• by Wayne Friedman , September 13, 2007

NBC wants to get into fighting trim shape--before the season starts.

Two weeks before the official opening of the new broadcast year, NBC started off its sturdy reality show "The Biggest Loser" with a special two-hour premiere on Tuesday--earning a steady, but not hefty, 3.1 preliminary rating among 18-49 viewers.

It was the top show of the night--but not by much. The good news is that viewership rose for "Loser" by 40% in its last half-hour from its first half-hour.

The show will have its work cut out for it on Tuesdays.

In the coming weeks, it will have to contend with CBS' strong drama "NCIS" and CW's own steady reality effort "Beauty and the Geek" at 8 p.m. Then, at 9 p.m., competition will gets tougher, when ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and Fox's "House" look to knock over all comers.

NBC won the night, posting a 2.8 rating/8 share. CBS was second at 2.2/6. Fox was next at 2.1/6. Then ABC came in at a 1.7/5. Univision was fifth at 1.5/4, and CW was way back at 0.5/1.

CBS' best came with a 3.0 for "Big Brother" at 9 p.m. Fox's top program came in with a 2.5 for a repeat of "House" at 9 p.m. ABC grabbed a 2.1 for its reality show "Just for Laughs." Univision had two shows with a 2.1: "Amar sin Limites" and "Destilando Amor." CW managed a 0.5 for a repeat of "Gilmore Girls."