'The Shield' has average season premiere

September 04, 2008 After a 15-month absence, cop drama "Shield" returned at 10 p.m. Tuesday to an average of 2.1 million total viewers, including 1.3 million in the adults 18-49 demo, according to Live + Same Day data from Nielsen Media Research. Meanwhile, "Anarchy," the motorcycle-club drama starring Charlie Hunnam, averaged 2.5 million total viewers at 10 p.m. Wednesday against competition that included coverage of the Republican National Convention. Elsewhere, Wednesday night's "America's Next Top Model" two-hour premiere was the lowest-rated in CW history (3.5 million viewers, 1.7 preliminary adults 18-49 rating/5 share), while Fox's two-hour "Bones" premiere (9.3 million, 3.3/9) was dead even with its Tuesday premiere number last year.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.