With Prime-time ratings sinking every season, the networks are frantically trying to lure audiences back, and the surest bait this fall has been the miniseries, preferably based on the work of a brand-name author. On Nov. 18, the first part of the Stephen King screamathon It scared up nearly 31 million viewers for ABC, easily winning the Sunday-night movie competition (NBC's Crash finished 42nd, and CBS' telecast of Moonstruck came in 48th). Since It's success comes just one month after NBC's hit adaptations of novels by Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel, viewers can count on a flood of bestseller-based miniseries in 1991. At the other end of this week's Nielsens are two fading Saturday-night shows. China Beach, struggling in 87th place, is unlikely to survive into the spring, and viewers have rejected the Ken Wahl-less Wiseguy; the show's Nov. 17 episode fell to 89th place. Last viewers* TOP TEN week 1 34.1 Cheers 1 NBC, Thursday, 9 p.m. 2 32.8 America's Funniest People 3 ABC, Sunday, 8:30 p.m. 3 31.8 60 Minutes 5 CBS, Sunday, 7 p.m. 4 31.3 America's Funniest Home Videos 2 ABC, Sunday, 8 p.m. 5 30.8 Miniseries: The Big One - The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, part 2 (Tie) - NBC, Monday, 9 p.m. 6 30.8 Miniseries: It, Part 1 - ABC, Sunday, 9 p.m. 7 29.2 A Different World 4 NBC, Thursday, 8:30 p.m. 8 28.1 Empty Nest 6 NBC, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. 9 27.5 The Cosby Show 10 NBC, Thursday, 8 p.m. 10 27.1 Roseanne 7 ABC, Tuesday, 9 p.m.
Bottom Five 91 7.7 Cops 78 Fox, Saturday, 8:30 p.m. 92 7.6 Beverly Hills 90210 90 Fox, Thursday, 9 p.m. 93 7.5 Totally Hidden Video 85 Fox, Saturday, 8 p.m. 94 5.9 American Chronicles 91 Fox, Saturday, 9:30 p.m. 95 4.0 Against the law 92 Fox, Friday, 9 p.m. *IN millions week of Nov. 12 to 18
