Weekly Ratings: 10/19 – 10/24

Sunday Ratings: Housewives and More

Here is Sunday's ratings snapshot — minus, for the time being, CBS programming, since the Eye's 40-minute NFL overrun distorted the Nielsens. (Seriously, when is football going to solve this "overtime" problem??)

7 pm/ET
The CW's In Harm's Way dipped 95K, to 635,000 total viewers.

8 pm
Extreme Makeover slid 460 thou, to 10.8 million. NBC's coverage of the Seahawks-Buccaneers game averaged 8.25 mil through 11 pm, a 26 percent plunge from last week's Patriots-Chargers match-up. At eight mil, The Simpsons was up 660K from its last fresh outing, while King of the Hill (7.35 mil) gained 12 percent. The CW's Valentine (718,000) kissed off another 29 percent.

9 pm
Housewives held steady at 10.25 million. Family Guy (nine mil) added 650 thou week-to-week, but American Dad (6.6 mil) was down a 250K. The CW's Easy Money (722,000) was off a hair.

10 pm
Opposite a formidable Cold Case/The Unit hybrid, Brothers & Sisters slid a bit, to just over 10 million.

Monday Ratings: Chuck's Up, Enemy Takes Turn for Worst

8 pm/ET
Dancing with the Stars averaged 18.56 million total viewers over its 90-minute run, gaining 900K week-to-week. Placing second, CBS' Big Bang stayed put at 9.28 mil, while How I Met Your Mother (9.36 mil) inched up 220 thou. Surging 12 percent from its previous outing, Chuck came in third with 6.7 mil. The recently renewed Sarah Connor Chronicles (5.34 mil) dipped 260K, and Gossip Girl (3.03 mil) dropped nine percent.

9 pm
Two and a Half Men (14.55 million viewers) topped the demos for the first half hour, and lead-out Worst Week (9.9 mil) inched up a bit but still played also-ran to Samantha Who? (11.03 mil, sliding 660 thou). Heroes (8.46 mil) was No. 1 in demos come 9:30, but overall was down 140K week-to-week. Prison Break (5.84 mil, +400K) and One Tree Hill (3.65 mil, +220K) both saw gains.

10 pm
CSI: Miami gained 250 thou to top the hour with 13.25 mil. Boston Legal (nearly nine mil) enjoyed a 10 percent bump. NBC's My Own Worst Enemy (5.7 mil) spied a 21 percent plunge from its debut.

Tuesday Ratings: Dancing Recap Knocks Ashton on His Bum

8 pm/ET
NCIS led in total viewers (17 .06 million, dipping 800K) while House (12.8 mil) was No. 1 in the demos. ABC's Dancing with the Stars recap show delivered 9.35 mil, a 76 percent improvement over time-slot predecessor Opportunity Knocks. Biggest Loser held steady at 7.3 mil.

9 pm
The DWTS results show (16 million) this week gained 11 percent to edge out The Mentalist, which at 15.3 mil was up 430 thou. Fringe dropped 420K, to 9.1 mil, but topped the demos. Privileged, which is ardently lobbying for a back-nine pickup, lost 36 percent of its previous audience, to hit 1.5 mil. So. Sad.

10 pm
Without a Trace added 600 thou week-to-week to win the hour with 11.6 million viewers. SVU (9.35 mil) topped the demos, while Eli Stone (8.5 mil) slipped 300K, despite Kate's gung-ho efforts.

Wednesday Ratings: World Series Comes Out Swinging

Fox's World Series coverage kicked off with an average of 13.9 million total viewers (14.6 mil for the game proper) and topped the demos in almost every half-hour. That gave Fox its most-watched Wednesday night since the American Idol finale (5/21/2008). Elsewhere....

8 pm
CBS' Old Christine (eight million viewers, up 260K) and Gary Unmarried (7.85 mil, +140K) both hit season highs. Knight Rider slowed down by 430 thou, yet still placed third with 7.23 mil. After a one-week respite, Pushing Daisies resumed its sad slide, slipping 10 percent (to 5.67 mil). Top Model (4.38 mil) gained 500 thou from its last regular episode.

9 pm
Criminal Minds bested baseball in total viewers (delivering 14.72 mil, down seven percent week-to-week). Private Practice (7.78 mil, up 520K) edged out Deal or No Deal (7.6 mil) to claim third. The CW's Stylista (premiering to 2.46 mil) sewed up 56 percent of the Top Model audience.

10 pm
CSI: NY topped the hour with 14.24 mil, down 10 percent from last week. Behind baseball, Dirty Sexy Money did 5.86 mil, slipping a hair. Lipstick Jungle fell 12 percent, to 4.2 mil.

Thursday Ratings: CSI Resumes its All-Out Killing Spree

This Thursday, as Fox's coverage of World Series Game 2 averaged more than 11 million total viewers....

8 pm/ET
Survivor: Gabon grabbed onto another 500 thousand viewers to win the hour with 13.4 mil. Behind baseball, Ugly Betty did 8.66 mil, gaining 460K week-to-week. (Thanks, Page Six!) While both NBC's Earl (6.33 mil, -175K) and Kath & Kim (4.96 mil, plunging another mil) took hits, Smallville inched up a hair to 4.22 mil.

9 pm
CSI once again was an easy No. 1 in viewers (19.19 million) and reclaimed the lead in demos from Grey's (which at 14.2 mil was off 400 thou). The Office (7.74 mil) dipped 330K, but Weekend Update held firm at 8.55 mil. Supernatural (3.25 mil) "eyed" a 200-thou gain.

10 pm
CBS' Eleventh Hour (12.16 mil) increased its lead over Life on Mars, which fell to third with 8.06 mil, down 400K. ER (8.69 mil) nearly matched Eleventh Hour in the demos.

Friday Ratings: Ghost Whisperer Cruises to Season High

8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer surged 12 percent week-to-week to hit a season high 9.95 million total viewers. It was followed by Deal or No Deal (six mil), 5th Grader (5.7 mil) and Wife Swap (dropping 16 percent, to 4.22 mil). On the CW, Chris inched up a hair to 1.83 mil, while The Game dipped to 1.74 mil.

9 pm
NBC's Crusoe saw 18 percent of its premiere audience sail away, but still was the hour's most watched show, with 5.92 million viewers. Running a close second (and tying Supernanny for No. 1 in the demos) was The Ex List (sliding 11 percent to a series-worst 5.65 mil). Lyrics, at 5.56 mil, sneaked past ABC's 'Nanny (5.08 mil).

10 pm
Like GW, Numbers also hit a season high — 9.07 million viewers. 20/20 gained nine percent to claim second with 7.5 mil, while NBC's Wednesdays-bound Life dipped eight percent, to 5.5 mil.