CBS' "Apple" can't find core audience

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Audiences aren't taking much of a shine to new CBS drama "Big Apple," whose ratings declined from its mediocre premiere numbers a week earlier, despite facing lesser competition.

According to Nielsen, the well-reviewed Ed O'Neill crime drama averaged 10.96 million viewers and a 3.8 rating, 11 share in the ad-friendly adults 18-49 demographic on Thursday -- dropoffs of 10% and 16%, respectively, vs. a week earlier, when it premiered at No. 2 opposite a firstrun episode of NBC's "ER."

This time around, it fell to third behind a repeat "ER" (14.10 million, 6.9/19) and a strong-performing "Primetime Thursday" on ABC (12.70 million, 4.4/12). Each adults 18-49 rating point represents 1.24 million viewers, 1% of the U.S. total.

"Big Apple" retained a weak 43% of its lead-in from "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in adults 18-49 (3.8 vs. 8.9) and 46% in adults 25-54 (5.2 vs. 11.4). And for the second straight week, there was considerable dropoff in the show's second half-hour.

"Apple" is still performing better than three of the last four tries for newsmagazine "48 Hours" in the slot, but the improvement is now minimal.

CBS won the night by virtually all measures, with its victory in adults 18-49 and 18-34 its first in-season on a Thursday with regular programming since such categories were initially tracked in 1987.

"Survivor: The Australian Outback" (28.72 million, 12.1/31 in adults 18-49) again dominated its hour (topping NBC's comedy repeats by 17 shares in 18-49), and it will again rank as the week's No. 1 program.