• by October 11, 2000

By Anya Khait

NBC might have scored big last week, delivering the highest ratings and leaving the competition in the dust for the final week of the 1999-2000 TV season, but it couldn't hold on to the victory.

The first week of the 2000-2001 TV season, saw CBS as the big winner, although the week was only half-full of rival network's new fare. CBS captured the first week of the 2000-2001 season in total viewers, households and even adults 18-49-the demographic the network has struggled to attract for the last several years. It was CBS' first premiere week win in adults 18-49 since 1991 and the network's first weekly victory in the category (without sports) in over six years. CBS averaged a 10.0 rating/16 share in households, 14.5 million viewers and a 5.0/13 in adults 18-49. ABC finished second in both adults 18-49 (4.6/13) and in total viewers (12.9 million), while NBC placed third in both (10.9 million viewers and a 4.3/12). All five of CBS new series fared well in their premiere outings, including weekend hours with "The Fugitive and CSI: Crime Scene Investigators". "The Fugitive" averaged 13 million viewers and CSI pulled in 17.3 million viewers, the network's best Friday since 1994. "Everybody Loves Raymond" (22 million viewers) had its best-ever ratings and "The Country Music Awards" brought in 16.6 million viewers. Although NBC finished third in both total viewers and adults 18-49, the network had a pretty decent week. NBC, which didn't launch any of its top Thursday night series or "Law & Order," posted solid numbers on nights that weren't the network's stronghold a year ago.

"The West Wing" was the top-rated show of the week across all networks, averaging 25.1 million viewers and a 9.4 rating/23 share in adults 18-49 in its 2-hour season premiere. With the debut of "Titans" (11.6 million viewers and 4.8/13 in adults 18-49) NBC had its best Wednesday night ratings since 1992. And NBC's debut of drama "Ed" scored the network its top Sunday premiere ratings since 1992, averaging 16.5 million viewers and a 6.8/16 in adults 18-49. On the programming side, ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" doesn't seem to be able to get back to the top of the Nielsen prime-time ratings chart, even with the conclusion of the Olympic Games, replaced by NBC's "The West Wing" on Wednesday at number one with a rating of 16.3, followed by CBS's "Everybody Loves Raymond" (Monday) with a 14.6 rating. "Millionaire" trailed behind, with Tuesday show attaining a 14.1 rating, Thursday at 13.7, Wednesday at 13.4, and Sunday at 13.1. It was followed by "60 Minutes" (CBS, 12.8, Sun), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (CBS, 11.8, Fri), "Monday Night Football" (ABC, 11.4, Mon), "Dark Angel" (FOX, 11.2, Tue), "CMA Awards" (CBS, 10.9, Wed), "The Practice" (ABC, 10.9, Sun), "Ed" (NBC, 10.7, Sun), "Family Law" (CBS, 10.6, Mon), "Presidential Debate Analysis" (ABC, 10.5, Sun), "Movie: Personally Yours" (CBS, 10.4, Sun), "The District" (CBS, 10.1, Sat), "Deadli