Lance Armstrong wasn't the only big doings on cable Thursday night. Primetime saw the return of Suits, Anger Management and Archer, TBS' launch of geek competition King of the Nerds and another episode of MTV's remarkably consistent Buckwild.
Suits bested its summer opener, rising just 3 percent in total viewers for 3.6 million -- a best for all of cable. In adults 18-49, the series was up 11 percent to a 1.7 rating. In adults 18-34, the USA drama surged 34 percent.
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TBS debuted the Ben Silverman-produced King of the Nerds. The reality competition, the first of several unscripted efforts coming to the network this year, brought in 2 million total viewers and a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49 following the network's popularly syndicated Big Bang Theory.
On FX, Charlie Sheen's back 90 episodes of Anger Management started on a bit of a soft note. The 9 p.m. broadcast was at 1.82 million viewers and a 0.7 adults rating, with the time period debut pulling 1.66 million and a 0.8 adults rating. That's not far off from the August finale (1.97 million and a 0.8 rating) but a far cry from its hyped summer debut (5.7 million and a 2.3 adults rating).
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Archer also returned to FX, averaging 1.61 million viewers and a 1.0 adults rating and apparently benefiting from its Anger Management lead. Archer was up quite a bit from its season three opener of 1.1 million viewers and a 0.6 adults rating.
Buckwild continued its steady streak for MTV. The backwoods reality show averaged 2.5 million viewers and a 1.3 rating with adults 18-49. That's just a shade lower than its Jan. 3 premiere -- and a tenth of a point stronger than Oprah Winfrey's Armstrong interview in the demo.
