| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH RATING (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) |
| 1 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 17,089 | 11.1 | 16 | |
| 2 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 15,854 | 10.1 | 15 | |
| 3 | DANCING W/STARS RESULT SP(S) | S | ABC | 15,848 | 10.2 | 16 |
| 4 | GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 15,740 | 10.1 | 15 | |
| 5 | VOTE 2008-9:00PM(S) | S | ABC | 14,185 | 8.5 | 12 |
| 6 | VOTE 2008-8:00PM(S) | S | ABC | 11,206 | 7.0 | 10 |
| 7 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P | ABC | 10,751 | 6.4 | 10 | |
| 8 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 10,108 | 6.8 | 11 | |
| 9 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 9,171 | 6.2 | 9 | |
| 10 | ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT SP(S) | S | ABC | 9,085 | 5.8 | 11 |
| 11 | UGLY BETTY | ABC | 8,917 | 5.8 | 9 | |
| 12 | SAMANTHA WHO? | ABC | 8,719 | 5.9 | 9 | |
| 13 | LIFE ON MARS | ABC | 8,711 | 5.8 | 10 | |
| 14 | SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL | ABC | 8,483 | 5.3 | 9 | |
| 15 | 20/20-FRI | ABC | 8,235 | 5.6 | 10 | |
| 16 | BOSTON LEGAL | ABC | 6,718 | 4.5 | 7 | |
| 17 | AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS | ABC | 6,376 | 3.6 | 6 | |
| 18 | DIRTY SEXY MONEY | ABC | 6,151 | 4.2 | 7 | |
| 19 | SAT NIGHT FTBL PRE-GAME | ABC | 5,776 | 3.7 | 7 | |
| 20 | SUPERNANNY | ABC | 5,401 | 3.7 | 6 |
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
I have a question – would Ugly Betty really be at #8 since there are 3 specials infront of it that only aired that week? Had those specials not aired, it would be at #8 right?
yes, without the election coverage, it would have been 8th.
It is so hard to believe that you are cancelling Boston Legal. I am 64 my husband 76, and as you show said this evening, what is the problem with broadcasting for the senior citizens. We BOTH love this show. I can’t watch Desparate Housewifes, as my husband doesn’t like it, I have don’t watch 24 because it is to stressful, but my husband loves it. But you know what, we BOTH watch Boston Legal and love every second of it, do many of our senior friends. Pay attention to you own show. Ugly Betty is not for us, si-fi stuff is difficult to understand, football is not on every night, news gets old, so what do we watch??????? Upset about loosing a wonderfully written, entertaining, and needed ABC program.