Seems ABC could not have asked for a better reception to its remake of the classic -- some might say classically cheesy -- 1983 sci fi miniseries V.

According to ABC, 14.3-million people watched Tuesday's V premiere, debuting against NBC's popular unscripted weight loss show The Biggest Loser and the top-rated show on network television. CBS' drama NCIS. This made it the top scripted series debut of the 2009-10 TV season

The network also noted it was the first show to beat NCIS in ratings among viewers aged 18 to 49 in five years.

Local affiliate WFTS-Ch. 28 reported even better numbers, citing V as the number one show of the night, outrating the competition among viewers aged 25 to 54, viewers aged 18 to 49 and males aged 25 to 54.

So why is ABC treating V like it doesn't expect the success to last?

Fans are already grousing about ABC's odd scheduling strategy, in which four episodes will air this month and the remaining episodes, likely nine or so, won't see air until after NBC's competing Winter Olympics coverage in March.

Can't wait to see the kind of cliffhanger that will keep folks around that long.

Now comes news that one of the series' showrunners-- the producers who run the development and scripts and filming of episodes -- is departing.

Coming onto the show, former Chuck executive producer Scott Rosenbaum, joining the series after production was already halted once in a "creative hiatus."

Here's hoping the Alphabet Network doesn't find a way to screw up a series fans clearly want to see succeed.

If you missed it, here's the pilot, now available fro viewing online: