TELEVISION - Oct. 8, 1991

Off and Sailing: The first installment of “Columbus and the Age of Discovery” miniseries Sunday night on PBS attracted twice as many viewers as PBS typically has during prime time. In the top five markets, “Columbus” sailed off with a 4.9 rating and an 8 share. PBS normally averages a 2.3 rating in those markets. In Los Angeles, the opening chapter was seen in 253,505 households, representing about 8% of the homes watching television. A PBS spokesman said the program “exceeded expectations.” However, it did not top last year’s popular series on “The Civil War,” which opened with an 11.2 rating and a 16 share.