I am – Hercules!!


Loads of network shows returned Thursday night, so this might be a decent time to check in with Nielsen for adults 18-49:

4.1 The Office
3.8 Community
3.6 Survivor
3.2 Bones
3.1 Fringe
2.7 The Jay Leno Show
2.1 Parks and Recreation
2.0 SNL Thursday
2.0 CSI (r)
1.9 The Mentalist (r)
1.8 Grey’s Anatomy (9 p.m. r)
1.6 The Vampire Diaries
1.3 Grey’s Anatomy (8 p.m. r)
1.2 Supernatural

“The Office” and “Community” won the night in key demos with no new “CSI” and “Grey’s Anatomy” with which to contend.

“Bones” and “Fringe” were both down 9% from their 2008 premieres, but “Fringe’s” season-two premiere was up a whopping 21% compared to the 2008 premiere of “Kitchen Nightmares,” which occupied the timeslot last fall.

“Survivor” is off to its worst-ever start (like a lot of reality shows, it tends to build its audience as players get eliminated) but still won its timeslot by a good margin. CBS is wisely repeating its excellent premiere episode Saturday night, so that could help it next week. Also, the show should get a nice bump with its second all-star edition debuting at midseason.

“SNL Thursday,” NBC’s top-rated scripted show last fall leading up to the election of Barack Obama, is now the network’s lowest-rated Thursday-night show. (SNL not only had the election but also a cushier post-“Office” 9:30 timeslot last season.)

Digression. Speaking only for myself, I thought SNL easily last night's funniest half-hour. I laughed especially hard at the “Really?!?” segment on Kanye West and Will Forte as squeamish Congressman Joe Wilson: “I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m not known for Any. Other. Things!” If you missed it, watch now without annoying commercial interruption:

End digression.

“Vampire Diaries” fell 27% in the adult demo from its debut last week. “Supernatural,” whose season premiere fell 18% from its 2008 fall debut, fell further yesterday.

Of course the real tale will be told next week, when the season premieres of ratings monsters “CSI,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Mentalist” join the fray.

Find much more informed and thoughtful analysis from The Hollywood Reporter’s James Hibberd here.

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