The Safe House - Expositions

NBC's rookie pair of ``Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' and ``UC: Undercover'' also launched to credible ratings Sunday, capping a strong Sept. 24-30 frame for the network. When Nielsen issues opening-week numbers for the 2001-02 season Tuesday, NBC will prevail by all key measures -- including convincing victories in demos.

ABC captured Sunday, according to preliminary nationals from Nielsen, with a 5.5 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 (38% better than runner-up Fox's 4.0/10) and 14.2 million viewers overall (topping second-place CBS' 13.4 million by 6%). In both categories, ABC was up vs. its opening Sunday of last season.

The 69-minute commercial-free premiere of ``Alias,'' starring Jennifer Garner as a twentysomething spy, won the p.m. hour (prelim 14.8 million, 6.1/14 in adults 18-49), easily topping the first episode of NBC's ``Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' (12.7 million, 4.4/10), which ran second. Because ``Alias'' aired until 10:09 -- and was gaining ratings steam throughout its first hour -- its final Nielsen national averages are expected to come up a bit when the 10-10:09 portion is factored in.

If there was one surprise in the overall strong ``Alias'' numbers, it's that the show didn't skew as young as had been expected. While it ruled its timeslot among kids, teens and adults 18-49, it placed second to Fox's repeat of ``Jerry Maguire'' in adults 18-34 (preliminary 6.0/16 vs. 4.8/12). Ratings for the heavily promoted ``Alias'' are expected to go down next week (it doesn't help that its second episode airs against the Emmys), but the series could recruit some younger viewers when Fox shifts to baseball postseason games on Sundays beginning Oct. 14.

ABC also did well Sunday with ``Wonderful World of Disney'' pic ``A Bug's Life'' (preliminary 11.9 million, 4.2/11 in adults 18-49), as the broadcast premiere of the theatrical placed second and posted the network's best 18-49 movie score from 7-9 p.m. since February. And at 10, ``The Practice'' (preliminary 18.3 million, 7.4/18) was the No. 1 program of the night, winning its hour by 7 shares and building upon its week-earlier premiere averages.

NBC's new drama pair posted solid numbers, especially against such stiff ABC competition.

``Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' (preliminary 12.7 million, 4.4/10 in adults 18-49) and ``UC: Undercover'' (10.5 million, 4.6/11) combined for a second-place 4.5 rating in adults 18-49, a 10% improvement over what NBC averaged with a movie last season.

``UC'' seemed to pick up younger viewers from ``Jerry Maguire'' and ``Alias,'' as it built on its ``Law & Order'' lead-in by an impressive 21% in adults 18-34. It also grew in its second half-hour, building by 4% in 18-49 and by 14% in 18-34.

NBC didn't fare as well from 7-9 p.m., as ``Dateline'' and ``Weakest Link'' left the network in fourth place in 18-49, albeit just 3 shares out of the lead.

CBS received another big score from ``60 Minutes'' as a football lead-in powered the newsmagazine to what will likely be its largest audience (projected 17 million) since February. Due to football, reliable preliminary nationals aren't available for the network's 8 p.m. drama ``The Education of Max Bickford,'' although it appears to have come in about 10% below its week-earlier premiere with about 15 million viewers and a 3.8 rating in 18-49.

Opposite the heavy drama competition, CBS' Sunday movie ``Three Blind Mice'' tanked (10.4 million, 2.4 in 18-49), finishing below all but one CBS Sunday made-for-TV movie from last season.

Fox, as usual, won in adults 18-34, edging out ABC in preliminaries, 4.7 to 4.4. ``Jerry Maguire'' accomplished its goal of making life difficult for ``Alias,'' building throughout the night and topping ABC's new drama by 4 shares in women 18-34.

Projections for the first week of the season, meanwhile, have NBC roughly 19% ahead of its closest competitor (ABC) in adults 18-49 (5.6 vs. 4.7) and 8% ahead of CBS in total viewers (13.5 million vs. 12.5 million).

While NBC's opening-week numbers were juiced by big premieres from ``Frasier,'' ``Friends'' and its strong debuting dramas, it also will have won without yet airing Wednesday dramas ``Ed'' and ``The West Wing.''

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