I've got good news and bad news.

[fangirl_says]

From The Programming Insider:

-Yesterday's Winners:
Sunday Night Football Season Opener (NBC), The Vampire Diaries (CW)

-Disappointing:
Supernatural (CW)

-Yesterday's Losers:
Nothing-54 percent of the line-up was still in repeats.
----------
-Ratings Breakdown:
[clip]

There was also positive news for The CW last night, with the series-premiere of drama The Vampire Diaries third in the 8 p.m. hour with a 3.2/ 5. Comparably, former occupant Smallville opened its new season one year earlier (on Sept. 18, 2009) with a 2.9/ 5. And this beat the debut of Melrose Place two nights earlier (1.9/ 3 on Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. ET) by a hefty 68 percent. Naturally, the true test will come when the demos arrive, but based on the overnights The Vampire Diaries is an initial "winner" for The CW.

Leading out of The Vampire Diaries was the fifth season-premiere of Supernatural at a last-place 2.2/ 4 at 9 p.m. Comparably, retention out of the second-half of The Vampire Diaries (3.2/ 5 at 8:30 p.m.) was a marginal 71 percent. One year earlier, Supernatural opened with a heftier 2.7/ 4 in the overnights on Sept. 18, 2008.

[clip]
Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R=repeat)

Edit:

Vampire Diaries: 4.84 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49

Supernatural: 3.39 million viewers and a 1.5/ 4 among adults 18-49

There was also positive news for The CW last night, with the series-premiere of drama The Vampire Diaries third in the 8 p.m. hour with 4.84 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49. Comparably, former occupant Smallville opened its new season one year earlier (on Sept. 18, 2009) with 4.34 million viewers and a 1.8/ 6 in the demo, according to the final nationals. And this beat the debut of Melrose Place two nights earlier (Viewers: 2.31 million; A18-49: 1.7/ 3 on Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. ET) by a hefty 2.53 million viewers and 24 percent in the demo.

Leading out of The Vampire Diaries was the fifth season-premiere of Supernatural at 3.39 million viewers (#5) and a 1.5/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#2t) at 9 p.m. Comparably, retention out of the second-half of The Vampire Diaries (Viewers: 5.03 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6 at 8:30 p.m.) was a marginal 67 percent in total viewers and 71 percent in the demo. One year earlier, Supernatural opened with a heftier

Comments

[lila-blue-b.livejournal.com]

2.2 WHAT? How is this possible? *is disappointed* What were the actual numbers in millions, if this was the share?

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

I don't know yet, but they should be releasing it soon.

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

Edit:

Vampire Diaries: 4.84 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49

Supernatural: 3.39 million viewers and a 1.5/ 4 among adults 18-49

[lila-blue-b.livejournal.com]

So it's not completely dismal then, since season 3's premiere was like 400,000 lower. Still...

Thanks for finding these numbers! I was having no luck looking myself.