'Grey's,' 'Survivor' and 'Office' premiere ratings drop

UPDATED: Every season premiere Thursday night drew a lower rating than last fall, as returning favorites such as ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," CBS' "Survivor" and NBC's "The Office" tripped across the board.

ABC firmly won the night, as expected. Its two-hour fifth season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" (18.5 million viewers, 7.4 national adults 18 to 49 rating and an 18 share) was the evening's highest-rated and most-watched show, with each half hour growing in the Nielsens. Yet "Grey's" was down 17% from last fall’s one-hour opener. Lead-in "Ugly Betty" (9.8 million, 3.3/9) slipped 15%, marking its lowest-rated debut to date. 

Despite being the only network to air a repeat in its Thursday lineup, CBS managed to place second for the night. The network ran the first-ever HD edition of "Survivor" in the show's first-ever two-hour debut (13.1 million, 4.5/11). "Survivor" fell 10% from last fall to a new premiere low, but won 8 p.m. By pushing "Survivor" into 9 p.m., the most intensely competitive hour of the week, CBS created a new DVR-busting dilemma for viewers, forcing some to make a tough call and vote one of their returning favorites off their dual-tuner TiVos.*

What's impressive about "Survivor" is the reality series held its entire demo rating through its second hour as it went from the 8 p.m. frying pan into the 9 p.m. fire. At 10 p.m., CBS aired a "CSI" encore.

NBC was third, airing one-hour editions of "My Name Is Earl" (6.4 million, 2.7/8, down 29%) and "The Office" (9.3 million, 4.9/12, down 4%). Note "Earl" dropped the most of all the returning shows and "The Office" dropped the least. At 10 p.m., NBC aired the final season premiere of "ER" (8 million, 3.3/8, down 20% to a new premiere low). 

Fox was fourth with two episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (4.2 million, 1.9/5 and 4.5 million, 2.1/5). In fifth, the CW had the second-week airings of "Smallville" (4.2 million, 1.7/5), dropping only slightly from last week, and "Supernatural" (3.2 million, 1.3/3), which fell more steeply (-23%).

Premiere week ratings: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Related: Grading the best (and worst) fall TV ads.

* The reason for CBS' scheduling maneuver is complicated and not hugely interesting, the result of CBS wanting to spread out their premieres, yet ensure "CSI" debuted on the same night as upcoming procedural "Eleventh Hour," and not wanting to run a weak-performing repeat at 9 p.m. on premiere night.

Comments

[Jeff Koeppen]

I think everyone is sick and tired of bubbleheaded hollywood types making stupid political statements. They have turned alot of people off with their ultra-liberal and down right ignorant views...

[motts]

I think Jeff hit the nail on the head.
I would rather watch reruns of Law and Order

[Anthony]

I agree with Jeff on this one. Too many hollywood types voicing their liberal political nonsense has turned me and my family from watching their shows. In fact I will go a step further and say that everyone I work with feels the same.

[Steven]

Today's TV sucks and is full of self-important idiots. Best bet: buy quality TV seasons of years past from Amazon for twenty-five bucks each give or take.

[Tony]

I totally agree, who cares about the Hollywierd libs and the "in the tank for the Chosen One" networks?

[GEAH]

Absolutely. I'm tired of funding those anti-America weirdos.

[Tim]

Kitchen Nightmares for the win! Screw that other hippy crap.

[Northerner]

Pretty much all of the above. That and there hasn't been an original show concept for way too long. Too much of the same old same old.

[Michelle]

We don't tune in to watch anything on NBC, ABC, MSNBC or CNN anymore. They're too biased!

About the only thing we watch on television anymore is the news on Fox along with Bill O'reilly and Hannity & Colmes.

[Terry]

Amen Jeff!!!!

[Luke]

dito with all the above comments. I quit watching tv when hollywierd starting pushing its left-wing agenda. At least return to a moderate posistion or I won't come back. I don't need your agenda in my household.

[Tina]

You know that when you switch over to CBS and see 3 obama ads all within 10 mintues that it's time to turn the channel, for GOOD!

[Jerry]

TV is boring this year. Cable TV such as TNT and USA have much better TV shows such as Burn Notice and Closer.

The net works are too much into themselves with bland shows that drag on and on. Greys Anatomay was one big bore - two hours of nothing.

[RD]

HistoryHD, TLC, Discovery, Fox News, Nickolodeon, HD Net, Cable Rules!

[JeffS]

Why don't they put on a good TV show? I've all but quit watching TV because there's nothing worth watching.

[NS]

I love Greys but I am sick and tired of the bias crap on ABC. I prefer to be informed on FOX.

[ted]

These comments are hilarious.

[poppagus]

TV broadcast programs are finished !
I have not not or ever will I watch any of the programs , On CBS ABC NBC, especially with that talentless Letterman!CBS is off limits
in my home .no substance, terrible acting,in fact unreal..where do this find said Actors, In fact ,They Ltterman Leno, Mauer,are not funny,just sarcastic ,try to pass this off as Humor.
I guarentee they will not be around Next year.
Poppa Gus

[Vink]

Grey's Anatomy? Ugly Betty? Shouldn't these "shows" be on Bravo, the Gay cable channel? TV is for non-thinking lemmings who bend to the Left and need to be told what to think.

Kieth Olberman is loud-mouthed douche with a very large head.

[Don Jaksa]

I have seen Jamie Kennedy's movie Heckler so I will preface my comments with "In my humble non-professional opinion", My name is Earl has run its course. The writers are starting to go soft. What next? A fantasy sequence where they all dress up in medieval attire, or go back in time to gangster days in Chicago. It should have ended when he went to jail.
The Office is starting to look tired also, still entertaining, but its luster is wearing thin. But they are BOTH better than that 30 Rock. I can only ascribe 30 Rock's staying power to the fact that there are so many "Red Sea pedestrians" on that show. Same reason "Arrested Development" kept on long after ratings should have killed it. I realize writing is a difficult profession to maintain high ground and I appreciate the efforts, but yawn, Its all getting so predicatable and been there done that. Feel free to come to my job and criticize my software, I deserve it.

[thedude]

The only of these shows I watch is The Office and the premiere was awful... as was most of last season. The first 2 seasons of The Office were good but since then it has just become silly and ridiculous. I will stick with South Park.

[John]

Really? People are finding hidden leftist messages in Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy? You people are crazy and don't appreciate the new golden age of really great television.

[Dave Fortay]

I don't care about the political views of the actors, no matter how demented one way or another it is. I watch something because it's entertaining. The problem is there is a lack of entertainment on TV.

Also how does TiVo play into this? The few shows I do watch, are always a day or say later. I'm sure most people today do that and avoid the commericials.

[Bill]

And the same Hollywood airheads are producing one lousy movie after another, year after year, especially when they attempt to be "serious." They should stick to what they do best: film comic books.

[Rod]

How about a TV show called "The Great Abba Dabba" featuring the life of Barack Obama? That'd be better than the drivel that passes for product on Thursday nights.

[Alan]

I NEVER watch ABC, NBC or ABC anymore at all! NEVER!These broadcast networks just put out crappy TV! Who wants to watch a bunch of Hollywood liberal loons who blast Republicans every cahnce they get. Not me. I only watch a GREAT NETWORK -- FOX NEWS!

[RC]

Greys lost me last year after the gay Marines were kissing and slobbering for about 3 minutes. it made me sick. Haven't watched it since.

[Outdoorelvis]

Reality shows are the saving grace of TV. Actors have been so dumbed down by their stupid political views that nobody with active brainwaves wants to watch them. (The enammys were a great example of it)

[Jeff]

FIGHT BACK AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!

go to and join www.numbersusa.com

[Josh]

Holy fuck these comments are depressing. I'm guessing all you idiots voted for Bush, twice.

[Lincoln]

While there are still some decent shows on network TV, cable has been destroying network primetime in terms of quality for a few years now. It was a matter of time before network starting taking its ratings hit.

Without naming shows as everyone has their own opinions, FX Network, TBS, TNT, and now even AMC have shows that make some network mainstays look like they were written by children. No offense is intended to writers of those shows, but the rules are so tight so as not to offend anyone that it must be truly tough to write a quality drama or comedy without worrying if the wardrobe used on the show is somehow insensitive to someone's hypersensitivity.

[Austin]

CBS, take off your reality shows and your crime shows and put Jericho back on!

[mojoe]

I'd rather watch "SpongeBob" reruns on Nick than any of the crap that premiered.

Wait until they start rolling out "A Very Special Episode of..."

[Scott]

NBC has far too much 'go green' garbage. We only watch Chuck and Deal or No Deal, otherwise we don't watch the Big 3 networks (short of NFL games). The only other possible option, 24, has jumped the shark.

What has happened to television??

Does any cable or satellite service offer a pack of only CNN, Fox News, NFL, and NHL? The rest seem like a waste of time.

[John Stein]

I agree with some of the comments. I have quit watching and advertising on several shows and completely off of NBC. The comments made by the likes of Oprah, Chris Matthews and the PUNKS at MSNBC makes me sick. The remarks of some of these idiots with shows has turned me off their shows. They confuse making money with a person's level of importance, a person with a little show or movie or a person who plays a sport well is simply lucky, not important and many will be finding that out very soon...

[PROFESSOR YAPHANK]

And, you Josh were probably sitting on your lazy ass sucking on a crack pipe instead of voting or maybe you weren't ebven registered. McCain/Palin in '08

[Desiree]

Are you people honestly saying that every channel is biased except for Fox? How can ALL other channels be saying the same message and Fox be saying another, yet you think Fox is the unbiased one. Maybe Fox watchers are in denial about whats going on in this country. These television shows have nothing to do with politics. And you say the liberals are the stupid ones... Go get your gun and go hunting already.

[David]

Holy fuck these comments are depressing. I'm guessing all you idiots voted for Bush, twice.

Posted by: Josh | September 26, 2008 at 10:01 AM

And would do so again, if it were possible. You should thank us...OUR votes KEEP YOU and your kind safe to make your moronic views public, and allow them to be published.

[Desiree]

Are you people honestly saying that every channel is biased except for Fox? How can ALL other channels be saying the same message and Fox be saying another, yet you think Fox is the unbiased one. Maybe Fox watchers are in denial about whats going on in this country. These television shows have nothing to do with politics. And you say the liberals are the stupid ones... Go get your gun and go hunting already.

[PopVelocity]

I felt that The Office episode plot was interesting and had a number of great twists. But I also think that The Office is bound to play more like a soap opera after four seasons than a sitcom, especially the hour episodes. The loyal Office viewer is slipping too much into caring for the characters and I don't thing that's a good thing for a sitcom. It's one thing for the viewer to know and understand the goofiness that is Michael Scott - it's quite another thing for the viewer to have compassion for him due to his utter ignorance. I never worried one bit about Jerry, Elaine, George or Kramer - actually, I looked forward to them going through hell.
Perhaps that's a new genre that The Office has evolved into - the Soapcom. Hey, that's my new phrase - you heard it here first.