'Anatomy': prognosis for a hit

Hospital drama going beyond mere timeslot success

By RICK KISSELL

"Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" were the twin titans that helped ABC rise from the ashes last season, but it's another rookie skein from the Class of '04-'05 that's making the biggest impression this fall.

Hospital drama "Grey's Anatomy" may have started as the show that put up big numbers because it aired behind the "Housewives" of Wisteria Lane, but there are signs it's no mere timeslot success.

"Grey's" is a top-5 show, has generated some of the best buzz for any current primetime series and it's now been granted the plum post-Super Bowl slot when ABC airs the big game in February.

Going forward, the Alphabet has a wonderful conundrum to consider: How can it use "Grey's Anatomy" to best help its overall sked? There have been rumors of a transplant to Monday this season as ABC plans for life after "Monday Night Football," but the net may play it cautiously and keep its great thing going on Sunday -- for now.

Through the first seven weeks of the season, "Grey's Anatomy" was averaging an 8.1 rating/20 share in adults 18-49 (third among all programs) and 18 million viewers overall (placing fifth). It's also No. 2 among women 18-34, behind only "Desperate Housewives," according to Nielsen figures.

It has retained an excellent 77% of its 18-49 lead-in from "Housewives," up from the good 70% level last spring, when it came aboard as a midseason replacement.

But ratings aren't the only indicator of popularity: "Grey's" is showing up more often on magazine covers, and is the subject of increased discussion on Web sites, where fans can't get enough of the show about doctors-in-training at a Seattle hospital.

TV Guide.com conducts a Monday poll asking viewers to pick the "best" TV program of the weekend. Last year at this time, "Desperate Housewives" was getting roughly half the votes. Now, "Grey's Anatomy" is consistently the overwhelming choice.

This may factor into ABC's decision regarding sked moves, as the more traditional "Grey's" may prove to have longer legs than the quirky, genre-busting "Housewives."

Here's an idea ABC might want to consider:

Let "Grey" play out this season on Sunday and then use it as the 10 o'clock anchor on Tuesdays next fall. (Current Tuesday dramas "Commander in Chief" and "Boston Legal" could hold their own and serve as good counter-programming in the same slots on Monday).

This would allow ABC to once again use Tuesday from 8 to 10 as its signature comedy night -- and "Grey's," which injects plenty of humor into its plots, would be a great capper.

Airing at 10, "Grey's Anatomy" wouldn't flow into another show the way 9 o'clock smashes "CSI" and "Lost" do, but it just might serve as a young-female magnet, drawing viewers to ABC for all of Tuesday night.

It would also shore up one of the net's weaknesses: its perf in the final hour leading into the late local news. ABC dominates Sunday, but CBS and NBC have an advantage in this area overall, and the Alphabet could really use one weeknight to call its own.

Tuesday at 10 is the one hour where "Grey's" could slide in and expect to challenge -- and likely beat -- incumbent leader "Law & Order: SVU" on NBC.

And there's also an ABC history in the time period, with the net performing well there starting back with "The Fugitive" and "Marcus Welby, M.D." and including "Hart to Hart" and "NYPD Blue."

Wherever it ends up next season, "Grey's" figures to extend the Alphabet's strong drama presence to three nights -- something it hasn't enjoyed in 30 years.