Small numbers for Big Brother

A Friends rerun and Spy TV slapped the second edition of CBS's Big Brother, which lurched to a slow ratings start on Thursday night.

The premiere of CBS's latest iteration of the Endemol reality show produced a measly 3.5 rating, 12 share among adults 18-49 and drew 8.4 million viewers. CBS still has three months to pump life into its sequestered housemates scenario. But on Thursday night, a Friends retread topped Big Brother's first half-hour with a 7.1/14 and 9.9 million viewers, with Spy TV, NBC's Candid Camera redux, scoring a 5.9/11 with 8.8 million viewers during the following half-hour.

NBC won the night among 18-49ers with a 4.3 to CBS's 3.7, but CBS took the night in total viewers, with a repeat of C.S.I: Crime Scene Investigation drawing 10.4 million takers.
- Richard Tedesco