A special Thursday edition of Fox's "American Idol" was the highest-rated Thursday-night entertainment telecast of the broadcast season, while repeats on ABC for most of the night affected ratings for a new "Private Practice."

Last night's "Idol" performed significantly better than the network's season-to-date time-period average, increasing more than four-fold to a 9.2 rating/25 share among viewers 18-49, according to Nielsen Media Research numbers. However, the episode comes in with the second-lowest rating in the demographic for this season. The night's No.3 show was the season premiere of "Hell's Kitchen," which debuted 11% lower than last year's season opener but still improved 123% over the average for the previous timeslot occupant, "Kitchen Nightmares." Fox averaged a 7.0/18 in the demo and 17.7 million viewers.

After a repeat special of "Criminal Minds," new episodes of "CSI" and "Eleventh Hour" gave CBS a second-place finish with a 3.5/9 (13.9 million).

NBC finished third with a 1.9/5 (4.7 million) with a lineup of repeats.

On ABC, a new episode of "Private Practice" was down 18% from its previous time-period average, losing its usual lead-in due to "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy" being repeats. Overall the network finished fourth in the demographic with a 1.8/5 (5.7 million).

Despite heavy competition from "Idol," The CW's "Smallville" saw a 6% bump from last week in the demo, while "Supernatural" jumped 23% to post its second-best rating this season. Overall the network finished fifth with a 1.7/4 (3.9 million), and averaged a 1.5 rating among women 18-34.

Fox's "American Idol" showed improvements over last week while the second episode of "Lost" beat "Lie to Me" to take the number two spot for the night.

"Idol" posted a 3% rating gain among adults 18-49 and a 4% increase in total viewers from its performance last week, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information. Last night's episode also matched the same audition episode from this time last year in the demographic. "Lie" to me was down 10% from its debut last week and came in as the night's No. 3 show, but still edged out a new "Lost" in total viewers for the 9 p.m. hour. Fox averaged a 7.2/18 (19.5 million) for the night.

ABC finished the night second with a 2.9/7 (7.6 million). A "Lost" repeat opened the night at 8 p.m. A new episode at 9 p.m. dipped 4% from its two-hour season premiere last week. At 10 p.m., the time-period debut of "Life on Mars" pulled in the lowest rating for the series ever, yet matched the debut of "Cashmere Mafia" this time last year. Wednesday's "Mars" was down 15% from its season-to-date average during its Thursday-night run.

In third place was NBC with an average 2.1/5 (7.2 million) for the night. A "Law & Order: SVU" repeat aired between new episodes of "Knight Rider" and "Law & Order," both which posted 27% and 8% increases, respectively, from last week.

CBS finished fourth with a night of scripted series repeats. A Katie Couric news special at 8 p.m. scored a 1.2/3 (6.5 million) for its half hour.

The CW aired repeats of "Privileged" and "90210," averaging a 0.4/1 (1 million) in the demographic and a 0.6 rating among women 18-34.

Reality shows on Fox and NBC posted ratings bumps after last week's inauguration coverage.

Fox finished first for the night with a 7.2 rating/18 share among viewers 18-49 and 18.6 million average viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers. "Idol" had a 7% increase in the demographic as well as an 11% bump in viewership compared with last week's inauguration Tuesday. With an "Idol" lead-in, "Fringe" had its second-highest rating ever (after the show's second telecast last September). Fox had both the No. 1 and the No. 2 shows for the night.

NBC placed second (3.5/9, 9.7 million) with a strong performance by "The Biggest Loser," which scored its second-highest rating ever when up against "Idol" (coming in behind the show's season-five finale from last April). Tuesday night's episode was the show's biggest rating in the demographic for a non-premiere/non-finale episode since last January. Over its last three weeks' showings against "Idol," "Loser" has shown a 15% increase compared with its performance last year. In the 9 p.m. hour, "Loser" had a 53% increase over its first hour to score a 4.9/12, edging out "Fringe" for the time period.

CBS's "The Mentalist" was the second most-watched show for the night, despite being a repeat. The network finished third with a 3.2/8 (15.6 million) with new episodes of "NCIS" and "Without a Trace."

ABC returned to regular programming after last week's inauguration-themed night and landed in fourth place, averaging a 2.0/5 (5.7 million).

Airing repeats of "90210" and "Privileged," The CW fnished fifth with an average 0.3/1 (0.9 million), and a 0.5 rating among women 18-34.

Fox continued its Monday night dominance with new episodes of “House” and “24,” while NBC’s season finale of “Superstars of Dance” and the conclusion of “The Last Templar” went out on the low side.

ABC, meanwhile, continued to do well with reality, with both “The Bachelor” and “True Beauty” posting week-to-week gains.

Fox averaged a 5.1 rating/12 share for the night among viewers 18-49 and drew 13.8 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research figures. A new episode of “House” (5.9/15, 15.6 million) bumped up 7% from its time-period debut last week. The medical drama also gave the Fox the highest-rated Monday entertainment telecast among all the networks in the demographic for the season to date. The last two episodes have improved the network’s 8 p.m. hour by 148% compared with the previous season to date.

A new episode of “24” (4.2/10, 12.1 million) was up one-tenth of a rating point from last week, enough to log the show’s highest Monday-night rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Reality fare on ABC gave the network second place among viewers 18-49 with a 3.6/9 (9.4 million). A new episode of “The Bachelor” (3.9/10, 10.6 million) posted an 8% gain from last week, while “True Beauty” (2.9/7, 7 million) saw a 12% bump against a repeat of “CSI: Miami” and the second half of “The Last Templar.”

CBS (3.0/7, 9.3 million) had repeats throughout the night. “The Big Bang Theory” (3.3/9, 9.3 million), “How I Met Your Mother” (3.1/7, 8.1 million), “Two and a Half Men” (4.1/10, 12.7 million), “Worst Week” (2.3/5, 7.2 million) and “CSI: Miami” (2.6/7, 9.2 million) gave the network third place for the night.

NBC wrapped up its first season of “Superstars of Dance” with a 1.6/4 (6.7 million), its lowest performance for the season. At 9 p.m. the conclusion of “The Last Templar” (1.9/5, 8.3 million) saw a 17% ratings drop from its first part Sunday night. The show’s ratings throughout the two hours, however, stayed level. The network finished fourth overall with a 1.8/4 (7.7 million).

The CW finished fifth with a 0.7/2 (1.5 million), with repeats of “Gossip Girl” (0.7/2, 1.6 million) and “One Tree Hill” (0.7/2, 1.4 million). Among women 18-34, the network posted a 1.3 rating.

ABC's Sunday-night lineup, led by a special two-hour presentation of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," beat the other broadcast networks on a night that included two original made-for-TV movies, CBS' "Loving Leah" and NBC's "The Last Templar."

"America's Funniest Home Videos" matched its previous season high and "Extreme Makeover" posted a new season high, finishing the night as the No. 1 show in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers. A repeat of "Desperate Housewives" logged the highest rating for an encore episode since March 2007, after last week's 100th episode scored the lowest rating in the show's history. ABC finished the night with a 3.3 rating/8 share and 9.6 million average viewers, taking the top slot in each half-hour throughout the night.

CBS premiered the Hallmark Hall of Fame film "Loving Leah" to a 2.2/5 and 11.7 million viewers. Although it performed slightly lower than NBC's "Templar" (2.3/6, 9.8 million) in head-to-head competition, "Leah" drew a larger audience in total viewers. "Leah" also increased its rating from first half-hour to last (1.9 to 2.3) while "Templar" dropped from start to finish (2.6 to 2.1). Compared with the network's last Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, "Front of the Class," from December, "Leah" was down 21%.

New episodes of "60 Minutes" and "Cold Case," which posted its largest audience since November 2007, gave CBS an overall second-place finish for the night with a 2.3/6 and 12.7 million viewers.

NBC aired a two-hour "Dateline" before "Templar," which airs its second part tonight at 9 p.m. Both telecasts, however, increased the network's non-sports performance in their respective time periods compared with last season in both the demographic and total viewers. Overall NBC finished fourth in adults 18-49 and third in total viewers (2.1/5, 8.5 million).

Fox finished third in the demographic and fourth in total viewers (2.2/5, 4.9 million).

The CW finished fifth with a 0.3/1 and 0.7 million viewers, also posting a 0.3 rating among women 18-34.

ABC won Thursday night among adults 18-49 with strong performances by "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice," while CBS claimed the top spot in total viewers with its procedural crime dramas.

"Grey's Anatomy," the No. 1 show of the night, posted its highest rating in the 18-49 demographic since last November, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information. A new epiosde of "Private Practice" reached season-to-date highs in the demographic and in total viewers. The network finished the night with the highest average rating (3.9/10) and the second-largest audience (10.5 million viewers). "Ugly Betty" was on par with its last original episode two weeks ago.

On CBS a new episode of "CSI" was down 26% from last week's episode, which aired with a 15-minute delay in order to accommodate former-President George W. Bush's farewell address. Last week's episode, which also marked William Petersen's final epsiode on the show, posted a 6.6/16. "Eleventh Hour" was also down 17% from last week. For the night CBS finished second in the demographic (3.3/9) but first among viwers (12.8). At 8 p.m. "NCIS" was a repeat.

NBC finished third for the night with a 3.1/8 and fourth in viewers with 7 million. Episodes of "My Name Is Early," "The Office" and "ER" all posted gains in the demographic from last week, while "30 Rock" remained flat. "Kath & Kim" also showed gains from its last original episode two weeks ago.

Fox's back-to-back episodes of "Bones," including its new Thursday 8 p.m. time-period debut, put the network in fourth in the demographic (2.7/7) and third in viewers (8.7 million). The episodes gave the network its highest-rated Thursday night of the season in the demographic, excluding sports telecasts. Fox was also first in the Thursday 8 p.m. hour with a scripted program for the first time since Sept. 2005.

The CW finished fifth for the night with new episodes of "Smallville" and "Supernatural," averaging a 1.4/4 (3.4 million). Among women 18-34 the network posted a 1.1 rating.

ABC’s “Lost” posted its lowest-rated premiere, while Fox’s “American Idol” continued its prime-time dominance Wednesday night, lending a strong lead in for the debut of “Lie to Me.”

“Lost” averaged a 5.0/12 (10 million), ranking as the No. 2 show of the night. Last night’s debut was down 25% from the season four debut, when the show opened on a Thursday night in a less competitive environment. It marks the lowest-rated season opener in the show’s history. “Lost,” however, was up 2% from its season four finale last May.

ABC opened the night with a special series recap “Lost: Destiny Calls” (3.3/8, 8.5 million), giving the network a second-place finish in the demographic with an average 4.5/11, and third among viewers with an average 10.4 million. Excluding for nights featuring the Country Music Awards, ABC had its highest-rated Wednesday since May 2007.

“Idol’s” second Wednesday episode of the season scored a 9.6 rating/25 share among adults 18-49 and drew 25.4 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information. Last night’s episode fell 19% in the demographic from last week's Wednesday premiere. Last year "Idol" dipped 14% between first- and second-Wednesday ratings.

The show was up 7% over the night before, when “Idol” went up against presidential inauguration coverage. This marks the second week in a row that a Wednesday “Idol” improved over the night before.

In the 9 p.m. hour, the debut of “Lie to Me” posted a 4.9 rating and 12.4 million viewers, according to time-zone adjusted Nielsen numbers ordered by Fox. The show’s performance benefited from the “Idol” lead in and ranks as the top scripted show in “Idol”-ratings retention. “Lie” was still down from the premiere of the reality game show “The Moment of Truth,” which debuted to a 10.2/24 in the time slot last year.

“Lie to Me” ranked as the No. 3 show of the night, helping give Fox an average 7.4/18 (19.3 million) in the fast national ratings, and first place for the night.

CBS placed third with a 2.6/7 (11 million) for the night in the younger demographic and second in total viewers. New episodes of “The New Adventures of Old Christine” (2.1/6, 7.4 million), “Gary Unmarried” (2.2/5, 7.1 million) and “Criminal Minds” (3.5/8, 13.9 million) rose 11%, 5% and 9%, respectively, in the demographic compared with last week when both shows went up against “Idol’s” season premiere. At 10 p.m. “CSI: NY” (3.0/8, 11.8 million) fell 6% from the week before.

NBC came in fourth with a 1.9/5 (6.3 million) average for the night. “Knight Rider” (1.5/4, 5 million) was down one-tenth of a point form last week. An encore episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (1.7/4, 5.6 million) led to a new episode of “Law & Order” (2.5/6, 8.5 million), which posted a 9% increase over last week.

The CW finished fifth with an average 0.5/1 (1.1 million). A new episode of “13-Fear Is Real” posted a 0.5/1 (1.4 million), followed by an encore of “90210” with a 0.4/1 (0.8 million). Among women 18-34 the network averaged a 0.8 rating.

Fox was the No. 1 network Tuesday night as "American Idol" outperformed the other broadcast networks and their primetime presidential inauguration coverage.

ABC, CBS and NBC featured some primetime inauguration special throughout the night, each trailing behind "Idol's" 8.9 rating/22 share among adults 18-49 and 22.4 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information. Click here for more on how "Idol" compared with primetime news specials.

"Idol" did however suffer a 24% rating drop in the demographic, compared to last year's 15% Tuesday-night drop between first- and second-week ratings. Last night's second episode of the season was also down 25% compared with the second episode of last season. However, due to inauguration coverage, live +7 numbers are expected to show larger-than-normal increases.

"Fringe" benefited greatly from the "Idol" lead in, increasing 31% from its last original episode to come in as the show's second-highest-rated episode of the season, behind its second episode from September. Overall the Fox averaged a 6.8/16 and 17.3 million viewers.

ABC, as the only broadcast network to feature inauguration-related coverage throughout primetime, finished the night second with a 3.4/8 and 11.5 million viewers.

NBC tied for second in the demographic with a 3.4/8 but came in fourth in viewers with 8.9 million. From 8-10 p.m. a new episode of "The Biggest Loser" was up 18% in the demographic over last week, when the show went up against the two-hour premiere of "Idol." In the 9 p.m. hour, "Loser" and "Fringe" tied for No. 1 with a 4.7/11.

CBS finished the night fourth with a 2.2/5 but third among viewers with 9.7 million. Repeat episodes of "NCIS" and "The Mentalist" sandwiched the network's "Change & Challenge" inauguration special.

The CW placed fifth with a 0.9/2 and 2 million viewers. A new episode of "90210" remained flat from last week, while a new "Privileged" was up 60% from last week. Among women 18-34, the network averaged a 1.7 rating for the night.

“House” checked in on Monday night in its new time period to help give Fox a win against CBS’ comedy block.

Fox took first with the highest rating and most viewers, scoring a 4.8 rating/11 share and drawing 13.5 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers.

At 8 p.m. Monday, “House” (5.4/13, 14.9 million) matched its Tuesday-night season-to-date average rating. The episode also posted the series’ biggest audience of the season while improving over the previous time-period average rating by 135%.

A new episode of “24” pulled a 4.1/9 (12 million), retaining the numbers from its season premiere last week. Excluding sporting events, last night was Fox’s highest-rated Monday night in almost two years.

New episodes of CBS comedies helped give the network a second-place finish with a 4.1/10 and 12.7 million viewers for the night. Although all shows took a dip from last week’s ratings, “The Big Bang Theory” (4.0/10, 11.1 million), “How I Met Your Mother” (4.5/11, 10.8 million) and “Two and a Half Men” (5.4/12, 16 million) all were above their season-to-date averages, while “Worst Week” (3.0/7, 9.6 million) remained on par. At 10 p.m., “CSI: Miami” (3.7/10, 14.5 million) performed average for the season.

On ABC, a new episode of “The Bachelor” (3.5/8, 9.9 million) was up 9% from the week before and remained average for its current season, while “True Beauty” (2.7/7, 5.9 million) was down 10% from its season-to-date average, giving the network an average 3.2/8 and 8.6 million viewers for a third place finish.

NBC placed fourth with a new episode of “Superstars of Dance” (1.7/4, 6.4 million), down 26% from last week to a new season low, continuing a downtrend in ratings for the series since its debut. The season finale of “Momma’s Boys” (1.8/5, 4.9 million) was on par for the season, giving the network a 1.7/4 and 5.9 million viewers for the night.

The CW finished the night fifth with new episodes of “Gossip Girl” (1.0/3, 2.2 million) and “One Tree Hill” (1.2/3, 2.6 million), both down from the week before. Overall the network scored a 1.1/3 in the demographic and 2.4 million viewers. Among women 18-34, the network scored a 2.3 rating, down 21% from last week.

(Updated: Added last three grafs. 11:42 a.m.)

CBS' coverage of the NFL AFC Championship between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers scored a major touchdown over the rest of the Sunday-night competition, which included the 100th episode of ABC's "Desperate Housewives."

CBS' NFL presentation helped a special episode of "The Mentalist" score a 4.6 rating in primetime among viewers 18-49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers. The show's performance marks the highest-rated episode in the series' history in the demographic, up 24% from the show's usual live-plus-same-day average. Sunday's "Mentalist" also gave the timeslot a 19% bump in total viewers, but dipped 2% from the usual "Without a Trace" demographic rating. CBS finished the night with a 12.0/29 and 33.7 million viewers, though those numbers may change due to the nature of live programming.

ABC finished second (3.0/7, 9.3 million) with new episodes of the usual Sunday night programming all down from the previous week's performance, including the 100th episode of "Desperate Housewives," which was down 12% from its rating in the demographic last week.

Fox came in third in the demographic (1.8/4) but fourth in total viewers (4.2 million) for the night, which started with the time-period premieres of "Hole in the Wall," which was up a tick in the network's time-period average at 7 p.m. but down 38% in the 7:30 p.m. slot. Both showings were down from the show's Thursday-night time period averages from earlier this season. Fox finished the night with repeats of "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy."

NBC placed fourth in the demographic (1.3/3), but edged out Fox among total viewers with 5.3 million, thanks to an episode of "Dateline" and a repeat of the election-themed special "Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2008."

The CW finished fifth (0.4/1, 1.1 million) with "Jericho" and the movie "Mr. Mom," both down a tick from last week's Sunday-night performance for the network. Among women 18-34 the network scored a 0.4 rating.

William Petersen's final episode on "CSI" gave CBS the top spot Thursday night, featuring retooled schedules to accommodate President George W. Bush's farewell address.

Rather than reschedule its programming, CBS delayed all its programming by 15 minutes after the conclusion of President Bush's speech, while ABC, NBC and Fox paired their coverage with encore episodes of other shows already in progress.

After a "CSI" repeat, Mr. Petersen's final episode as Gil Grissom gave the network a 6.2 rating/14 share average among adults 18-49 in the 9 p.m. hour, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers. (His final "CSI" episode ran from 9:15-10:15 p.m.) Some 23.1 million people tuned in for the 9 p.m. hour, with a total of 24.2 million for the show’s actual span from 9:15-10:15 p.m., according to updated Nielsen numbers.

In the 10 p.m. hour "Eleventh Hour" scored a 4.2/11 and drew 15.5 million viewers, helping give CBS a 4.5/11 (17.4 million) for the night.

ABC (3.5/9, 9.1 million) took second, following coverage of the presidential farewell address with repeat episodes of "Scrubs." At 9 p.m. a new episode of "Grey's Anatomy" matched its lowest-rated original episode ever, excluding clip shows, and dipped 15% from its previous season-to-date average. "Private Practice" was up one-tenth of a rating point from its first original episode in its post-"Grey's" time period last week.

NBC (3.0/7, 7 million) took third for the night with new episodes of "My Name Is Earl," "The Office" and "30 Rock" all performing about average. A new episode of "ER" was down 21% from its previous season-to-date average.

Fox's season finale of "Kitchen Nightmares" at 9 p.m. was on par with its last original episode in December, but dropped 29% from its previous season finale. The network finished the night in fourth with a 1.8/4 (4.2 million).

The CW did not broadcast President Bush's address. "Smallville" matched its previous season high in the demographic, as well as adults 18-34. The network placed fifth for the night with a 1.5/4 (3.6 million) and averaged a 1.3 among women 18-34.

(*Below denotes time-period average combined with President Bush's speech.)

Fox's premiere of "American Idol" Wednesday held on strong after Tuesday's season debut, showing night-to-night gains in the live-plus-same-day time zone-adjusted Fast National numbers from Nielsen.

"Idol" scored an 11.8 rating among adults 18-49 and drew 30.3 million viewers in the time zone-adjusted numbers, marking the first time in five years that a Wednesday night "Idol" debut posted gains over the Tuesday opener (vs. 11.7). Last night's episode also marked the first time in five years that a Wednesday "Idol" premiere retained at least 100% of its viewers from the Tuesday debut the night before.

Click here for more on how last night's debut compares to last season's two-night debut, and here for what Fox reality chief Mike Darnell has to say about "Idol's" performance this week.

All numbers in the chart below reflect standard preliminary numbers from Nielsen Media Research.

Fox easily took the night in the 18-49 demographic and in total viewers, followed by CBS (2.9/7, 11.4 million) in second.

Despite the tough competition from "Idol", a new episode of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" was on par with its last original episode last month, and "Gary Unmarried" took only a 9% dip in the ratings. "Criminal Minds" saw a 57% increase from its "Gary" lead-in, but dropped 15% from its last original showing in the 9 p.m. hour, when "Idol" saw increases from the hour before. "CSI: NY" won its time period at 10 p.m., although it showed an 8% drop from its last original airing. CBS had the No. 2 shows for the night with "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY."

ABC and NBC tied for third for the night (1.7/4), though NBC was alone in third place among total viewers with 6 million, compared to ABC's 4.5 million.

NBC took a 26% dip compared to its performance a week ago, with "Knight Rider" down 6% and a new "Law and Order" down 27%.

ABC aired a special repeat of "Lost" in anticipation of its season premiere next Wednesday, where it goes up against "Idol" and the new Fox series "Lie to Me."

The CW finished fifth for the night (0.5/1, 1.1 million), with a new episode of "13 Fear Is Real" taking a 36% ratings drop compared with last week in light of "Idol." The network averaged a 0.7 among women 18-34.

Updated: Paragraphs 3 and 6. 12:25 p.m.

Tuesday night's "American Idol" season debut easily beat out the competition to become the No. 1 show for the night among adults 18-49 and total viewers, posting a 11.6 rating/28 share among viewers 18-49 and drawing 30.1 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information.

The Tuesday-night season opener, however, dipped in the ratings for a second year in a row. For more "Idol" ratings info, click here. While the series debuted to lower numbers comparatively, last night's viewership marks the highest-rated telecast and night of the TV season. Fox out-rated the other four major broadcast networks combined by 17% in the demographic.

CBS took second place for the night, scoring a 3.5/8 and 16.3 million viewers. New episodes of "NCIS," "The Mentalist" and "Without a Trace" were about on par for the season-to-date despite the fierce competition from "Idol." The first two showed slight decreases from the week before against "Idol," while "Trace" posted a 12% increase.

NBC placed third for the night (3.3/8, 9.1 million) with new episodes of "The Biggest Loser" and "Law & Order: SVU." Although "Loser" showed a 27% decrease from last week due to "Idol" competition, the series was up 10% compared with last year against "Idol's" debut.

New episodes of "Scrubs" on ABC scored a 2.2/5 at both 9 and 9:30 p.m., down 29% and 32%, respectively, from their debut on the network last week. In the 8 p.m. hour "Homeland Security U.S.A." was down 22% from last week, while "Primetime: What Would You Do" showed a 4% increase. ABC finished the night fourth with a 2.3/6 (5.9 million).

The CW finished fifth with an average 0.8/2 (1.7 million). "90210" was down 21% from last week's episode, while "Privileged" dropped 38% from last week against "Idol" competition. The network averaged a 1.4 rating among women 18-34.

Part two of the season premiere of “24” on Fox held steady from its Sunday night start, but record performances from two of its comedies helped CBS place first for the night among the broadcast networks.

“24” scored a 4.1 rating/10 share among adults 18-49 and drew 12.3 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers. The episode was down just a tick from Sunday’s part one, but its ratings were good enough to give Fox second place for the night.

New episodes on CBS gave the network a first-place finish in the demographic (4.3/11) and in total viewers (13.8 million). New episodes of “The Big Bang Theory” (4.4/11, 11.8 million) and “How I Met Your Mother” (4.8/12, 11.8 million) posted series highs in the demographic, while “Two and a Half Men” (5.6/13, 17.1 million) posted a season high; all three programs won their half-hour timeslots. “Worst Week” (3.3/8, 10.5 million) and “CSI: Miami” (4.1/10, 15.7 million) were average for the season.

Reality programming on ABC gave the network a third-place finish (3.1/8, 8.2 million). “The Bacherlor” (3.2/8, 9.1 million) was in line with its season opener last week, while a new episode of “True Beauty” (2.8/7, 6.5 million) slid 13% from last week.

On NBC, a new episode of “Superstars of Dance” (1.9/4, 7.1 million) performed to its lowest rating to date, down 30% from last week, while a new episode of “Momma’s Boys” (1/7/4, 4.6 million) remained on par. NBC took fourth for the night with a 1.8/4 (6.2 million).

The CW placed fifth (1.4/3, 3 million) with new episodes of “Gossip Girl” (1.3/3, 2.9 million), flat from last week, and “One Tree Hill” (1.5/3, 3.1 million), up 25% in the demographic. Among women 18-34, the network averaged a 2.9 rating.

Sunday night’s telecast of the Golden Globe Awards returned to TV after skipping a year, pulling in record lows on NBC. The season debut of Fox’s “24” also showed big drops compared with its last season premiere two years ago.

From 8-11 p.m., the Globes averaged a 4.8 rating/11 share among viewers 18-49 and 14.6 million total viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information. That puts the 2009 ceremony at a 26% decrease from the last full ceremony in 2007, when it aired on a Monday night to the tune of a 6.5/15 (20 million). Ratings for the show, though, increased hour-over-hour throughout the night, starting with a 4.6 in the 9 p.m. hour and wrapping up with a 5.1 in the 10 p.m. hour.

This year’s ceremony marks the lowest-rated and least-watched full presentation of the Globes since the event began airing on NBC in 1996, second only to last year’s Globes ceremony, a strike-affected press conference-style announcement (1.7/4, 6 million).

Following NBC's red-carpet special at 7 p.m. (1.8/5, 7.7 million), the Globes helped NBC finish second for the night (4.1/10, 12.9 million)

The Globes had the difficult task of trying to attract viewers not only after a hiatus, but on a night of tough competition among the major broadcast networks.

On Fox, the first part of the season-seven debut of “24” scored a 4.2/9 (12.5 million), a 31% rating drop from the show's season-six opener two years ago. Suffering similar strike effects as the Globes last year, "24's" season-seven premiere originally was scheduled for January 2008. Sunday night's debut, however, posted a 5% gain from last November’s special “24: Redemption” movie. Part two of the premiere airs tonight.

Having opened the night with repeats of “The Simpsons” (1.3/4, 3.1 million; 1.9/5, 4.7 million), Fox finished the night in fourth place with a 3.4/8 (9.6 million).

CBS was the night’s big winner, thanks to a strong NFL football lead-in and new episodes of Sunday night shows. The tail end of the Chargers vs. Steelers game averaged a 10.1/26 (29.7 million). The game led “60 Minutes” to post a 4.0/9 (15.7 million) and new episodes of “Cold Case” (3.0/7, 12.4 million) and “The Unit” (2.7/7, 10.4 million) scored strongly. CBS finished first overall with a 4.9/12 (17 million).

On ABC a new episode of “Desperate Housewives” (5.2/12, 13.8 million) matched previous lows for an original episode, down 12% from its previous season-to-date average. The show, however, was the winner in its 9 p.m. hour, and the highest-rated non-sports program of the night across the broadcast networks.

Episodes of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (2.2/6, 8.2 million), “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” (3.4/10, 10.3 million) and “Brothers & Sisters” (3.4/8, 9.1 million) were all about average. ABC finished the night third with a 3.5/9 (10.3 million).

The CW finished the night fifth with “Jericho” (0.2/1) and the film “Carrie” (0.5/1), giving the network a 0.4/1 (1.2 million) for the night. The CW pulled in a 0.5 rating among women 18-34.

(Editor: Baumann)
(11:30 a.m.: Updated "24" ratings in first, sixth paragraphs)

Fox's telecast of the BCS Championship game between Oklahoma and Florida was a ratings touchdown for the network Thursday night. Fox easily won the night in adults 18-49 and total viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research ratings.

The college football matchup scored an 8.4 rating/21 share and 24.4 million viewers in the Fast Nationals, though Nielsen's Time Zone Adjusted Fast Nationals for Fox show the game scored a 9.5 for its run from 8:20 p.m. to 11:49 p.m EST. The game outperformed last year's matchup between LSU and Ohio State by 16%.

ABC came in second for the night with new epiosdes, averaging a 3.6/9 overall and drawing 10.1 million viewers. "Grey's Anatomy" was the top non-sports program for the night among both viewers 18-49 and total viewers. "Ugly Betty" and "Private Practice" also took the top spots for non-sports programs in their respective hours against a night of repeats on CBS.

Repeats on CBS (2.2/5) gave the network a third-place tie with NBC (2.2/6), which had new episodes of "My Name Is Earl," "Kath & Kim," "30 Rock" and "ER" and a repeat of "The Office." CBS, however, claimed sole third place in total viewers with 9.1 million vs. NBC's 5.7 million.

The CW placed fifth (0.8/2, 2.1 million) with repeats of "Smallville" and "Supernatural." Among women 18-34 the network pulled in a 0.6.

The “Barbara Walters Special” interview with Patrick Swayze was the most-watched program on Wednesday night, drawing 12.6 million viewers and a 3.0 rating/8 share among viewers 18-49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information.

Opening the night with encore presentations of “Scrubs” and followed by a “Special Edition 20/20: Vanished: Missing in Milwaukee,” ABC posted its strongest Wednesday since mid-November in both the demographic (2.3/6) and in total viewers (8.4 million).

Overall, ABC tied with NBC for second place for the night, both trailing CBS’ night of comedy repeats and “The 35th Annual People’s Choice Awards” telecast. CBS placed first in both the demographic (2.7/7) and among total viewers (8.8 million). The “People’s Choice Awards” dropped 17% in the ratings from its last full telecast in 2007, but was up 81% from last year’s writers strike-affected presentation.

On NBC, “Knight Rider” returned to a 33% ratings increase since its last original telecast in December, but was off 20% compared with its season-to-date average. After an encore “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” an original “Law & Order” tied its season-high rating in the demographic and delivered its second-best viewership for the season to date.

The CW premiered its new reality series “13 Fear Is Real” to an on-par performance with last fall’s “Stylista,” a solid feat considering “Fear” led off the night and thus did not have a lead-in from an established program, as “Stylista” did with “America’s Next Top Model.” “Fear’s” debut also did better than the premieres of “Farmer Wants a Wife,” “Girlicious” and last spring’s “Beauty and the Geek.”

The CW finished the night fifth, behind Fox and its block of “Bones” repeats.

NBC’s latest debut for “The Biggest Loser” helped give the network a big ratings win Tuesday night, while “Scrubs’” move to ABC helped pull the alphabet net out of a holiday ratings slump.

A two-hour “Loser” averaged a 4.4 rating/11 share among viewers 18-49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers, matching its debut from last spring and increasing 38% over the most recent season opener in the fall.

The debut was the top-rated show of the night across all broadcast networks, also marking the top-rated “Loser” episode, except for finales, since the show’s second-to-last episode from season one in January 2005. Additionally, the season seven debut ranks as the most-watched in the series, drawing 11.8 million viewers.

“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” followed with 3.9/10 in the 10 p.m. hour, reaching new ratings highs for the season. NBC finished the night first in the demographic with a 4.3/11, and second in total viewers with 11.4 million.

CBS won the night among total viewers (17.3 million), and placed second in the demographic with a 3.4/9. New episodes of “NCIS" (3.7/10), “The Mentalist” (3.9/10) and “Without a Trace” (2.7/7) were all about average for their season-to-date.

On ABC, the new reality series “Homeland Security USA” debuted to a 2.3/6, up 44% from the fall debut of “Opportunity Knocks.”

Back-to-back episodes of “Scrubs” on its new ABC home scored a 3.1/7 and a 3.2/8, both below the previous season premiere on NBC in October 2007, when it averaged a 3.8/9. Tuesday’s premiere, however, was up 24% from the last original airing last May, when it scored a 2.5 as part of NBC Thursday-night comedy lineup.

The premiere of “Primetime: What Would You Do?” (2.7/7) helped give ABC a third-place finish for the night in the demographic and among total viewers, averaging a 2.7/7 and 7.2 million viewers, respectively. The network’s performance in the demographic marks its strongest in six weeks, since before Thanksgiving, in addition to a 125% ratings increase year over year.

Fox finished the night fourth (1.8/5, 4.6 million) with encore episodes of “House” (2.2/6) and “Fringe” (1.5/4). All eyes will be on Fox and its effects on other networks next Tuesday when season eight of “American Idol” kicks off.

The CW placed fifth with new episodes of “90210” (1.4/4) and “Privileged” (0.8/2). The network averaged a 1.1/3 and 2.3 million viewers. Among women 18-34, The CW averaged a 2.1 rating.

ABC’s season opener for “The Bachelor” Monday night remained on par with its debut last year, while NBC’s “Superstars of Dance” dropped in its second night.

The two-hour debut of “The Bachelor,” the single dad edition, debuted to a 3.1 rating/7 share among adults 18-49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research numbers, delayed until Wednesday morning. The premiere was down just one-tenth of a ratings points from last spring’s debut of “The Bachelor: London Calling,” though this season debuted much earlier in the year and in an earlier time slot. “Bachelor,” however, did post significant ratings gains from hour to hour, starting with a 2.7 and going up to a 3.4.

The premiere of the new Tyra Banks- and Ashton Kutcher-produced reality series “True Beauty” held on to the lead-in, averaging a 3.1/8 in the 10 p.m. hour. ABC finished the night second in the demo with a 3.1/8 and 8.3 million total viewers.

Monday night belonged to Fox, averaging a 5.5 rating/13 share from 8-11 p.m. among adults 18-49 for its coverage of the Fiesta Bowl between the University of Texas and Ohio State. Game coverage drew 15.8 million total viewers for the night.

On NBC “Superstars of Dance” was down 13% from its first airing Sunday night. “Superstars” scored a 2.7/7, remaining relatively flat throughout its two hours. A new episode of “Mamma’s Boys” posted a 2.0/5 and remained about average with its season-to-date numbers.

NBC finished the night fourth in the demo with a 2.5/6 (8.2 million total viewers), falling a bit behind CBS’ night of comedies and “CSI: Miami” repeats.

CBS finished the night third in the demographic with a 2.7/7, and second in total viewers (9.2 million total viewers).

The CW finished fifth for the night (1.3/3, 2.8 million), with new episodes of “Gossip Girl” (1.4/3) and “One Tree Hill” (1.2/3). The CW averaged a 2.4 ratings among women 18-34 for the night.

NBC’s Sunday night premiere of the international competition series “Superstars of Dance” averaged a 3.1 rating/7 share among viewers 18-49 and 10.4 million total viewers, giving the network its strongest non-sports performance in the time period since Feb. 17. “Superstars,” however, lost steam throughout the night, dropping 11% in the demographic hour-to-hour.

The “Saturday Night Live Sports Extra” special (2.3/6, 5.7 million) gave NBC its strongest non-sports adult 18-49 rating in its time period since last February as well. NBC finished the night third with a 2.7/7 (8 million), according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research information.

NFL wild-card coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Minnesota Vikings gave Fox a strong lead-in, kicking the network to a primetime ratings win Sunday night. Game overrun and the post-game show in the 7 p.m. hour averaged a 9.3/24 (24.8 million viewers). An encore showing of “24: Redemption” in advance of the season premiere next week was down 45% from its premiere in November.

A lineup of new episodes on ABC (3.5/9, 10.4 million) gave the network a second-place finish, even though “Desperate Housewives” (5.2/12, 14.3 million) scored its lowest original rating ever, excluding clip shows, and “Brothers & Sisters” (3.2/8, 9.2 million) hit a ratings low for the season in its 10 p.m. slot. Compared to their 2008-09 season averages, “Housewives” was down 13% and “Brothers” dropped 14%. "Housewives," however, continues its streak as the most-watched original entertainment program on Sunday nights, claiming the top spot for the 11th consecutive week for original episodes.

CBS (2.3/6, 11.3 million) finished the night fourth in the demographic, but second among total viewers. Newsmagazine “60 Minutes” (2.0/5, 12.3 million) was down from last week, when NFL overrun gave it a stronger lead-in. “Million Dollar Password” (1.9/5, 10.4 million) performed on par, while “Cold Case” (2.9/7, 12.7 million) and “The Unit” (2.5/6, 9.7 million) remained level with their most recent original showings.

The CW (0.3/1, 1.1 million) finished the night fifth. For the night the network averaged a 0.2/1 among women 18-34.

Updated: "Housewives" performance streak. 2:25 p.m.

Prime Time Preliminary Sunday Ratings