NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPT. 26-OCT. 2

NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF SEPT. 26-OCT. 2

BURBANK, Calif. - October 4, 2005 - NBC averaged a 3.2 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 9.1 million viewers for the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2 in adults 18-49 were ABC (4.1/11), CBS (3.8/10), Fox and NBC (3.2/9), WB and UPN (1.4/4). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (12.6 million), ABC (11.1 million), NBC (9.1 million), Fox (7.5 million) and UPN and WB (3.5 million).

NBC highlights for the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2:

* "My Name is Earl" was television's top-ranked half-hour comedy of the week in adults 18-49. "Earl" won its hotly competitive Tuesday time period in adults 18-49, facing the premieres of ABC's "Commander-in-Chief" and CBS' "Amazing Race" as well as a first-run "House" on Fox.

* On Thursday, the live eighth-season premiere of "Will & Grace" scored that series' highest 18-49 rating since Feb. 17.

* Also on Thursday, "ER" won its time period in adults 18-49, overcoming a 96 percent lead-in advantage for rival drama "Without a Trace." "ER" ranked #5 out of 117 network programs this week in adults 18-49.

* On Wednesday, "Law & Order" was up 20 percent versus the previous week's season premiere, beating "CSI: NY" in 18-49 and slashing the leading margin of ABC's "Invasion" from 70 percent the previous week to 6 percent.

* On Monday, "Medium" was up 16 percent in 18-49 versus the previous week's season premiere and up 58 percent versus NBC's performance in the time period the same night last year.

* On Sunday, "Crossing Jordan" secured its highest 18-49 rating since March 13 with a special episode that crossed over with NBC's Monday drama "Las Vegas."

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Sept. 26-Oct. 2:

On Monday, Sept. 26 at 10 p.m. ET, "Medium" (5.2 rating, 13 share in 18-49, 13.2 million viewers overall) was up 16 percent in 18-49 versus the previous week's premiere and up 58 percent versus NBC's performance in the time period the same night last year (5.2 vs. 3.3 for "LAX"). "Medium" cut the 18-49 lead of "CSI: Miami" to 10 percent (5.7 vs. 5.2), the smallest margin with both shows in original head-to-head competition since the Jan. 3, 2005 premiere of "Medium." Also on Monday, at 8 p.m. ET, the second telecast of "Surface" (2.9/8 in 18-49, 9.0 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in the hour in adults 18-49 and total viewers. At 9 p.m. ET, "Las Vegas" (4.1/9 in 18-49, 12.1 million viewers overall) pulled to within a tenth of a rating point of the time period's non-sports lead in adults 18-49.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9 p.m. ET, the second episode of "My Name is Earl" (5.1/13 in 18-49, 11.4 million viewers overall) ranked #1 for the half-hour in adults 18-49 versus the premiere of ABC's "Commander-in-Chief" (4.0/10 in that half-hour), the season premiere of CBS' "Amazing Race" (4.2/10 in that half-hour) and Fox's "House" (4.9/12 in that half-hour). "Earl" was up 42 percent in adults 18-49 versus NBC's average for the time period last season (5.1 vs. 3.6). "Earl" also won this highly competitive slot in adults, men and women 18-34. "Earl" is primetime's #1 half-hour comedy in 18-49 for the week and the season to date.

Also on Tuesday, at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.2/13 in 18-49, 15.3 million viewers overall) scored the #1 adult 18-49 rating of the night (tied with Fox's "House"). From 8-9 p.m. ET that night, "The Biggest Loser" (3.0/9 in 18-49, 7.4 million viewers overall) finished within 1 share of the lead in 18-49 and was #1 in adults 18-34.

On Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order" (4.8/12 in 18-49, 15.1 million viewers overall) topped CBS' "CSI: NY" by 7 percent in adults 18-49 (4.8 vs. 4.5). On the same night a year ago, "CSI: NY" led "Law & Order" by a 48 percent advantage (7.1 vs. 4.8). The Sept. 28 "Law & Order" finished #2 in 18-49 and #1 in total viewers in the hour. Week-to-week, "Law" slashed the 18-49 margin of victory for ABC's "Invasion," from 70 percent the previous week (6.8 vs. 4.0) to 6 percent last week (5.1 vs. 4.8). Versus the previous week, "Law" was up 20 percent in 18-49 (to a 4.8 from a 4.0) while "Invasion" was down 25 percent (from a 6.8 to a 5.1). "Law & Order" built on its lead-in from the previous hour by 129 percent in 18-49. The NBC drama pulled into first place in its second half-hour, ranking #1 in 18-49 from 10:30-11 p.m. ET.

On Thursday, Sept. 29 from 8:29-9 p.m. ET, the live telecast of the eighth-season premiere of "Will & Grace" (4.4/11 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 47 percent to score its highest 18-49 rating since Feb. 17. In total viewers, it was a high since Feb. 24. "Will & Grace" ranked #2 for the time period in adults 18-49. That night from 8-8:29 p.m. ET, "Joey" (3.0/9 in 18-49, 7.5 million viewers overall) ranked #2 for its time period in adults 18-49 ahead of Fox's "The O.C.," ABC's season premiere of "Alias," WB's season premiere of "Smallville" and UPN's second episode of "Everybody Hates Chris."

Also on Thursday, at 9 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice" (4.8/12 in 18-49, 10.4 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in 18-49, outperforming the hour's third-place program by an 85 percent margin (4.8 vs. a 2.6 for the ABC premiere of "Night Stalker"). "The Apprentice" was up 4 percent in 18-49 versus the previous week's season premiere telecast (to a 4.8 from a 4.6).

At 10 p.m. ET Thursday, "ER" (6.6/16 in 18-49, 14.4 million viewers overall) ranked #1 for the hour in 18-49, overcoming a 96 percent lead-in advantage (9.4 for CBS vs. 4.8 for NBC from 9-10 p.m.) for rival drama "Without a Trace."

On Friday, Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. ET, "Three Wishes" (1.9/6 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 36 percent in 18-49 to finish within 1 share of the 18-49 lead.

On Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10-11 p.m. ET, an encore "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.4/8 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall) was the #1 telecast of the night in adults 18-49 (tied with Fox's "Cops 2"). "SVU" won the slot in virtually all key ratings categories.

On Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10 p.m. ET, "Crossing Jordan" (4.0/10 in 18-49, 12.4 million viewers overall) built on its lead-in by 18 percent in 18-49 to earn its highest rating since March 13. "Jordan," which began a two-part crossover story arc that concluded the next night on "Las Vegas," ranked #2 in the time period in 18-49 and nearly all other key ratings categories. At 9 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (3.4/8 in 18-49, 12.4 million viewers overall) built on its 18-49 lead-in by 62 percent and was up 10 percent versus the previous week's season premiere.