Tuesday ratings: CBS returns to the top

CBS returned to the top spot in night two of the new television strength on the strength of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and the premiere of 1960’s-set drama Vegas, without Robert Urich or James Caan, of course.

Meanwhile, Fox’s new single-camera comedy block had mixed results.

All ratings results are among the 18-49 demo, unless otherwise noted.

NBC’s The Voice (4.2 rating/13 share) squeaked by CBS’ NCIS (4.1/12), but NCIS drew nearly twice as many viewers (20.5 million) than Voice did. Nevertheless, a good showing by both shows. Despite drawing 11.7 million viewers, ABC’s Dancing With The Stars results show only drew a 2.1/6, which was made up of mostly useless filler segments for two very long hours. Next month, ABC plans to fill the time slot with the return of Happy Endings and Don’t Trust The B___ in Apt. 23.

Fox’s new two-hour block of single camera comedies kicked off with the season premiere of New Girl with a 2.8/8 and a 2.9/8 for an episode in its regular time period, down 28 percent from last year’s premiere. Yours truly does not understand the appeal of this show. In between the New Girls was the premiere of Ben & Kate with an unimpressive 2.0/5. B & K’s numbers will get worse next week with the return of Raising Hope.

The Mindy Project debuted with a 2.4/4, down 14 percent from its New Girl lead-in, in a rather decent showing. I like Mindy Kaling – a minority woman who’s an author and writer on her own show in a business dominated by white males. Mindy Project had some funny moments, but this series – which parodies those rom-com movies everyone seems to hate – needs to broaden its appeal a bit.

Competing with Fox’s comedies is NBC’s Go On and The New Normal, each with a 2.7/7 and a 2.0/5, respectively in their second week.With the comedies splitting the audience, CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles led with a 3.4/9.

In the final hour of primetime, CBS’ Vegas drew 14.7 million viewers and a 2.5 rating, beating FX’s Sons Of Anarchy (2.1), ABC’s Private Practice (1.9), and NBC’s Parenthood (1.8). But Vegas‘ 18 percent drop in the second half-hour – not to mention off 14 percent in the demo from the premiere of year-ago time period occupant Unforgettable – is a real cause for concern.