"Lost": Found by 16 million-plus viewers

"Lost" stomped all over the competish in its return to ABC's sked on Thursday. "Eli Stone" had a harder time of it in its debut.

The 9 p.m. fourth season premiere seg drew 16.1 million viewers and 6.7 rating/16 share in the adults 18-49 demo, per Nielsen prelims. The 8 p.m. "Lost" clip show did a healthy 13.1 million 4.9/13 in the key demo.

"Lost's" premiere numbers were down from last season's opener (18.8 million, 7.7/19), but we all know last night's figures will balloon when DVR viewing sources are factored in week after next.

Kind of a mixed bag for the 10 p.m. bow of "Eli Stone." The well-reviewed drama about an idealistic lawyer who starts to realize he's a prophet had a hard time hanging on to "Lost's" coattails. It opened to 11.6 million viewers and 4.2/11 in 18-49. Not great, but not terrible either, and and it is an improvement over the perf of "Lost" companion "The Nine" last season.