'Reunion' makes the grade on Thursday

Football opener big, Fox drama holds its own

By RICK KISSELL

The series bow of 'Reunion' ran third, but it marked the best Thursday preem for a Fox series in six years.

Opposite the first NFL game of the season, Fox drama "Reunion" performed credibly in its premiere Thursday night, retaining most of its lead-in from "The OC."

Fox has not been a factor on Thursday in recent years, but the switch of "The OC" there last season gave it an anchor, something "Reunion" is hoping to latch onto.

In its bow Thursday night at 9, the serialized "Reunion" averaged a 3.0 rating/8 share in adults 18-49 (lagging football on ABC and a "CSI" repeat on CBS) and 6.63 million viewers overall, according to Nielsen.

Despite the third-place demo finish, this marked the best Thursday preem for a Fox series in six years.

It held 91% of the 18-49 aud from "The OC" (3.3/10, 7.50m) -- a far better hold than last season's average for the disappointing "North Shore" (53%) and "Point Pleasant" (51%).

80% goal

Fox likely would be happy if "Reunion" could hold 80% or more as the season progresses.

Show, which chronicles the lives of six high school friends in the 20 years following their graduation, skewed older than "The OC," holding 80% of the sudser's 18-34 aud (3.5/10 vs. 4.4/14) but 96% in 25-54 (2.7/6 vs. 2.8/7).

As for "The OC," its third-season preem was down 13% in 18-49 rating from last season's opener (3.8/10), which aired in November, when viewing levels are higher.

ABC's coverage of the pro football opener between the defending champion New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders dominated Thursday, averaging a 7.7/23 in 18-49 and 18.01 million viewers overall.

Gaining ground

It was up 7% from last year's Patriots-Indianapolis Colts game on the same night (7.2/21 in 18-49, 16.88m) and registered a higher 18-34 score (7.3/24) than any regular-season primetime game since the "Monday Night Football" opener on ABC in September 2003.

Nielsen today will issue viewing estimates for Friday's multi-net coverage of the "Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast." The broadcast nets wanted to hold off on any preliminary estimates until the numerous cable outlets that carried it were included.

Nationals also are due come in for the premiere of UPN's "Friday Night Smackdown," which moved to its new night after airing for years on Thursday.

Airing in a special one-hour format to accommodate the benefit concert, "Smackdown" averaged 4.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen's affiliate-based prelims, although this number is expected to come down a bit due to baseball preemptions in New York and Boston.