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After more than 10 years of failed attempts to launch a prime-time news series, NBC has come up with two potential hits in one summer: Jane Pauley's highly rated Real Life specials, and Cutting Edge With Maria Shriver, whose Aug. 14 premiere drew nearly 17 million viewers to win its time period (Tuesdays at 10 p.m.) and finish 18th. Edge easily beat a repeat of ABC's thirtysomething and a 1987 CBS TV-movie, but its competition will be tougher this fall against first-run shows. CBS' 60 Minutes has devoteddits recent broadcasts to news from the Middle East, and its ratings have soared as a result; nearly 22 million viewers, the most in nearly three months, watched the show of Aug. 19. And Fox's The Simpsons bade farewell to Sunday night by hitting the top of the Nielsens for the third straight week. The streak may come to an abrupt end next week, when it airs against NBC's The Cosby Show for the first time. VIEWERS* TOP TEN LAST WEEK
1 23.4 THE SIMPSONS 1 Fox, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. 2 22.2 ROSEANNE 7 ABC, Tuesday, 9 p.m. 3 22.1 AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS 3 ABC, Sunday, 8 p.m. 4 21.7 CHEERS (TIE) 1 NBC, Thursday, 9 p.m. 21.7 60 MINUTES 5 CBS, Sunday, 7 p.m. 6 21.2 MARRIED WITH...CHILDREN 4 Fox, Sunday, 9 p.m. 7 19.2 EMPTY NEST 10 NBC, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. 8 18.7 COACH 16 ABC, Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. 9 18.5 DESIGNING WOMEN 13 CBS, Monday, 9:30 p.m. 10 18.3 THE COSBY SHOW (TIE) 14 NBC, Thursday, 8 p.m. 18.3 IN LIVING COLOR 11 Fox, Sunday, 9:30 p.m.
BOTTOM FIVE
86 5.5 ALIEN NATION 87 Fox, Monday, 9 p.m. 87 4.3 THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW 88 Fox, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. 88 3.8 THE GHOST WRITER - / Fox, Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. 89 3.4 21 JUMP STREET 91 Fox, Wednesday, 8 p.m. 90 3.2 MOLLOY 90 Fox, Wednesday, 9 p.m. *millions of Viewers week of Aug. 13 to 19
