Weekly Ratings: 3/23 – 3/27

Sunday Ratings: How Many Were Shocked by Housewives?

Sunday's ratings summary minus specifics for CBS (which, due to NCAA tourney coverage, experienced overruns and overlaps that frankly make my number-crunching head hurt):

8 pm/ET
Extreme Makeover placed second behind CBS with 9.77 million total viewers, a week-to-week-gain of 290K. Fox's The Simpsons (6.15 mil) and King of the Hill (5.49 mil) combined for third, each inching up a bit. NBC's Kings got crowned in its second week, dropping 24 percent to 4.58 mil.

9 pm
Housewives topped the hour with 14.66 million viewers, up 230K. Fox's Family Guy (7.45 mil) was up a hair, but American Dad (5.85 mil) was flat. Celebrity Apprentice saw 7.3 mil (up 600K) tune in for Dennis Rodman's meltdown.

10 pm
Brothers & Sisters placed second behind CBS with 10.4 mil, dipping 180 thou.

Monday Ratings: Mother Makes Smaller Bang, Heroes Hits Low

8 pm/ET
Dancing with the Stars averaged 20.16 million total viewers over its two-hour run, dipping just 4 percent week-to-week. Trailing a House repeat, How I Met Your Mother (7.4 mil) didn't deliver a very big bang in Sheldon and Leonard's time slot, dropping 20 percent from its last regularly-scheduled episode. Chuck came in fourth with 6.05 mil (up 6 percent), followed by Gossip Girl (dipping to 2.2 mil).

9 pm
Weakened by a Two and a Half Men repeat, Rules of Engagement plunged 17 percent, to 9.43 mil. 24 hit its first skid in a while, slipping 9 percent, while Heroes (6.48 mil) sank to a new series low. One Tree Hill held steady at 2.26 mil.

10 pm
CSI: Miami topped the hour with 13.46 million viewers, followed by Castle, which at 9.8 mil crumbled some 15 percent. Medium (6.56 mil), like its lead-in, hit an all-time low.

Tuesday Ratings: Reaper Reaps Season High Opposite Obama

8 pm/ET
President Barack Obama's news conference spoke to 31.12 million total viewers across the Big Four networks, a 5 percent dip from his previous prime-time address. Though perhaps falling under the category of Too Little, Too Late, the CW's Reaper seized the opportunity to score a season-high 2.48 million viewers, up 32 percent from its week-ago outing.

9 pm
Airing an hour later than usual, NCIS stepped on Dancing with the Stars' toes, placing first with 17.54 million viewers. (Think Ducky will ever cough up McGee's vintage LP?) The DWTS results show nonetheless built on last Tuesday's numbers, delivering 15.7 mil. The Biggest Loser averaged 9.78 mil, up 24 percent from St. Patrick's Day.

10 pm
The Mentalist closed out CBS' night with an audience of 17.53 million viewers, up 13 percent week-to-week. The second hour of Biggest Loser bested ABC's Primetime: What Would You Do? (8.47 mil).

Wednesday Ratings: American Idol Is Red Hot

8 pm/ET
American Idol's Motown Week kick-off averaged 25.6 million total viewers over its two-hour run, up 19 percent from last week's (Tuesday) sing-off and a 3 percent increase from the comparable night a year ago. A Survivor clip show placed a distant second with 8.15 mil. ABC's Scrubs (5.33 mil, -470K) and Better Off Ted (4.7 mil, down 16 percent) both dropped. Top Model (2.85 mil) plunged 21 percent but still beat out NBC's Chopping Block (which chopped off another 26 percent, hitting 2.6 mil).

9 pm
Criminal Minds came in second with 14 million viewers, gaining 520K week-to-week. Lost lost another 260 thou to set a new low of 8.82 mil. Life inched up a hair, to 4.32 mil.

10 pm
CSI: NY topped the hour with 12.6 million viewers, followed by Law & Order (7.25 mil, up 180K). The penultimate episode of Life on Mars (5.67 mil) gained 400 thou.

Thursday Ratings: How Did Samantha Who Do?

8 pm/ET
American Idol played to a special Thursday audience of 22.35 million total viewers, down 650K from last week's results show. CBS' NCAA tourney coverage placed second in every prime-time hour, averaging 10.12 million viewers across the night. ABC's brand-new In the Motherhood (6.72 mil) and returning Samantha Who? (6.53 mil, down 270 thou from Dec. 1, its last fresh outing) combined for third, but averaged 13 percent less than Ugly Betty's most recent numbers. Trailing NBC's pairing of Earl (5.87 mil) with an Office repeat, Smallville scored 3.74 mil, surging 14 percent week-to-week.

9 pm
Grey's Anatomy enjoyed CSI's latest bye, topping the hour with 15.8 million viewers, up 10 percent. Hell's Kitchen nipped at basketball's heels, placing third with 10.95 mil. Both NBC's The Office (8.45 mil, +500K) and 30 Rock (7.17 mil, +150K) saw gains, while Supernatural (3.17 mil) was flat. (Be sure to check out next week's high-sterical promo!)

10 pm
With CBS' Eleventh Hour still shot-clock-blocked, Private Practice again claimed No. 1 with an audience of 10.48 mil, up 470 thou. ER gained 700K but still trailed hoops, delivering 10.16 mil.

Friday Ratings: Terminator Shows Some Life, Dollhouse Dips

8 pm/ET
CBS' NCAA tourney coverage topped all time slots, averaging 10.3 million total viewers across the night. Wife Swap placed second at 8 o'clock, surging 14 percent to hit 5.54 mil. Sarah Connor (3.83 mil) this week targeted third, gaining 180K. Howie Do It dropped 7 percent, to 3.6 mil.

9 pm
Supernanny babysat an audience of 6.52 million, up 21 percent week-to-week. Friday Night Lights saw 3.95 mil turn out for the Panthers' state qualifying game, up 100K. Despite coming off its strongest episode to date, Dollhouse fell 250 thou, to 3.88 mil.

10 pm
Basketball, 20/20 (8.05 mil) and Dateline (5.39 mil).