Both airings of American Idol and the premiere of Dancing With the Stars took the top three spots for the week. NBC finally rejoins the overall top 20 list, at number 20 with Law & Order: SVU. As usual NBC fared better in the adults 18-49 rankings where it placed four shows in the top 20.
The Office was nowhere near the overall top twenty (it was #38 ranked by total viewers), but it was #10 (NBC’s best placement) among 18-49 year olds. The cast reunion including George Clooney on ER was closer to the top twenty overall list (it was #22), and placed twelfth among adults 18-49 for the week.
If a show in the table below doesn’t show an 18-49 ranking it just means the show wasn’t among the top 25 shows (actually 26, this week).
Nielsen Top Twenty Shows by viewers for the week ending March 15, 2009:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH RATING (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) | 18-49 Rank |
| 1 | AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY | FOX | 25,767 | 14.6 | 23 | 1 | |
| 2 | AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 25,547 | 14.6 | 22 | 2 | |
| 3 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | P | ABC | 22,829 | 14.1 | 21 | 3 |
| 4 | CSI | CBS | 17,132 | 10.3 | 16 | 9 | |
| 5 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 14,602 | 9.1 | 14 | 4 | |
| 6 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 14,342 | 8.9 | 14 | 21 | |
| 7 | MENTALIST, THE | R | CBS | 14,322 | 9.0 | 14 | |
| 8 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 14,215 | 9.0 | 15 | 8 | |
| 9 | GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 13,642 | 9.1 | 14 | 5 | |
| 10 | CSI: NY | CBS | 13,633 | 8.6 | 14 | 22 | |
| 11 | NCIS | R | CBS | 13,518 | 8.5 | 13 | |
| 12 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 13,437 | 8.1 | 12 | 7 | |
| 13 | COLD CASE | CBS | 13,025 | 8.0 | 12 | ||
| 14 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 12,870 | 8.1 | 14 | ||
| 15 | SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS | CBS | 12,818 | 7.3 | 12 | 11 | |
| 16 | HOUSE | FOX | 12,384 | 7.3 | 11 | 6 | |
| 17 | ELEVENTH HOUR | CBS | 11,608 | 7.2 | 12 | ||
| 18 | 24 | FOX | 11,368 | 6.8 | 10 | 20 | |
| 19 | LIE TO ME | P | FOX | 11,251 | 6.8 | 11 | 24 |
| 20 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 11,066 | 7.2 | 12 | 19 |
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved
All numbers above based on live plus same day DVR viewing.
It’s a shame that a repeat of the mentalist beat an all new Grey’s, I remember when Grey’s used to pull in 20 mil an episode.
atleast greys is still one of the best in the demo and thats what matters now
Ha i remember the first season of DH they would pull over 23 million an episode. That is the same and sometiems better than AMerican Idol
Greys and DH are both long past there peak now. It is all down hill from here. This coming fall is extemely important for network tv because they have so few real hits left.
i remember when the first season finale of DH actually topped 30 million and now it is down to around 14 million with Cold Case nipping at its heels. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
true the 23million and the 30million numbers are gone for DH but I’m sure it will be up for season six, that is if ABC doesn’t have 3-4 week breaks every few episodes!!
Why isn’t Castle in this list? That pulled in 11.6 million viewers. Should be like #17
Castle, 10.76m Live+SD viewers.
Shea, That 11.6 million was probably the overnight rating that included a couple minutes of DWTS.
Same theme will occur pretty much with every new episode airing out of DWTS. There’s always 2 minutes of overrun, it seems.
Last night (3/16) overnight = 11.48M and 3.1 in 18-49s, finals = 10.97M and 2.9.
It also happens with every episode of B&S, LOM, and PP. ABC really likes the 2 minute overrun. I think Friday is the only day they don’t have scheduled overruns.
Going with that thread, the conventional wisdom is that tiny overruns sort of freeze earlier show viewers and keep them locked into the following show. I wonder if there isn’t an element of TV industry only psyops also associated with it. When the early numbers come out for the later show, they always look better. And lots of industry media gets written using the early numbers. The final numbers are always playing psychological catch up in a way.
A more benign explanation is that the 2 minute overrun means a couple of extra commercials at the ad rate for the higher rated show.
Holly, that makes much more sense, but I liked the psyops theory!
It might be a bit of both.
People keep talking about DH/GA and Lost
anyone remember when Ugly Betty used to get 14million viewers per episode.
Desperate Housewives is doing good for it’s 5th season, it was a breakout hit in Season 1 hence the numbers, but it’s still performing respectably, and still once of ABC’s top rated scripted shows.
The big gaps between episodes this Season is to be blamed somewhat for the lag in numbers, they need to fix that, and also that Dvae storyline just isn’t all thet interesting..
They had a chance to hook viewers by playing Edie’s exit to their advantage, but ABC and cast members spoiled that, I’m interested to see how Sunday’s episode is gonna do numberswise.
For season 6 they really need to improve the plot and keep their mouths shut!
People, WATCH HOUSE…..It’s really a GREAT show and Hugh Laurie is AMAZING in it!
Mon. 8 p.m. EST on FOX.
ABCFanatic, I remember the days when Ugly Betty was at 14 million an episode. It’s sad how things have changed.
I also remember the first time Grey’s and CSI went head to head and Grey’s won, 25 million to 22 million. Seems like people never get sick of crime shows.
well I don’t understand why so much difference between the 18-49 demo and the normal chart, are over 49 so decisive?
btw grey’s is kind of the best drama abc’s got and always one of the top 5 in the 18-49 list, I guess it’s a long way from not being a major hit. losing audiance season by season is pretty a normal thing.
I remember also when Survivor hit 50 million and CSI was averaging 30 million every week.. and CSI:Miami was getting 20 million every Monday.
CBS has 2 minutes overrun also with The Mentalist and Two and a Half Men but with ABC is almost every single show, is ridiculous.
Sharon said:
“People, WATCH HOUSE…..It’s really a GREAT show and Hugh Laurie is AMAZING in it! Mon. 8 p.m. EST on FOX.”
It’s rare that I see someone campaigning for a show that is clearly safe and will clearly be on for the next 10 years if it wants to be. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that on this site. Lol.
Thanks for the actual numbers. Those are helpful.
I just hope that Grey’s does improve by the end of season five. the episodes have all gotten so much better since we know whats wrong with freaking izzie. im hoping that season six will provide a ratings boom for grey’s but then again…broadcast tv just isnt the same anymore
Cool, Survivor hit 50 million viewers but hello! it was just one time!