• by Wayne Friedman , November 4, 2009

ABC took a big V-swing out of CBS' strong Tuesday lineup with its new "V" limited sci-fi series.

Nielsen preliminary results gave the remake of the '80s series -- about aliens coming to earth looking to solve all our problems -- a massive 5.0 rating/13 share among 18-49 viewers. This would make it the best-rated episode of a new show this season. (Fox's "The Cleveland Show" earned a 4.9 rating among 18-49 viewers.)

The new show almost gave ABC the win on Tuesday night, earning a 3.3/9 among 18-49 viewers -- just a tick behind CBS' 3.4/9 results.

Not surprisingly, other stalwart Tuesday night shows were down. CBS' "NCIS" fell to a 4.2/11 from its most recent original show two weeks before, where it earned a 4.7/13. Its new companion show, "NCIS: Los Angeles," was down to a 3.5/9 from a 3.9/10.

NBC's "Biggest Loser" posted its worst results this season: 16% lower to a 3.1 rating, from a 3.7/10 the week before. But "Jay Leno" was 11% higher -- at a 2.0/6 -- than last Tuesday's edition.

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" got a little updraft from the big "V" opening -- slightly higher, to a 3.1/8 versus the week before. The other Tuesday dance show, Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," earned a 2.4/7, down from one-tenth of a rating point the week before.

CW's shows "90210" and "Melrose Place" were pretty much on par with their last original episodes two weeks before: "90201" at a 1.1 rating/3 share with adults 18-49 and a 2.3 rating/6 share for women 18-34. "Place" was at 0.8 rating/2 share for 18-49s, and among women 18-34, a 1.4/4.

NBC landed in third place with a 3.0/8; Fox earned a 2.4/6; Univision came in at a 1.3/4; and the CW finished with a 0.9/2.