NBC Retakes Top Honors in Ratings : Television: PBS steals shares from networks with “The Civil War.”

NBC was back on top of the ratings chart for the second week of the new season--after CBS took the opening week--and ABC’s “Twin Peaks” failed to pique the interest of the Sunday movie audience, it was reported today.

None of the season’s new shows were in the top 10. All were half-hour comedies except “60 Minutes” (CBS), which came in No. 2 behind top-ranking “Cheers” (NBC).

“Twin Peaks,” the most talked-about, written-about show on network television, made its season debut and came in last in the three-network Sunday movie contest. The Sunday champ was “Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter” (NBC) in 24th place, followed by “The Face of Fear” (CBS), tied for 30th, and “Twin Peaks,” tied for 41st.

The PBS series “The Civil War” was also a factor last week.

“PBS averaged seven share points higher than it normally does Monday through Thursday,” said Curt Block, NBC vice president of media relations. “We’re estimating it took four share points away from the networks. More power to them. It was a terrific show.”

In the ratings for the week ending Sunday, according to the A. C. Nielsen Co., NBC won with a 12.9 rating and a 22 share. CBS was second with a 12.3 rating and a 21 share, edging out ABC, which posted a 12.0 rating and a 20 share.

As for the new shows, the highest rated is ABC’s “America’s Funniest People,” this year’s twist on the wildly successful “Funniest Videos,” in 13th place.

“Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (NBC) was next in line among the newcomers, tied for 26th, followed by “Uncle Buck” (CBS) and “Married People” (ABC), tied for 37th; “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” (CBS), 40th; “The Flash” (CBS) and “Ferris Bueller” (NBC) tied for 48th; “Fanelli Boys” (NBC), 50th; “American Dreamer” (NBC), 51st, “Going Places” (ABC), tied for 52nd; “Cop Rock” (ABC) and “Get A Life” (Fox) tied for 56th. A special showing of “Cop Rock” came in 82nd.

Night-by-night competition saw NBC win Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. CBS won Sunday and Monday, and ABC took Wednesday and Friday.

ABC’s “World News Tonight” was No. 1 for the 38th consecutive week, with a 10.0 rating and a 21 share. “CBS Evening News” with Dan Rather moved back into second with an 8.6 rating and an 18 share, while “NBC Nightly News” with Tom Brokaw dropped to third with an 8.5 rating and an 18 share.

Each ratings point represents about 921,000 households. A share is the percentage of TV sets in use that are tuned to a particular show or network.

THE TOP 10

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

1. Cheers (NBC)

2. 60 Minutes (CBS)

3. The Cosby Show (NBC)

4. Murphy Brown (CBS)

5. (tie) Golden Girls (NBC)

Designing Women (CBS)

7. Roseanne (ABC)

8. Empty Nest (NBC)

9. Funniest Home Videos (ABC)

10. A Different World (NBC)