• by May 16, 2001

NBC scored a rather easy primetime victory among young adults last week, using a balanced attack to help compensate for its slightly less powerful Thursday lineup.

NBC's Thursday, while down 28% vs. the same weekend a year ago in the key demo of adults 18-49, still took the night handily, according to Nielsen estimates. "ER" (11.5 rating, 30 share) and "Friends" (8.6/27) were the week's top two performers in the demo, joining four other NBC programs in the week's top 10. (Each adults 18-49 rating point represents 1.24 million viewers, 1% of the U.S. total.)

In addition to its Thursday win, NBC took Wednesday and Friday in posting its biggest weekly margin of victory (15% over second-place Fox) since mid-December.

Fox edged out ABC for second place in adults 18-49, boosted by a winning Monday and Sunday and solid second-place finishes on Tuesday and Saturday. Fox also won for a seventh straight week in adults 18-34, capturing nine of the top 20 programs.

It was also a very good week for the WB, which was up year-to-year by more than 20% in key demos. The network drew its largest overall audience since February and matched its best adults 18-34 score since late November.

CBS, without a regular episode of "Survivor," remained on top in total viewers despite slipping to fourth in adults 18-49 for the first time since mid-March. Still, it was the only major network to post year-to-year gains in adults 18-49.

Also, its sixth straight weekly victory in viewers has moved CBS into a virtual tie with ABC for the seasonlong battle for largest overall audience, with just 10 nights still to be counted.

ABC placed third in both total viewers and adults 18-49 despite five episodes of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (including four celeb editions). The star-studded installments were kept out of the week's top 20 in adults 18-49 just one year after dominating by that measure.

This month's five celeb segments averaged 15.92 million viewers and a 4.8/13 in adults 18-49 -- declines vs. last May of 55% and 60% respectively; compared with last November's celeb editions, it was off by 33% and 34%.

SUNDAY

Fox prevailed on May 13 in adults 18-49 (5.9/18), with each of its programs winning its time slot and posting year-to-year gains. Comedies "The Simpsons" (7.1/22) and "Malcolm in the Middle" (7.1/20) tied for the No. 6 ranking of the week among all programs in adults 18-49 and also finished atop the week's rankings in teens.

ABC's season finale of "The Practice" was the night's No. 1 program by several measures, topping the second-place programming in the hour by more than 9 million viewers (21.02 million vs. 11.76 million for CBS' "Blonde") and by 78% in adults 18-49 (8.2/21 vs. 4.6/12 for NBC's "Saturday Night Live" special).

CBS' Marilyn Monroe picture "Blonde" (11.44 million, 3.6/9 in adults 18-49) managed less than half the ratings of last season's May miniseries "Jesus" (24.10 million, 8.2/20). ABC had better luck with "Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story," which won its 7-9 p.m. block in total viewers (12.57 million), women 18-49 (4.6/16) and kids (4.1/18).

SATURDAY

A measly 2.8 rating/10 share in adults 18-49 was enough for ABC, with the network premiere of box office bomb "Speed 2," to capture the night -- edging Fox's 2.7/10. Fox actually won its 8-10 p.m. block in the demo before "Speed 2's" strong showing at 10.

A "Dr. Quinn" movie (8.83 million) did OK biz for CBS from 8-10, but it didn't seem to make for a good match with "The District," which fell to season lows for a firstrun hour (11.08 million, 2.8/9 in adults 18-49).

FRIDAY

The final night of celebrity "Millionaire" won the 8 p.m. hour for ABC (12.58 million, 3.4/13 in adults 18-49), sending NBC's "Providence" (9.90 million, 2.9/12) to lowest-ever firstrun scores. The quizzer also won its hour in 18-34 (3.2/15), handing Fox's "Police Videos" (2.8/13) a rare setback.

Neither of the night's specials fared very well, with CBS' "Miss Universe Pageant" (8.27 million, 2.7/9 in adults 18-49) falling to new lows and ABC's Paul McCartney picture "Wingspan" (7.75 million, 3.4/13) falling 13% short of the demo rating for the network's "Beatles Revolution" special last November (3.9/12). "Miss Universe" did win its final hour in persons 12-34 (3.1/12).

NBC's victory on the night in viewers and demos was led by a powerful performance at 10 for the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (15.06 million, 4.8/15 in adults 18-49).

THURSDAY

NBC won each of the night's half-hours in adults 18-49 to win by 7 shares over CBS. But CBS remained very competitive, with a "Survivor: Back from the Outback" special winning its hour in total viewers (16.26 million) and adults 25-54 (6.9/19), and ranking second to NBC's "Friends" and "Weakest Link" special in adults 18-49. CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" similarly took the 9 p.m. hour in viewers (18.90 million) and adults 25-54 (8.8/20), while NBC's comedies moved ahead in adults 18-49.

A repeat "CSI" (15.16 million, 6.0/16 in adults 18-49) held up pretty well opposite an original "ER" (23.17 million, 11.5/30), sending the latter to its second weakest firstrun scores to date. While the medical drama still held a very wide 187% advantage in its strongest demo, women 18-34 (13.5/37 vs. 5.4/15), the gap was a tighter 74% in adults 25-54 (12.8/30 vs. 7.2/17) and just 38% in men 25-54 (9.1/23 vs. 6.6/16).

Other highlights on the night included ABC's "Whose Line Is It Anyway" delivering its best 18-49 score in seven weeks (3.4/10), Fox's "Surprise Wedding 2" netting the network's best Thursday rating since February (3.0/8), and the WB's "Gilmore Girls" wrapping its initial season with strong marks (4.31 million, 1.7/5 in adults 18-49), including a new high in female teens (6.3/21).

WEDNESDAY

"The West Wing" (17.01 million, 6.7/17 in adults 18-49) and "Law & Order" (18.82 million, 7.8/20) dominated their hours in leading NBC to an easy victory.

The 36th annual "Academy of Country Music Awards" fell to an all-time low in total viewers (13.86 million), but delivered year-to-year demo growth in some categories, including up 38% in women 18-34 (to a first-place 5.5/15).

ABC's "My Wife and Kids" wrapped its season with a winning 3.9/13 in adults 18-49, while 9:30's "Spin City" retained a strong 95% of its "Drew Carey" demo lead-in (4.0/10 vs. 4.2/11).

"Dawson's Creek" and "Felicity" teamed to give the WB the night among females 12-34 (4.7/15), posting a year-to-year gain of 22%.

The penultimate episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" delivered strong numbers for UPN (5.45 million, 2.8/7 in adults 18-49), including a second-place finish among men 35-49 (4.9/12) -- topping Fox's fading "Boot Camp" (3.3/8).

TUESDAY

ABC won for a 10th straight week in total viewers (14.3 million), led by the week's most-watched celebrity edition of "Millionaire" (17.16 million) and a third consecutive time slot victory for "NYPD Blue" (14.68 million). ABC also prevailed in adults 18-49 (5.3/14), with "Blue" (6.3/16) logging its best score in five weeks.

MONDAY

Fox won by all key measures except total viewers (which CBS won), led by time slot victories for "Boston Public" (5.2/15 in A18-49) and "Ally McBeal" (6. 0/15).

NBC's "Weakest Link" rebounded with a strong showing (11.74 million, 5.1/15 in adults 18-49), although the network's conclusion of miniseries "The Judge" didn't do much from 9-11 (10.84 million, 3.1/8).

- Reuters/Variety