WB 'Popstars' hits high note
4.4/7 22% better than Frog's previous best in slot
According to metered-market overnight ratings provided by Nielsen, the one-hour series premiere of "Popstars" averaged a 4.4 rating/7 share, good enough to top Fox's "Freakylinks" (2.6/4). Rating is 22% better than the net's previous best overnight perf in its two seasons programming of the 9 o'clock Friday hour -- a 3.6/6 last November for "Popular."
Final nationals will be issued Tuesday.
In an encouraging sign, ratings for the reality series about the formation of an all-woman singing group grew by 11% in its second half-hour (from 4.2/7 to 4.4/7). Program is also the first to improve on its lead-in from "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (3.7/6 at 8:30).
"Popstars," skedded for a 13-week run, begins airing in its regular 8:30 timeslot this week.
UPN had mixed results with its Friday series premieres, as the animated "Gary & Mike" logged a solid 3.1/5 in overnights while "Celebrity Deathmatch" followed with a sluggish 2.5/4.
The combined 2.8 rating is 12% better than the 2.5 average this season in the hour for the net, which has struggled on Fridays with dramas and is now aiming for laughs in the night's opening hour.
"Gary" got solid sampling in a special post-"WWF Smackdown" Thursday preview on UPN, winning its 9:30 half-hour in male teens (6.2/18) and taking second in men 18-34 (3.8/10).
