Weekly Ratings: 1/19 – 1/23

Monday Ratings: House Opens Big on Monday Night

Fox delivered its highest-rated (non-sports) Monday night since Feb. 12, 2007. Here's how it all broke down:

8 pm/ET
House's move to Monday was welcomed by 14.87 million total viewers, the series' largest audience of the season. Placing second, CBS' sitcombo of Big Bang (11.1 million, down 700K) and Mother (10.76 mil, down 900K) each fell from highs. ABC's Bachelor came in third with a two-hour average of 9.91 mil, a season high. NBC's Superstars of Dance (6.44 mil) stumbled to the tune of 620 thou, while Gossip Girl hit a new season low of 2.2 mil.

9 pm
CBS' Men won its time slot with 16 million viewers, down a mil; lead-out Worst Week wielded 9.58 mil, down 870K. Fox's 24 claimed second with 12.04 mil, slipping just 270K. One Tree Hill delivered 2.6 mil, down 540 thou.

10 pm
CSI: Miami dominated with 14.5 million viewers, down eight percent. True Beauty (5.9 mil) dropped 570K, while Momma's Boys (4.88 mil) somehow gained 290 thou.

Tuesday Ratings: Returning Fringe Scares Up a Big Audience

8 pm/ET
As Fox's own ratings release succinctly put it, "All Eyes Were on the Newest Idol in the White House." Said differently: Opposite ABC's two-hour coverage of the Inauguration Day Neighborhood Ball (which set a table for 12.6 million total viewers), American Idol dropped 25 percent week-to-week, to 22.42 million. Trailing an NCIS repeat, Biggest Loser packed on 16 percent, to 10.2 mil. At 2.4 mil, 90210 enjoyed a gain of 210K.

9 pm
Placing second behind ABC's Ball, Fox's Fringe returned from its seven-week siesta to an audience of 12.1 million, a 40 percent bump from its last outing and the freshman series' second-largest audience ever. Privileged saw a 530-thou uptick, to 1.66 mil. (Have I mentioned the great big and glorious bear-hug that JoAnna Garcia gave me at the Globes last week? Definitely not chilly.)

10 pm
A Mentalist repeat topped the hour with 10.45 million viewers, followed by an Inauguration-tastic ABC News special (9.47 mil) and Dateline (6.2 mil).

Wednesday Ratings: How Many Found "Time" for Lost?

8 pm/ET
American Idol dominated with 25.4 million total viewers, albeit a 15 percent plunge from last Wednesday's audition show. ABC's Lost: Destiny Calls clip show placed second with 8.48 mil, followed by CBS' sitcombo of Christine (7.44 mil, down 280K) and Gary (7.07 mil). Falling shy of five mil, Knight Rider slowed down by 360 thou. 13: Fear Is Real (1.36 mil) scared away another 210 thousand viewers.

9 pm
Criminal Minds topped the hour with 13.86 million viewers, dipping just 190K versus increased competition. Fox's Lie to Me premiered to 13.2 million, but the truth is it shed more than three million samplers over the hour and fell to third come 9:30. Lost's two-hour season opener averaged 11.37 mil, down 29 percent from the series' year ago premiere and down 830K from the Season 4 finale.

10 pm
CSI: NY (11.75 mil) slipped eight percent week-to-week but still bested the back half of Lost (which, however, claimed No. 1 in the demos). Law & Order (8.49 mil) enjoyed a 300-thou gain.

Thursday Ratings: Bones Puts On Quite a Show

8 pm/ET
Bones made its new time-slot debut to nearly 10 million total viewers, which was plenty to top the hour. Placing third (behind an NCIS repeat) was Ugly Betty (7.54 mil). NBC's Earl did 6.5 mil (slipping 600K), while Kath & Kim fell shy of five mil. Smallville (3.8 mil) dropped 470 thou from last week's impressive return.

9 pm
CSI said goodbye to 23 percent of the audience who tuned in for Grissom's goodbye, delivering 17.53 million viewers. Grey's Anatomy placed second (and topped the demos) with 14.25 mil, up 1.25 mil. NBC's The Office (8.74 mil) was up 400K, but 30 Rock (6.43 mil) dipped a bit. In fourth was a second new hour of Bones (7.52 mil). Supernatural, at 3.04 mil, was up a hair from last week. Next week: Gym shorts!

10 pm
Eleventh Hour (12.31 million viewers) dropped 20 percent week-to-week, while Private Practice (9.64 mil) gained a mil. ER (7.7 mil) saw a 700-thou increase.

Friday Ratings: Ghost with the Most

8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer was the night's most watched program, delivering 11.27 million total viewers - a seven percent week-to-week increase and the series' best numbers since Nov. 22. Howie Do It dropped to third (behind 5th Grader) with 5.54 mil, and is now down 28 percent from its series premiere.

9 pm
Flashpoint easily won the hour with 10.2 million viewers, match last week's audience. Lyrics (six mil) surged 24 percent to claim second. Friday Night Lights slipped to third, dropping 27 percent from its premiere to just under four mil.

10 pm
Numbers held steady with 10.86 mil, followed by 20/20 (5.57 mil) and Dateline (5.04 mil)