Alexa Davalos

In season and series premiere news, season three of Fox’s The O.C. opened at a 5.2/ 8 in the overnights (#3), 7.41 million viewers (#3), and a second-place 3.3/10 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Comparably, and based on the overnights, that was a decline of 19 percent in rating and one share point from the second-season opener of The O.C. on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004 (6.4/ 9). Unfortunately, it looks like wooden Mischa Barton did not get acting lessons this summer!

Although the series-debut of lead-out Reunion was far from spectacular at a 5.1/ 8 in the overnights (#3), 6.64 million viewers (#3) and a 3.0/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 9 p.m., retention out of The O.C. was solid at 98 percent in the overnights, 90 percent in total viewers, and 91 percent among adults 18-49. Also worth noting was very little loss of audience for Reunion in the second half-hour.