Angel's fifth season premiere has performed with some conviction, overnight figures from the USA indicate.

Angel averaged a 3.8 rating and an audience share of six per cent. The episode, Conviction, aired on the WN network at 9pm on Wednesday, just after the Smallville season three premiere.

Smallville secured a slightly higher 4.3 rating and seven per cent share, but Angel had to battle against tougher competition, being up against timeslot winner The West Wing on NBC, plus (un)reality show The Bachelor on ABC.

Both the WB's shows had a clear lead over sixth-placed network UPN, with rebranded Star Trek: Enterprise lagging behind Smallville, and secret agent / superhero Jake 2.0 unable to keep pace with Angel. All figures are preliminary, but that doesn't stop the industry in Hollywood from treating them like sacred entrails from a sacrificed demon. In a manner of speaking.

Click the links on the right for our Angel site - or the official WB site, but only if you have no fear of the dreaded spoilers.