NBC’s “Heroes” didn’t fly quite as high as usual last night upon its return from a long hiatus. The first-year hit drama fell to a series-low 5.3 adults 18-49 rating, according to Nielsen overnights, airing opposite ABC’s potent “Dancing with the Stars” for the first time.

The show still won its timeslot, but it finished behind “Stars” during the two shows’ shared half hour at 9 p.m. “Stars” averaged a 5.5 to “Heroes’” 5.2.

It marked “Heroes’” lowest performance since a 5.5 for its second episode back in October. The show went on hiatus for much of March and April, and it was down 20 percent from its most recent original episode, which averaged a 6.6 on March 5.

Certainly “Heroes” was not helped by the continuing softening of lead-in “Deal or No Deal” opposite “Stars.” “Deal” averaged a 3.3 last night at 8 p.m., down 39 percent from the 5.4 it averaged leading into “Heroes” on March 5.

And "Heroes," the season's No. 1 new show in 18-49s, is still a hit by any measure. It was last night's No. 1 show in 18-49s as well.

“Heroes” may simply need a week or two for viewers to become aware that the show is back. Long hiatuses have been difficult for broadcast shows this year, with ABC’s “Lost” and CBS’s “Jericho,” two similarly mysterious, action-packed shows, both showing deep declines after leaving the air for several months. Though “Heroes” wasn’t gone for as long, and its declines aren’t as serious, the network may nonetheless want to reconsider future long momentum-sapping absences.