"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is one of the comedies featured on FOX this fall (FOX).

Despite their increased obsolescence, ratings still serve as the primary gauge for a show’s success. Advertisers, studios, analysts, showrunners, the hyper-involved fan ... for all of these people, ratings provide some attempt to give shape to (and monetize) America’s viewing habits. Nielsen monopolizes the ratings measurement system so despite its many faults (including insufficient sample size, inability to count the number of people watching a certain TV, and its lack of online viewing ratings) it’s all the television industry has. On that positive note, let’s take a look at how the new season is shaping up.

So far, only FOX has started premiering most of its new and returning fall shows. “Dads” premiered in the 8/7c PM timeslot with a 2.1 rating and a 7 share, meaning about 5.57 million viewers. This is a preliminary rating (so it doesn’t include DVR viewing) but it pulled in slightly better numbers than “Raising Hope,” which premiered in the same timeslot on Oct. 3, 2012. It received a preliminary 1.7 rating and a 5 share with about 3.89 million viewers last year. Perhaps the anti-critic campaign “Dads” is currently using will pay off for their benefit.

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” FOX’s other comedy premiere Tuesday night, fared a bit better than “Dads.” It landed a 2.5 rating and an 8 share with around six million viewers. “Ben And Kate” premiered in the same 8:30/7:30c PM timeslot last year to the tune of a preliminary 2.0 rating and 6 share, with 4.19 viewers. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” comes from creators Mike Schur and Dan Goor of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.”

The new comedies, however, aren’t the only ones with positive news. “New Girl” had its season 3 premiere last night as well. It scored a 2.9 rating and 8 share with 5.56 million viewers, up from its 2.8 rating and 7 share of last fall. “The Mindy Project” scored below its series premiere last fall. On Tuesday, it drew a 1.9 rating and 5 share with 3.95 million viewers, versus a 2.4 rating and 6 share with 4.73 million viewers in 2012. While this news seems bad for “The Mindy Project,” the premiere for its second season drew higher numbers than its season one finale in May.

From Monday, final ratings proved “Sleepy Hollow” a success. It drew a 3.5 rating and 9 share with 10.10 million viewers in the 9/8c PM slot. “Under the Dome,” CBS’s summer ratings hit, drew a 2.8 rating and 8 share with 12.10 million people watching for its season finale.

So far, ratings don’t seem quite as abysmal as the current TV climate expects, but keep in mind that most shows still haven’t premiered. Once timeslot competition starts rolling in next week, FOX will start to know if any of their shows prove to be hits.