FX's 'League' improves; 'Housewives' set Bravo record

Guess it was the World Series.

FX's "The League" (1.4 million, 0.9) climbed 40% after last week's middling debut up against Fox's sports coverage. Though once again trailing its "Always Sunny" (2 million, 1.3) lead-in, "The League" was the 7th highest-rated show on cable last night.

Over on Bravo, the "Real Housewives" franchise, which seems to give the network a never-ending supply of  gleeful ratings press releases, hit a record once again for the fifth season debut of "Real Housewives of OC" (2.6 million). The series topped the previous "OC" high by 44%. It was also a "Housewives" premiere franchise record among the adult demo with 2 million 18-49s.

Showtime's 'Jackie,' 'Tara,' 'Tudors' not back 'til Spring

Showtime set return dates for most of its series, with most shows not returning until spring.

In descending order of coolness: 

'Community,' 'Parks' rise; 'Fringe' drops

UPDATE: In the nationals, CBS' "The Mentalist" (3.6) beat "Private Practice" (3.4) for the first time. If CBS' sophomore crime procedural keeps growing, and "CSI" continues declining, I expect the network will shift "Mentalist" to 9 p.m. and push "CSI" to 10 p.m. like all its spinoffs. Also, NBC's "The Office" (4.1) improved notably and "Vampire Diaries" dipped (1.9).

PREVIOUS: "Community" and "Parks & Recreation" rose to their highest ratings in weeks on Thursday night. The NBC comedies were recently picked up for full seasons and showed spark on a night when most shows declined. While over on Fox, some viewers didn't get the message that no Game 7 meant the return of "Fringe" -- the series hit a dramatic series low.

ABC won the night, with its lineup slipping about 4% across the board: "FlashForward" (8.5 million viewers, 2.6 preliminary adults 18-49 rating), "Grey's Anatomy" (13.6 million, 5.0) and "Private Practice" (9.2 million, 3.5). Both medical dramas won their hours.

J.J. Abrams near deal to direct NBC's 'Undercovers'

J.J. Abrams wants to take a hands-on approach to “Undercovers,” his pilot at NBC.

In addition to co-writing and executive producing the project with Josh Reims, Abrams is in talks to direct the Warner Bros. TV-produced pilot.

Schedule permitting, Abrams will make “Undercovers” the first TV pilot he has directed since 2004’s “Lost” opener. ABC’s two-hour “Lost” opening is considered one of the best-directed pilots of all time and helped launch Abrams’ feature career into helming such films as “Mission: Impossible 3”
and “Star Trek.”

GLAAD protests 'South Park' f-bomb episode

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is coming out against Wednesday's "South Park" episode that attempted to re-define the word "fag."

In the episode, the "South Park" gang rally their Colorado town to use the anti-gay slur to refer to "annoying and inconsiderate" riders of Harley Davidson motorcycles. Local gays initially take offense the boys' use of the world, then get on board with the re-branding after noting the word is "never going to disappear, [it's] simply too much fun to say."

GLAAD says they get the joke ... they just didn't find it very funny. Here's GLAAD:

'NCIS: Los Angeles' sold into syndication at USA

By James Hibberd and Nellie Andreeva

In what might be an industry record, CBS' freshman drama series "NCIS: Los Angeles" has been sold into syndication after seven weeks on the air.

CBS TV Distribution has licensed the show to USA Network, which has enjoyed great success airing the off-network run of franchise flagship "NCIS."

The spinoff is going for more than $2 million per episode. USA will have the right to air the show weekly beginning in Sept. 2011 and will start stripping the episode in 2013.

The unusually quick deal is testament to the popularity of the "NCIS" brand -- and the ability for top cable networks to capitalize on crime procedurals in syndication. In its seventh season, "NCIS" has grown to become the most-watched drama series on broadcast, while its USA repeats are the most-watched syndicated crime drama, averaging 3.5 million viewers. 

Comedy Central orders the Onion TV pilot

Comedy Central is teaming with satirical newspaper the Onion for a half-hour scripted comedy.

The as-yet-untitled pilot will be based on the Onion Sports Network online video series and take on teams, fans, sports products and sports coverage. The show will be geared toward sports lovers and long-time followers of the Onion.

Fox's World Series is most-watched in 5 years

UPDATED: Fox wrapped its World Series coverage Wednesday touting the most-watched and highest-rated Fall Classic in five years.

This year's World Series averaged 19.4 million viewers and a 6.2 rating -- the largest single-year ratings increase in the championship's history.

Fox made some strategic shifts this season for the Series. Four of the six games started before 8 p.m. ET and edged into November for the first time, resulting in demonstrably higher ratings. Post-season sports on Fox can sometimes act as a disruptive drag on the network's ticket, but according to Fox this year's run was the equivalent of having a full season of a Top 10 primetime show.

Wednesday's Game 6 posted another double-digit climb over last year and squashed competitors, averaging 22.3 million viewers and a 7.4 rating among adults 18-49, up 41% in the demo from 2008.

Though rivals have largely held up against Fox's sports coverage this past week, last night really put the hurt on other shows. With the exception of CBS' "New Adventures of Old Christine," every major broadcast network series was down in the adult demo.

PTC frets about 'Gossip Girl' ads

The PTC seems to be under the impression that the suggestion of one person sleeping with more than one other person at a time is cause for civil unrest ... either that, or The CW's marketing department slipped them some cash to stage a protest...

By the Associated Press

On-air promos for a sexual threesome on an upcoming episode of "Gossip Girl" have spurred the Parents Television Council to ask affiliates of the CW network to pre-empt the show.

CBS cuts 'Numbers' order

By Nellie Andreeva

Are "Numbers'" days numbered?

CBS has opted to cut back the order for the veteran crime procedural from 22 to 16 episodes.

Leapin' lizards! ABC's 'V' premiere lands big ratings

UPDATED: They came, they saw, they conquered primetime.  

ABC's "V" premiere was Tuesday's highest-rated program in the adult demo, cracking usual leader CBS' drama-series choke-hold on the evening. 

"V" was seen by 14.3 million viewers and had a 5.2 rating among adults 18-49.

That's the biggest scripted series premiere rating for a freshman show this fall. And particularly impressive for a show that's self-starting ABC's lineup (it's the highest-rated 8 p.m. drama series debut since ... ABC's "Lost," actually). Compared to the "Shark Tank" average in the time period, "V" was up a rather dizzying 213%.

"V" bested tough competition from "NCIS" (20.2 million, 4.3), which nonetheless ranked as the evening's most-watched show. The alien invasion drama gained 6% from its first half hour to its second.

Critics were a bit all over the map on "V", ranging from a rave in USA Today to NY Times calling it slapdash and formulaic to Hollywood Reporter landing somewhere in between. (Most agreed, however, that the scene below rocked).

Since a dissatisfied ABC changed showrunners on the series after seeing the first four episodes, it should be interesting to see if "V" is able to maintain its ratings strength over the coming weeks. If it does, ABC will bring back the show starting with Episode 5 in March. ABC's other new sci-fi drama, "FlashForward," also launched strong in an 8 p.m. slot, but has since softened in the ratings amid some viewer frustration and a showrunner shakeup.

New E! reality show has folks asking celebs for cash

A new reality show from E! and Ryan Seacrest Prods. gives ordinary people the chance to plead for money from rich celebrities and moguls.

In "Bank of Hollywood," a panel of notable names takes pitches from Americans in need of cash. The proposals range from a do-gooder raising money for charity to a grad student who can't afford a ring to propose to his girlfriend.

"The idea's simple," Seacrest said. "We are giving away tons of money to everyday people to alleviate the stress of today's climate and have fun."

Panelists include author and entrepreneur Candy Spelling, French-American poker player Vanessa Rousso, Wilhelmina Models president Sean Patterson and Pussycat Dolls singer Melody Thornton. Panelists give away their own money; amounts start at $2,000.

CMT plans to reinvent family sitcoms; orders 2 shows

CMT wants to bring back the traditional family sitcom -- and add a few gators.

The Viacom-owned network has ordered two series to launch an action block and hired comedy executive Brad Johnson to oversee an expansion into scripted programming. The network intends to develop about a dozen comedy scripts with an eye toward having two sitcoms on the air next year.

But first, coming in the second quarter are ITV's "Danger Coast" and 12 Forward's "Gator 911" (working titles).

'Cheaters' caught cheating (transcript)

I have a confession: This summer, I had a brief, torrid affair with "Cheaters." Somehow I have never seen this 10-year-old syndicated mainstay before. I stumbled onto "Cheaters" during one of its weekend marathons on G4 and couldn't stop watching. For weeks. The 100% mock-sympathetic smarm of Joey Grecco, the shame-faced busted guys, the irate busted girls (the busted guys usually looked guilty, the caught girls usually got mad -- it's your fault I did this). It seemed like the logical conclusion to what reality TV is -- what gotcha moment can be more riveting than somebody literally being caught with their pants down?