‘The Simpsons’ Vault Fox Into Nielsen Top 10

“The Simpsons” became the first Fox Broadcasting show to make the Nielsen top 10, tying for fourth place, and Fox had two other shows in the top 20 last week, it was reported today.

NBC won for the week, but Fox was the big gainer. Bart and the other Simpsons acted as lead-in for “Married . . . With Children,” which finished 11th. The innovative “In Living Color” was 19th.

Fox was quick to point out that “The Simpsons” did better in the ratings than “The Cosby Show,” which tied for eighth. Fox has scheduled The Simpson family to move in on Thursday nights next fall to take on the Cosby clan in the leadoff time period. Thursday is a new night for Fox.

Not everything came up roses for Fox last week, however. Its special Rolling Stones Steel Wheels concert ranked 77th.

The good news for NBC was the strong reception given “Seinfeld,” as most of the folks who watched No. 1 “Cheers” stuck around to make amiable Jerry Seinfeld No. 3.

There really was only one Sunday movie in the usual time period--NBC’s “Revealing Evidence,” which took the time period in 13th place. ABC’s repeat of its Sammy Davis tribute came in 29th and the CBS airing of the Tony Awards was in a three-way tie for 61st.

The poor showing for the Tonys did not stop CBS from winning on Sunday night, the most-watched night on television, thanks to “60 Minutes” in sixth place--the only CBS show in the top 10--and “Murder, She Wrote” in 17th.

That was CBS’s only night--NBC took Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and ABC had Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

NBC won the week ending June 3 with a 10.9 rating and a 20 share. ABC was second with a 10.2 rating and a 19 share, while CBS had an 8.9 rating and a 16 share.

TOP 10 SHOWS

The top 10 programs for the week ending Sunday, June 3, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., were:

1. Cheers (NBC)

2. Roseanne (ABC)

3. Seinfeld (NBC)

4. Funniest Home Videos (ABC)

(tie) The Simpsons (Fox)

6. 60 Minutes (CBS)

7. The Wonder Years (ABC)

8. The Cosby Show (NBC)

(tie) Different World (NBC)

(tie) Unsolved Mysteries (NBC)