Auds can't get into 'Club'
Legal drama takes fourth place
According to Nielsen, the David E. Kelley legal drama settled for a fourth-place 2.5/6 in adults 18-49 -- less than half of what "Ally McBeal" opened with in the hour a year ago (5.2/12). And "Club," which had been heavily promoted during the net's coverage of the World Series, saw its aud decline on the half-hour.
In total viewers, its 5.78 million viewers left Fox fifth for the 9 o'clock hour, behind the WB's rookie hit "Everwood" (5.84 million). "Everwood" also beat it in all 12-34 demos and women 18-49.
Barring an unlikely significant improvement next week, "Girls Club" may not make it to the November sweep.
At 8, Fox's season premiere of "Boston Public" (4.0/11 in A18-49) was well off from its preem last year (6.3/16), when it faced weaker competition. It's not a bad opening, though, as this is about what the high school drama was delivering toward the end of last season.
Fox finished fourth on the night.
CBS won for the fourth Monday in as many tries this season, led by "Everybody Loves Raymond" (21.53m, 7.5/18 in A18-49) and "CSI: Miami" (18.54m, 6.8/17).
NBC had a strong showing, with "Third Watch" (12.42m, 5.0/12) delivering its best numbers ever in the 9 o'clock hour during "Monday Night Football" season and doubling its "Girls Club" drama competition. And at 10, an improving "Crossing Jordan" hit a season high (4.4/11 in A18-49).
"Monday Night Football" (15.85m, 6.5/18 in A18-49) helped ABC to a nightly victory in adults 18-34 and all male demos.
