ABC’s “The Nine” hit a new series low last night, losing more than half “Lost’s” lead-in and finishing third in its timeslot for the first time.

With November sweeps upcoming and ABC’s lead among adults 18-49 just 0.1 ahead of CBS, it seems a big question for the network is how much longer “Nine” will survive.

Last night “Nine” averaged a 3.0 rating in adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, down 6 percent from the 3.2 overnight it earned the last two weeks.

That marked a new low for the 10 p.m. show, which dropped 57 percent of “Lost’s” 6.9 lead-in. The show also hit a low in total viewers with 8.0 million.

“Nine” premiered to a 4.6 18-49 rating and 11.96 million total viewers three weeks ago. Last night it finished behind NBC’s “Dateline” in the timeslot.

“Nine” received sterling reviews but has struggled against CBS’s “CSI: NY.” Some have complained that the plot is moving too slow, with too many questions and not enough answers about the bank robbery that’s at the center of the program.

Others have theorized that perhaps the rabid “Lost” audience isn’t up for another complex character drama after so much action at 9 p.m., or perhaps they’re too busy on chat boards discussing the show to watch anything afterward.

Whatever the reason, it would seem “Nine’s” days may be numbered. “Lost” has only a few more weeks before its planned hiatus, when it will be replaced by the new Taye Diggs drama “Daybreak.” At that point ABC could try a new show at 10 as well, perhaps bumping “Nine” to a different slot or removing it entirely during November sweeps.

Or the network could wait until mid-winter, when “Lost” returns, and put a new show at 10 p.m. then, letting “Nine” stick around in hopes that the good buzz will help it build viewership.

Despite “Nine’s” slump, ABC still won the night easily among adults 18-49, averaging a 5.0 rating and 13 share, followed by CBS at 4.3/11, NBC at 2.9/8, the CW at 2.1/6, Fox at 2.0/5, and Univision at 1.6/4.

Game 4 of the World Series was rained out last night, forcing Fox to air four reruns of “War at Home.”

At 8 p.m., ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” led with a 5.1, followed by CBS’s “Jericho” at 3.2, CW’s surging “America’s Next Top Model” at 2.7, NBC’s struggling “30 Rock” (2.1) and “Twenty Good Years” (2.0) at 2.1, Fox’s “War” at 2.0, and Univision’s “La Fea Mas Bella” at 1.9.

“Model” was up 8 percent week to week and placed second in 18-34s.

At 9 p.m., ABC stayed ahead with “Lost” at 6.9, followed by CBS’s “Criminal Minds” at 4.4, NBC’s “Biggest Loser” at 3.3, Fox’s “War” at 2.1, CW’s “One Tree Hill” at 1.6, and Univision’s “Mundo de Fieras” at 1.5. “Lost” stayed ahead of “Minds” among total viewers, 16.8 million to 16.6 million.

At 10 p.m., “CSI: NY” led with a 5.4, followed by NBC’s “Dateline” at 3.2, ABC’s “Nine” at 3.0, and Univision’s “Don Francisco Presenta” at 1.4.

In households, ABC just edged CBS with a 9.6/15 to the latter’s 9.5/15. NBC was third at 4.9/8, followed by Fox at 3.8/6, CW at 3.0/5, and Univision at 2.2/3.