Two syndicated debuts on Monday helped ease the pain of audience erosion for stations, as the premieres of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Jury Duty” both topped year-ago ratings for their outlets.

“Criminal Intent,” distributed by NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution, bowed in mostly late-fringe time periods in 49 metered markets to open with a 1.2 rating/3 share. That rating is down 20 percent from the show’s lead-in, which often happens in late fringe as audiences go to bed, but up 9 percent in rating from the 1.1/3 time period average of September 2006.

Meanwhile, court show “Jury Duty” from independent distributor Radar Distribution, is cleared in a variety of time periods across multiple dayparts, although in only 22 metered markets so far. The strip opened the season with a 0.7/2 to hold even with its lead-in and improve year-ago time period averages of 0.5/2 by 40 percent.

(Editor: Horowitz)