Overnight TV Ratings -- "American Inventor" Has Legs

CBS is done with basketball and came roaring back with its trio of big hits: Survivor, CSI and Without A Trace. NBC has fallen so much, no one blinks an eye when ER scores 13 million viewers and Trace more than 18. Will & Grace got a little boost from the guest appearance of Britney Spears but I imagine they're all relieved this is the final season. And I love the sweet-naturedMy Name Is Earl (and to a lesser degree The Office) but people who trumpeted them as being part of a resurgence on Thursday for Must-See TV jumped the gun. They are modestly performing, though Earl could flourish with a better lead-in. And I'm not the only one to stop watching The OC -- everyone else has as well. The big surprise? American Inventor took a hit from the return of CSI (naturally), but still managed to improve on its lead-in and prove a winner. This one will be back; though the transistion from product auditions to development and marketing is gonna be a tricky one. If you're a ratings nut like me, sign up for the free daily email from Mediaweek.