We're ready to call the new fall TV series race, and the winner is: CBS by a mile.
The eye network announced Thursday that it has given full-season orders to its entire freshman class — "Hawaii Five-O," "Blue Bloods," "Mike & Molly," "The Defenders," and $#*! My Dad Says."
The fivesome rank as the top most-watched series of the 2010-2011 season, according to the network.
The series have given CBS wins in the season's opening four weeks among viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 for the first time since the advent of people meters in 1987.
"Everything has clicked so far this year—from development in January, to scheduling in May, to production over the summer, to marketing and publicity in the fall," said Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment.
Read also; 5 Things We Learned from Premiere Week
From a ratings perspective, here's how the five got their full-season order:
• Despite a retrograde premise and a starring role for notorious show-killer Alex O'Loughlin, "Hawaii Five-0" is the top new series of the year. The cops-on-a-beach drama has won its Monday (10:00-11:00 p.m.) time period in key demographics every week this season. The remake is averaging 14.15 million viewers and a 4.1/11 in adults 18-49. It also ranks as the No. 1 DVR'd program on television, averaging an additional 3.4 million viewers with live plus 7-day playback.
• Tom Selleck's cop drama "Blue Bloods" is Friday's top program in viewers and adults 18-49, winning its (10:00-11:00 p.m.) time period in viewers and key demographics every week this season. "Blue Bloods" is averaging 12.65 million viewers and 2.2/07 in adults 18-49.
• Hedonistic lawyer series "The Defenders" is Non. 3 new drama on television, is averaging 11.33 million viewers and 2.8/08 in adults 18-49.
• Centering on overweight lovers, "Mike & Molly" has been averaging 12.27 million viewers and 4.1/11 in adults 18-49 in its highly Monday time period. Producer Chuck Lorre appears to have scored another hit, helped no doubt by a strong lead-in from his other show "Two and a Half Men."
• William Shatner and his old-folks-say-the-darndest-things show, "$#*! My Dad Says" has scored with viewers. It is the second-highest-rated new comedy in both viewers and adults 18-49, averaging 11.31 million viewers and 3.5/10 in adults 18-49.
