The new season is just two days old, but there's already plenty of data around to start drawing some early conclusions about the state of the ratings race.
Overall, the good news is that networks can still draw a crowd. There's been huge tune-in for broad-based dramas such as "House" and "NCIS." And newcomers such as "Glee," "NCIS: Los Angeles" and "The Vampire Diaries" are all off to nice starts, providing hope that this season will produce more hits than last year.
It's worth remembering, however, that what happens during premiere week often stays in premiere week. Last year, "The Mentalist" had a good, not great, launch -- it's turned into a big hit.
With those caveats in mind, here are five things we've noticed at the dawn of a new season:
1. A lack of ego has paid handily for CBS.
Networks are often loathe to pick up a rival's rejects out of fear of seeming desperate, or looking dumb if a show that failed on another network ends up failing again.
Networks are often loathe to pick up a rival's rejects out of fear of seeming desperate, or looking dumb if a show that failed on another network ends up failing again.
But CBS brass have never let pride get in the way when they feel a show makes sense for them.They snatched up "CSI" when ABC rejected the show (and then became its producer when Disney bailed). And Friday, "Medium" will migrate from NBC to CBS, since the Peacock opted out of the show.
The Eye's best move, however? Keeping "JAG" alive after NBC pulled the plug on the show back in 1995.
It's understandable that NBC rejected "JAG." The show's first season didn't even rank among TV's top 50 series.
CBS, however, saw potential. And it paid off: The show lasted nearly a decade (and 200 episodes) longer. It made big bucks in syndication and international distribution.
But most impressively, "JAG" begat "NCIS," which premiered in 2003. Like its predecessor, "NCIS" built audience slowly but has now become one of the lynchpins of the CBS lineup.
If "NCIS: Los Angeles" can live up to the promise of its premiere, it's quite possible that "JAG" will end up as a franchise that will have supplied CBS with ratings success for more than 20 years.
2. Fox is off to a fast start.
The network's stated goal for the fourth quarter in recent years has been simply to survive. Difficulties related to baseball playoff coverage, plus some bad development, has often resulted in Fox foundering in the fall, only to recover in January once "American Idol" returns.
The network's stated goal for the fourth quarter in recent years has been simply to survive. Difficulties related to baseball playoff coverage, plus some bad development, has often resulted in Fox foundering in the fall, only to recover in January once "American Idol" returns.
This season could be different. Last week, it beat NBC head-to-head with originals on a Thursday. Monday, it won the opening night of the season for the first time ever, thanks to a well-promoted "House" movie.And last night, "Hell's Kitchen," despite facing intense competition, helped Fox finish in second place overall.
A big test for Fox comes tonight, when "Glee" -- already renewed for a full season -- faces real competition from "Law & Order: SVU," "Criminal Minds" and ABCs much-hyped new comedy lineup.
