Strong Start for New NBC Series

NEW YORK: While CBS won Thursday night in total viewers thanks to Survivor, CSI and the new drama Harper’s Island, NBC had reason to celebrate with the promising debut outings of the John Wells’ cop drama Southland and the Amy Poehler comedy Parks and Recreation, particularly in the key 18-to-49 demo.

According to Nielsen Media Research, NBC took Thursday night in adults, and men and women 18 to 34, while tying with CBS for number one in 18 to 49, thanks to a comedy lineup of 30 Rock, The Office and Parks and Recreation, capped off at 10 p.m. by the cop drama Southland, inheriting a slot long held by ER. Southland‘s premiere nabbed a total of 9.9 million viewers and won the 18-to-49 demo, among other categories, as it went up against Harper’s Island and a repeat of Private Practice on ABC. Harper’s Island, CBS’s new thriller, edged out Southland with 10.21 million total viewers, but came in second in a variety of key demos. The show was, however, CBS.com’s biggest online premiere ever, with a dedicated Internet presence courtesy of EQAL, the team behind the Internet sensation lonelygirl15.