CBS, NBC Take Early Control

The second week of the fall television season saw a pattern begin to take hold: CBS was first in overall viewing behind its Monday and Thursday lineups and NBC enjoyed a clear advantage among young adults sought by advertisers, based on viewing estimates issued Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research.

Several new programs have cooled a bit after initial sampling, with some of the better performances based on time periods and competition delivered by NBC’s nostalgic “American Dreams” on Sunday and CBS’ crime-fighting “Hack,” which has won its time slot on successive Fridays.

CBS’ weekly victory came despite exceedingly plain results for the movie “Hell on Heels: The Battle for Mary Kay,” starring Shirley MacLaine. “Becker,” in its move to Sunday, also underscored how some shows skew to an older audience, as the Ted Danson comedy ranked No. 32 in overall viewing--thanks largely to adults over 55 who tuned in--but finished No. 69 among adults age 18 to 49, the demographic most closely tracked by media buyers.

Also under the microscope is NBC’s second-year comedy “Scrubs,” which gave up 35% of the audience that watched “Friends” in the preceding half-hour, comparable with other shows that occupied that precious patch of Thursday real estate last season.

NBC’s “The West Wing” appears to have lost some of its constituency, attracting its smallest audience for a new episode since the program’s first year.

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National Nielsen Viewership

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