'Eli Stone' has OK start as ABC dominates night

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008

The return of "Lost" led ABC to a ratings win Thursday, in the process helping "Eli Stone" get off to a decent start.

ABC averaged an 8.3 rating/13 share for the night. CBS finished second at 6.9/11, beating out FOX's 6.2/9. NBC, 4.5/7, took fourth. The CW trailed with a 2.1/3.

ABC's lead was wider in the adults 18-49 demographic, where it earned a 5.3 rating. FOX came in second with a 3.2, followed by NBC at 2.8. CBS' 2.4 was good for fourth, and The CW drew a 1.4.

A "Lost" clip show posted an 8.0/12 for ABC at 8 p.m., setting the tone for the night. "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?," 6.4/10, put FOX in second, ahead of a "CSI: NY" rerun, 5.8/9, on CBS. NBC went with repeats of "My Name Is Earl" and "The Office" to finish fourth. "Smallville" posted a 2.4/4 for The CW.

At 9 p.m., the season premiere of "Lost" scored a 9.5/14, the night's best rating. CBS moved up to second overall with a "CSI" repeat, 7.7/12. "Don't Forget the Lyrics," 5.9/9, was third for FOX, topping the 4.5/7 for "The Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC. "Supernatural" came in fifth for The CW.

The premiere of "Eli Stone" finished the ABC sweep with a 7.3/12 at 10 p.m. CBS got a 7.1/12 from "Without a Trace," while a second hour of "The Apprentice" on NBC improved to 5.7/9.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.