Nip/Tuck thrives, Queer Eye dives against new series competition

The new wave of fall series proved a mixed blessing for cable original programming Tuesday. The 10 p.m. FX drama Nip/Tuck, from out creator Ryan Murphy, actually performed better than usual in the face of increased competition, grabbing 3.7 million total viewers--its highest tally since its July premiere. The series also topped its highest yield among viewers 18-49 by 300,000 people, reaching 2.7 million in that coveted demographic. But the Bravo makeover series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy took a small hit in the same slot, reaching 2.4 million total viewers after snaring 2.8 million the previous week. Another factor that may have spurred the decline was the absence of lead-in Boy Meets Boy, a Bravo original series that has ended its run.