HBO's The Sopranos failed to make a dent in ABC's Sunday night powerhouse Desperate Housewives. The women of Wisteria Lane handily defeated the premiere of The Sopranos, according to data released Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Sopranos averaged 9.5 million viewers and a 4.5 rating/10 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, significantly off in both measures compared with the 12.1 million viewers and 6.2/15 it earned for its Season 5 premiere March 7, 2004. Housewives averaged 22.2 million viewers and an 8.8/19 in the demo.