Weekly Ratings: 12/1 – 12/5

Monday Ratings: Samantha Stumbles sans Her Dancing Partner

8 pm/ET
Shrek and the Grinch gave ABC the win for the hour, averaging 11.44 million total viewers. Repeats of Big Bang ("Pants must be worn at all times in the time machine!") and Mother (each drawing over eight mil) placed second. Chuck claimed third with 7.25 mil, gaining 10 percent on this night of lighter competition, while Sarah Connor truly seized the moment, surging 26 percent to 5.83 mil, its largest audience since Sept. 22. Gossip Girl (3.08 mil) inched up 200K from its Nov. 17 season low.

9 pm
Heroes flirted with eight mil (and won the back half of the hour), gaining 100 thou week-to-week. With her flashy Dancing lead-in now gone, Samantha Who? stumbled to the tune of 43 percent, averaging just 6.8 mil across back-to-back episodes. Prison Break (5.8 mil) added 550K, while the first of Privileged's Monday "try-outs" delivered 2.2 mil, up 40 percent from its most recent Tuesday outing.

10 pm
Even opposite a CSI: Miami repeat (see news story on Khandi Alexander's return visit), Boston Legal (8.4 mil, -300K) and Worst Enemy (4.03 mil, -220K) each slipped.

Tuesday Ratings: Mentalist Hits Yet Another High, Somehow Even Besting According to Jim

8 pm/ET
NCIS topped the hour with its second-largest audience ever, 18.54 million total viewers. House led the demos, but dipped a bit in viewers, to 12.4 mil. ABC's Santa Claus came to town and found nearly nine million folks waiting for him, while Biggest Loser placed fourth with about eight mil in its first hour.

9 pm
The Mentalist continues to see bigger and bigger audiences, hitting yet another series high: 18.77 million viewers (a week-to-week surge of 18 percent). And that was with According to Jim (a fourth place-worthy 5.8 mil) now in the mix! In third (behind Biggest Loser's rear end), Fringe slipped a hair, to 8.69 mil.

10 pm
Without a Trace (12.2 million viewers) and SVU (10.3 mil, No. 1 in demos) both enjoyed gains of about 18 percent. Eli Stone sank to 4.93 mil, a 28 percent plunge from its previous, pre-cancellation outing.

Wednesday Ratings: Law & Order and Life Come to Life

This Wednesday, as Bones, Christine, Gary, K.I.T.T., the Criminal Minds and the CSIs of NY took a rest....

8 pm/ET
CBS' Rudolph shiny-nosed his way to the top of the pack, delivering 11.7 million total viewers and dominating the demos. NBC's coverage of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting came in second with 10.35 million. Placing third was Fox's Secret Millionaire, which premiered to an audience of 7.37 mil. Pushing Daisies followed with 4.9 mil, a 10 percent bump from its previous outing.

9 pm
In a four-horse race, Life took advantage of Criminal Minds's absence by surging 52 percent, to a season-high 8.1 million viewers. Trailing Secret Millionaire's second hour, Private Practice (7.84 mil) saw a 26 percent gain. CBS' Grammy noms special placed fourth with 7.15 mil.

10 pm
Monopolizing this Wednesday's crime-drama audience, Law & Order soared 80 percent week-to-week, claiming a season's best 11.27 million viewers. It was followed by CBS' Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (8.73 mil, up 17 percent year-over-year) and Dirty Sexy Money (up a hair, to 5.7 mil).

Thursday Ratings: My Name Is Earl, and My Numbers Are Low

8 pm/ET
Survivor topped the hour with a typical 12.8 million total viewers, followed by Ugly Betty (8.47 mil). Placing third, My Name Is Earl dropped 10 percent week-to-week to hit 6.09 mil (it's second-smallest audience of the season), while lead-out Kath & Kim (4.88 mil) toppled 11 percent.

9 pm
CSI (17.4 million viewers) and Grey's Anatomy (15.15 mil, No. 1 in demos) both dipped five percent. NBC's The Office (8.34 mil) and 30 Rock (7.14 mil) also slipped a bit.

10 pm
Barbara Walters proved to be especially fascinating, delivering an audience of 13.2 million viewers - most of whom, I must assume, had you-know-who pegged for the No. 1 spot. Eleventh Hour placed second with 10.9 mil (showing a slight uptick from its previous outing), while ER (8.23 mil) dropped 10 percent.

Friday Ratings: Whisperer Quiets Down Some

8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour with an audience of 9.7 million total viewers, down 15 percent from its last fresh outing. ABC's broadcast of Jim Carrey's Grinch placed second with 5.7 mil, followed by 5th Grader (5.45 mil).

9 pm
A Numbers repeat was No. 1 with 8.45 mil, a full 27 percent less than what the warmed-over NCISes were doing in the time slot. (Reminder: A new season of Flashpoint fills this spot starting Jan. 9.) Behind the Mean One, Lyrics did 5.2 mil, followed by Lipstick Jungle (3.59 mil, up eight percent).

10 pm
Numbers delivered 9.73 mil, down 13 percent from its last new entry. It was followed by 20/20 (6.42 mil, dipping nine percent) and Dateline (3.8 mil).