Ratings aren’t bowled over

Despite a barrage of promotion during Sunday’s Super Bowl, ABC’s new Monday night drama lineup -- consisting of two new programs and “The Practice,” which moved from Sunday -- got off to a tepid start, with across-the-board fourth-place finishes.

Based on Nielsen Media Research data, “The Practice” averaged just 9 million viewers, less than half the audience for the time period’s winner, Fox’s staged reality show “Joe Millionaire.”

The two new programs that book-ended it were also in that range, with the adventure show “Veritas: The Quest” and the macabre “Miracles” averaging 9.1 million and 8.7 million viewers, respectively.

Brian Lowry