator” aired, pulling in 1.2 million viewers, another record for WE tv.

“Monday Night Football” dominated its night with a double-header featuring the Minnesota Vikings versus the Green Bay Packers (5.1/15) and the Denver Broncos against the Oakland Raiders (4.3/15).

The Packers-Vikings contest also drove in the largest audience on cable this year, drawing 12.5 million viewers, surpassing the previous record of the 2008 Home Run Derby’s 9.1 million viewers.

The prime-time average of “MNF” was a 5.9/16, an increase of 7% from last year’s season-opening double-header, which featured Cincinnati/Baltimore and San Francisco/Arizona.

“Gossip Girl” continued to hold strong in the ratings from its record-setting premiere last week, while Fox’s “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” returned to the schedule and won its hour.

The CW’s “Gossip Girl” took in a 2.1 rating/7 share in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, prime viewers for The CW, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data.

The rating for Monday’s episode fell off two-tenths of a percentage point from last week’s record-setting premiere.

The CW’s “One Tree Hill” also was down two-tenths of a point from last week to a 2.2/6. Year-to-year, both shows have improved 31% and 22%, respectively. The CW placed fourth for the night in the 18-49 demo with a 1.6/4.

“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” returned to the schedule at 8 p.m. on Fox with a 2.4/7 in the 18- to 49-year-old demo, placing first in the hour and tying for third in shows overall on the night. Fox won the night with a 2.5/6.

“Chronicles” ratings declined 43% from its Monday premiere in January, but that showing had benefited from a huge promotional push during this year’s Super Bowl. The January premiere also had a two-night debut, skewing comparisons.

“Prison Break” declined one-tenth of a ratings point from last week’s premiere to land with a 2.6/6.

Repeats on CBS gave it second place with a 2.2/6, while NBC nabbed third with a 2.0/5. “Deal or No Deal” slipped 19% from last week to a 2.1/6, while “America’s Toughest Jobs” dropped for its third straight week by 8% to a 2.2/5.

Bringing up the rear, ABC took home a 1.5/4, and finally rid itself of a ratings anchor as “High School Musical: Get in the Picture” ended its abysmal run with a 1.1/3, up 57% from its time-period average. "The CMA Music Festival" drew a 1.7/4, down 11% from last year’s airing.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: After months of advertising in the form of radio ads, billboards, large balloons, LCD monitor-toting Segway scooters, free produce and keychain-sized black lights, “Fringe” debuts at 8 p.m. Arguably one of this season’s biggest new shows, J.J. Abrams’ “Fringe” should offer up all of the creator’s classic motives: mystery, intrigue, government/big business secrets, Jennifer Garner wearing a wig, a sassy redhead and several unexplained color changes in the sky.

The CW: “Privileged” debuts at 9 p.m. Originally titled “How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls,” “Privileged” boldly breaks away from The CW’s typical programming by including not one but TWO stuck-up spoiled rich girls.

Update: “Gossip Girl” didn’t drop, it actually held steady from its record-setting ratings last week. Thanks to final nationals, “Gossip” increased from its preliminary numbers to match last week’s premiere in adults 18-49 (1.7/5), adults 18-34 (2.3/7) and women 18-49 (3.2/10). It also held 97% of last week’s episode in women 18-34 with a 3.2/10, the show’s second-highest rating in that demo. The real test of The CW's staying power comes tonight as "90210" enters its second week after a monumental opening, but against tougher competition, specifically Fox's premiere of "Fringe."

“Hole in the Wall” broke through during a special sneak preview on Sunday, taking over as the No. 1 debut in the ratings so far this season.

“Hole” scored a 3.5 rating/9 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Medial Research data.

The show built 9% on its lead-in, and ranked as the highest-rated non-sports-related show of the night.

Missed it? Well, Fox has your “Holes” covered. Not only did “Wall” premiere Sunday, but another new half-hour will air after “Fringe” on Tuesday, and the show will debut in its normal hourlong slot Thursday at 8 p.m.

NFL runover (5.2/17) and “The OT” (3.2/10), plus animation repeats, rounded out the rest of the Fox schedule, which placed second for the night with a 3.2/9.

Football dominated on first-place NBC, as the Sunday night kickoff between the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts brought in a 6.7/16. The game aired live, which should affect its ratings once national ratings are released; usually the numbers increase in the final tally.

The Bears-Colts contest landed very close to the preliminary data for last year’s Sunday night NFL premiere between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. NBC won the night with a 5.5/14.

Postponed from Saturday due to rain, tennis coverage of the U.S. Open women’s finals took in a 1.3/3, while “Big Brother” finished the night on the high side with a 2.7/7, up 42%. Again, fast nationals working with live coverage should be considered tentative.

CBS placed third with a 1.7/4.

ABC ended the night in fourth with a 1.4/4, with “America United: In Support of Our Troops” pulling in a 1.3/3.

The CW took last with a 0.7/2.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: There is absolutely no way I’m making an “I’ll be back” joke regarding the second-season premiere of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” at 8 p.m.

The CW: So, if “Gossip Girl” (tonight at 8 p.m.), “90210” and “America’s Next Top Model” are The CW’s top franchises, when are we getting that crossover that everybody (read: nobody) wants? If Salem the cat from “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” can wander on to “Boy Meets World,” “You Wish” and “Teen Angel” for some arbitrary reason, surely Gossip Girl can rag on Tyra and Annie Wilson.

The kickoff of the NFL season on NBC dominated Thursday’s lineup, but thanks to unusual scheduling around the Republican National Convention, the game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants declined strongly from last year.

Starting at 7:08 p.m., the game brought in a 5.4 rating/14 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data.

Thursday’s game dipped two full ratings points from last year’s kickoff game between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. However, last year’s game started at 8:40 p.m.

The game brought nearly 14 million viewers to the doorstep of the Republican National Convention at 10 p.m. (the game ended at 9:58 p.m.), and NBC’s convention coverage took in a 3.2/8 with 8.1 million viewers.

NBC finished the night in first with a 4.7/13.

Fox aired a special two-hour retrospective episode of “Kitchen Nightmares” to a 2.4/7. Despite being a new episode and on a new night, it is technically not the season premiere, which airs next week at 9 p.m.

Fox ended the night in second place with a 2.4/7.

Third-place CBS brought in a 1.8/5, with an on-par “Big Brother” (2.2/7).

ABC landed in fourth with a 1.2/3, while The CW, in fifth, re-aired the two-hour “90210” premiere to a 1.0/3 in 18-49 and a 1.2/4 in 18- to 34-year-olds.

What to Watch for Tonight:

ABC, CBS, NBC: The Big Three (plus some other cable nets, including E!) are simulcasting “Stand Up to Cancer” at 8 p.m. The hourlong special will bring in the stars, commercial-free, to try to raise donations for cancer research.

Fox: Not to be outdone, Fox is raising funds for cooties research as a new season of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” premieres at 8 p.m.

“America’s Next Top Model” stumbled in the ratings as it strutted down the runway of its 11th cycle premiere, while NBC’s coverage of Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech at the Republican National Convention topped even Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at last week’s Democratic National Convention.

“ANTM” brought in a 1.7 rating/5 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic and a 1.9 rating/6 share in the 18-34 demo, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.

This year’s premiere dipped 24% in adults 18-34 and 11% in adults 18-49 from cycle 10’s premiere in February. It’s the lowest premiere for “ANTM” while airing on The CW, and its second-lowest other than the show’s premiere on UPN in 2003.

The drop puts the brakes on the ratings wave The CW rode through the early part of the week, thanks to strong premieres for “Gossip Girl” and “90210.”

The CW placed third for the night with a 1.7/5.

“Bones” also returned Wednesday night to match its previous season premiere, with its two-hour bow earning a 3.3/9 in 18-49. Fox placed first with a 3.3/9 for the night.

Second-place NBC aired “America’s Got Talent” to a 2.7/7, dropping a tenth of a percentage point from last week’s time-period premiere. Coverage of the RNC in the 18-49 demo, usually anemic, brought in a 2.4/6 at 10 p.m., making it the third-highest rated item of the night.

Gov. Palin’s speech on NBC beat Sen. Obama’s coverage by 9%.

Check out how else Gov. Palin did across the rest of the networks here.

“America’s Greatest Dog” (1.4/4) on CBS declined 18% week-to-week, as CBS brought in a 1.4/4 for the night.

ABC finished in last place with a 1.3/4.

What to Watch for Tonight:

Fox: Gordon Ramsey returns to berate small-time restaurant owners as “Kitchen Nightmares” premieres at 8 p.m. In this week’s episode, Chef Ramsey insults a family’s meatball recipe by using the f-word a colorful 17 times, and later comes to blows with a deli owner after receiving a dill pickle when he wanted a sweet one.

The CW: “90210” re-airs at 8 p.m. Relive the fellatio-driven subplot, Jessica Walter essentially playing Lucille Bluth and Shenae Grimes’ constant smiling all over again.

ABC, CBS and NBC: The Republican National Convention wraps up with the original maverick, Sen. John McCain, accepting his presidential nomination. During the speech, Sen. McCain will insult Michelle Obama’s meatball recipe by using the f-word a colorful 17 times, and later come to blows with a Minnesota deli owner after receiving a dill pickle instead of a sweet one.

The wave of ratings premieres crested for The CW Wednesday as “America’s Next Top Model” dipped substantially from its last two season debuts.

While not bottoming out, “ANTM” dropped 35% from its premiere last year in The CW's target 18- to 34-year-old demographic, scoring a 1.9 rating/6 share, according to preliminary Nielsen data.

The show also stumbled in the women 18-34 demo, dipping 30% from last year to a 3.0/9.

The CW scored ratings successes earlier this week with “Gossip Girl’s” premiere on Monday and the record-setting debut of “90210” on Tuesday.

Beverly Hills is where everyone wanted to be last night, as the two-hour premiere of “90210” chalked up several records for The CW.

With its 2.6 rating/7 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, “90210” is the highest-rated telecast of any scripted show on The CW.

This also holds true for the show’s rating among women 18-34 (4.3/12) and adults 18-34 (3.0/9), the advertising bread and butter for the network.

The CW finished the night in first place with a 2.6/7 in the 18-49 demo.

While not wanting to rain on the “90210” parade, it is worthwhile to note that low viewership and ratings of the Republican National Convention, which you can review right here, tugged down the nightly average of the Big Three.

It will be interesting to see how the numbers shake out once other shows start returning to the airwaves, specifically Fox’s “House,” which will air directly opposite “90210,” starting Sept. 16.

Let’s also add a dash of skepticism regarding rating replication, considering the bombardment of advertisement seen for this show, including billboards, full-page ads and free ice cream. Will viewers stick around after the novelty of “90210” in 2008 wears off?

Join me in the Wayback Machine to this headline from late September 2007: “‘Bionic Woman’ Highest-Rated New Show So Far; Beats ‘Private Practice’”

However, critics appear to enjoy the show (as opposed to seething over “Bionic”), which bodes well for the freshman spinoff. Our very own Josef Adalian weighed in on the show, saying, “It's pretty decent television. Not Emmy-winning material, of course. And not breakthrough pop culture classic, like the CW’s own ‘Gossip Girl.’”

As for the rest of the night, Fox placed second with a 2.4/6, and NBC took third with a 2.3/6. “America’s Got Talent” drifted 10% from last week to end with a 2.8/8.

Fourth-place CBS finished the night with a 1.6/4. “Big Brother” (2.4/6) stayed around average.
ABC walked away with a fifth-place finish, as “Wanna Bet?” ended its season with an on par 1.5/4.

What to Watch for Tonight:

The CW: “America’s Next Top Model” returns at 8 p.m. for its 11th cycle, which allows all of America to mercifully bask in the glow of the one known as “Tyra.”

Fox: “Bones” debuts for its fourth season at 8 p.m. I’m still holding out hope for the television adaptation of Snoop Dogg’s “Bones.”

ABC, NBC, CBS: The Republican National Convention checks in for day 3 on prime time at 10 p.m. EST. Tonight, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin addresses the delegation. Expect to hear more about how the GOP is going to fix Washington, and less about the time Gov. Palin single-handedly defeated the Red Menace that was encroaching on the Alaska/Russia border.

The CW's series premiere of “90210” set network records, handily beating Monday’s much-ballyhooed “Gossip Girl” return.

“90210” brought in 4.9 million viewers, 1.5 million viewers more than yesterday’s “Girl” premiere. The show also captured a 4.3 rating/12 share in The CW’s target demographic of women 18-34, up 34% over “Girl.”

The CW finished No. 1 in adults 18-49 years old, a rarity for the network outside of Friday.

“Girl” set several show bests during its premiere on Monday, including ratings in adults 18-34 year old and women 18-34.

Comparatively, “90210” beat premieres of several shows in total viewers including “Veronica Mars,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

In the women 18-34 year old category, “90210” overtook “The OC,” “Smallville,” “Angel,” “Gilmore Girls” and “Dawson’s Creek.”

Girls went wild for The CW’s “Gossip Girl” and “One Tree Hill,” with the former setting ratings highs in last night’s season premiere.

The performances gave The CW a tie for third place in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic for the night. It’s a boost for The CW, which is counting on “Gossip Girl” and tonight’s premiere of “90210” to bolster its schedule in the fall season.

“Gossip” captured a 2.3 rating/7 share in the 18-34 demographic, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research.

“Gossip” improved on its premiere last year in that demo by 10%, a new network best. The show set its own highs in adults 18-49 (1.7/5) and women 18-34 (3.2/10).

“Hill” improved over last year’s premiere in adults 18-34 by 10% with a 2.3/6, and a 10% improvement in women 18-34 with a 3.3/9.

The CW placed second in the 18-34 demo for the night, and tied for third in the 18-49 demo with a 1.6/4.

Fox took top honors in the 18-49 demo with the two-hour season premiere of “Prison Break,” garnering a 2.6/7 in the 18-49 demo, down 21% from its premiere last year. Labor Day tends to depress ratings numbers and “Break” hasn’t been in original episodes since February amid writers strike disruptions. Fox ended the night with a 2.6/7.

NBC landed in second place with its first million-dollar winner on “Deal or No Deal,” which cashed in with a 2.6/7, down two-tenth of a percentage from last week’s season premiere. “America’s Toughest Jobs” dropped 11% from last week’s premiere to a 2.4/6. NBC finished the night with a 2.2/6.

CBS tied with The CW in third with a 1.6/4. ABC took fifth place with a 0.7/2.

What to Watch for Tonight:

The CW: If “Gossip Girl’s” numbers are any indication, tonight could be a huge night for The CW, as “90210” readies for its two-hour premiere at 8 p.m. Critics haven’t even seen the first episode of this show’s update, so it could be as successful as “Star Trek: The Next Generation” or clunk like “704 Hauser.” (Yup, pulling into the vault for that reference.)

ABC, CBS, NBC: Despite Hurricane Gustav, the Republican National Convention soldiers on. According to the RNC’s schedule Web site, the party is unsure who is speaking tonight at the event in St. Paul, Minn. Early reports are suggesting President George W. Bush will give a speech via satellite. But if that falls through, the RNC can always rely on the old party standby: Ouija board. Spiro Agnew is ready to be contacted.

The CW, which has a lot riding on the “Gossip Girl” this fall, said the show landed its best ratings ever with yesterday’s premiere.

"Gossip" bought in a 2.3 rating/7 share in the 18- to 34-year-old demographic and a 1.7/5 in the 18-49 age group according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen Media Research.

The show also set a high watermark in women 18-34, a key CW demo, with a 3.2/10.