"Fringe" got off to a surprisingly modest start for Fox last night.

It did respectable business, for sure, for a new show, winning the night for Fox in the adults 18-49 derby. But for all the promotion Fox gave it and for J.J. Abrams standing in the sci-fi/fantasy TV world, you would've expected more people to show up for the first seg.

Airing from 8-9:35 p.m., "Fringe" averaged about 9 million viewers and a 3.2 rating/9 share in adults 18-49, according to prelim Nielsens. The good news is that viewers didn't flee from the show at the half-hour marks. And "Fringe" will get a boost next week when it airs at 9 p.m. with a lead-in from the mighty "House."

Meanwhile, folks over at the CW have to be satisfied, if not overjoyed, with the second-week perf of "90210" and the debut of "Privileged." "90210" fell to 3.3 million viewers from last week's 4.9 million. "Privileged" hung in there at 9 p.m. with 2.9 million. And "90210" may yet see an uptick next week. Last night, the first-season finale of ABC Family's summer success "The Secret Life if the American Teenager" (still awaiting those numbers) aired opposite "90210," which surely put a dent in the teen and young femme turnout for CW.

Variety ratings guru Rick Kissell has all the details on last night's numbers right here.

The pipes still work at CW. "90210's" two-hour opener wins the night for CW in all of the demos it cares about, even adults 18-49 (2.6/7). Total viewership for the two hour stood at 4.9 million, and the numbers went the right way (up) at the half-hour marks. And of course, the numbers will likely rise when the delayed DVR viewing during the next few days is factored in.

All told, CW was hailing its highest-rated scripted series preem ever and a bunch of other records, as Variety ratings guru Rick Kissell reports. Good for them. Let's hope 70%-plus of these folks come back for more next week.

With the dawn of "90210," we are off and running with the 2008-09 television season. It's been noted a few million times in the past week or so in the preamble coverage that this campaign is a crucial one for the two-year-old CW, but in truth it's a big one for the netlet's older sibs as well.

The Big Four have a lot to prove this fall after the strikus interruptus of the '07-'08 campaign. Let's not forget that even when the major nets' big scripted guns returned to the skeds in March and April, viewership was down precipitously for most shows. The biz is holding its collective breath in the hopes that auds will settle back into something like their normal routines as the cycle begins anew this month. Certainly, it is true that long-absent shows like ABC's "Pushing Daisies" and "Dirty Sexy Money" and NBC's "Life" and "Lipstick Jungle" are much closer to being newcomers for the vast majority of the aud than sophomore players at this pre-launch moment.

For the sake of Our Town, let's hope that decent starts in the holiday-light viewing zone of Labor Day for CW's "Gossip Girl," Fox's "Prison Break" and NBC's "America's Toughest Jobs" -- not to mention TNT's impressive perf with "Raising the Bar" -- are good signs that people are at least paying attention again.

As for CW's Big Test with "90210," we'll know in quantitative terms if America cared or not by the time the Nielsen overnights roll in early Wednesday. The early off-air reviews from critics (who were denied the usual lead time to formulate opinions by CW's decision to hold back on screeners) have been mixed: Variety's Laura Fries was not impressed; the AP's Frazier Moore declared "It didn't screw up!" 

Among the younger set that matters most to CW, "90210's" first two hours seemed to generally get a passing grade, judging by the blogosphere chatter. (Here's a representative sample from Television Without Pity.)

But for a show that's all about nubile (skeletal for the girls) young things, there's a delicious irony in the fact that thesp Jessica Walter (a fave of TV aficionados for her role on "Arrested Development") seems to be garnering the most kind words of any of "90210's" sprawling cast. Even the text-messaging/blog-worshiping crowd is raving about the comic relief Walter (pictured right) provides in her role as the boozy, over-the-hill actress and BevHills grandma to the recently-relocated-from-Kansas Wilson clan. That's a casting coup "90210" godfather Aaron Spelling would have loved.

CW deserves a little credit for bravery for being the first into fall's choppy waters with its big premiere -- although the numerological appeal of launching "90210" on 9/02 played a big part in the skedding decision, as did the unpleasant memory of how CW's preems got trampled last year by going head to head with the big-leaguers.

The parade of new series bows continues next Tuesday with the Sept. 9 two-hour opener of Fox's biggest bet for the fall, "Fringe."

Very curious. CW has officially informed reporters today that it won't be sending out an advance screener on its Great Remake Hope of the new season, "90210," from CBS Paramount Network Television.

Of course, we automatically assume the worst in these situations. Insiders maintain that it's absolutely not the show has canine qualities, but they want to keep the pilot on a short leash until its Sept. 2 preem. In fact, CW and CBS Par TV aren't all that worried about bad reviews dissuading the target "90210" viewer from tuning in, because they don't think the target "90210" aud gives a hoot about reviews. (However, let's face it, a preponderance of bad reviews would be dent the consciousness even of those whose only reading material these days is text messages and TMZ.)

There is also genuine concern at the network and studio about bootleg versions popping up on the Internet, which is a hazard of sending review screeners out to hundreds of media outlets. So in an effort to get as many eyes as possibly tuned to the CW on Sept. 2, the pilot will stay in the can until then. Which is not to say that a few choice "90210" clips won't make their way on to the Web in the next few weeks.

"The CW and our studio partner CBS Paramount Network Television have made the strategic marketing decision not to screen "90210" for any media in advance of its premiere.  We're not hiding anything . . . simply keeping a lid on 90210 until 9.02, riding the curiosity and anticipation into premiere night, and letting all our constituents see it at the same time," the network and studio said in a joint statement Monday.

"Constituents?" Well, it is an election year...

(Me, I still can't get over the thrill of seeing Michael leave his B-more troubles behind for the lazy life of luxury in BevHills. "Wire" fans, Tristan Wilds fans -- you feel me?)