Betty and Brothers in the ratings

The broadcast networks' big premiere week is over and now we can take a look at how two of our favorite shows fared.

According to MediaWeek, last night the new season of Brothers & Sisters premiered with a 8.8/14 rating, which means the 8.8% of all housholds in the US were watching the show and 14 percent of those households then watching tv were watching Brothers & Sisters. B&S managed to retain 73% of viewers from its Desperate Housewives lead in, but Housewives ratings continue to slide year over year, meaning B&S has less to hold on to this year. Still, the B&S ratings are pretty respectable.

Actually, it comes as a bit of a surprise to me that B&S ratings are better than those of our other favorite show, Ugly Betty. Betty went up against Survivor: China this past Thursday and did a disappointing 7.4/12 (compared to Survivor's 8.4/14.)

Maybe it's all those shirtless publicity stills of gravedigger James that accounts for Survivor's ratings resurgence? Just a theory. Still, give me the imperiousness of Wilhemina Slater over Jeff Probst any day. I thought the Betty season premiere was excellent.

One other show of interest: the Wednesday premiere of Dirty Sexy Money, also on ABC, did a respectable 7.4/12. No surprise, given it was one of the most anticipated new freshman shows. But personally, I was less than impressed with the first episode and think it may have trouble keeping that audience. Curious what others think.