TV Ratings:'Dollhouse' return hits to series lows on Friday

Jennifer Love Hewitt of 'Ghost Whisperer'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.

The two-episode premiere of "Brothers" was dismally low. That was the bad news for FOX. The worse news? The second season launch of "Dollhouse" actually lost viewers from "Brothers," plummeting to its lowest ratings to date.

All that has nothing to do with the easy Friday night win for CBS' reliable procedurals, with "Medium" improving on the "Ghost Whisperer" audience.

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 2.0 rating, beating the 1.7 rating for ABC and the 1.4 rating for NBC. FOX's 1.0 rating was fourth in the key demographic, at least holding off the 0.8 rating for The CW.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 8.41 million viewers to go with a 5.4 rating/10 share. NBC's 4.0/7 was second. ABC's 3.5/6 was a close third overall. That left FOX's 1.7/3 and The CW's 1.2/2 in fifth.

CBS swept the primetime hours starting at 8 p.m. with the 5.4/10 for the season premiere of "Ghost Whisperer." NBC's "Law & Order" launch had a 4.1/7. ABC took third with a reairing of the "FlashForward" pilot. FOX's two hours of "Brothers" did a 1.8/3 for its series premiere, averaging 2.82 million viewers and a 1.0 demo rating. The CW's Friday premiere of "Smallville" had a 1.5/3 and nearly 2.5 million viewers, off from its Thursday numbers, but better than The CW's previous Friday totals.

"Medium" did a 5.7/10 in its CBS premiere, improving on "Ghost Whisperer" in total viewers, but dropping in the 18-49 demo (2.5 to a 2.0). "Dateline NBC" and the 2.7/5 for ABC's repeats of "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" were second and third. FOX's "Dollhouse" premiered its second season with a 1.6/3 and a 1.0 rating in the 18-49 demo. Because it's always important to remember history, the "Dollhouse" series premiere in February drew nearly 4.72 million viewers and a 2.0 rating in the 18-49 demo. In its May finale, "Dollhouse" was down to 2.76 million viewers and a 1.0 demo rating. [Oh and The CW's "America's Next Top Model" repeat was fifth.]

CBS stayed in first overall at 10 p.m. with the 5.2/10 for "Numb3rs," but ABC's "20/20" actually won the hour in the 18-49 demo. The second week of NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" ended with a 3.8/7 and a 1.5 demo rating in third.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.