CBS Shows Take 9 Of Top 10 Spots In Weekly Ratings

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 15-21. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (3) "NCIS," CBS, 19.94 million viewers.

2. (6) "The Mentalist," CBS, 19.31 million viewers.

3. (5) "Sunday Night Football: Carolina Panthers at New York Giants," NBC, 18.86 million viewers.

4. (10) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 17.92 million viewers.

5. (9) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 15.16 million viewers.

6. (12) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 14.56 million viewers.

7. (16) "Without a Trace," CBS, 14.48 million viewers.

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8. (12) "CSI: NY," CBS, 13.38 million viewers.

9. (8) "60 Minutes," CBS, 13.13 million viewers.

10. (2) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 12.68 million viewers.

11. (19) "Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick," NBC, 12.47 million viewers.

12. (26) "Worst Week," CBS, 12.04 million viewers.

13. (16) "Cold Case," CBS, 12 million viewers.

14. (41) "Biggest Loser 6," NBC, 11.83 million viewers.

15. (31) "How I Met Your Mother," CBS, 11.37 million viewers.

16. (29) "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 11.22 million viewers.

17. (23) "Ghost Whisperer," CBS, 10.18 million viewers.

18. (19) "Eleventh Hour," CBS, 10.07 million viewers.

19. (29) "Million Dollar Password," CBS, 9.58 million viewers.

20. (35) "Football Night in America Part 3," NBC, 9.4 million viewers.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is a division of CBS Corp. Fox is a unit of News Corp. NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

Comments

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

I want to see the Mentalist but I am not home during the the time it's on or I'm on my computer. Can someone tell them to stream the ep!

[PHM]

NBC's LIFE would be in the top 20 if it were airing now...GREAT show...another Brit in lead role.

NEXT ON: Life returns February 4th 9/8c

Don't miss it...a great LA cop show with a twist...

[TheBlackCat]

R.I.P. Pushing Daisies

[d-lo]

The reason CBS dominates is because it's the elderly network. They are the only demographic that doesn't have cable and/or DVR. Young people don't watch tv anymore expecially on the networks.

[YeahDonkey]

If you think that all those people are actually watching these "shows" than you are as dumb as the companies who give money to the networks based on the "Nielson Ratings".

As someone who has worked in the "Ratings" industry, the Nielsons are a complete sham and probably the biggest scam in the entertainment industry.

Idiots

[osage]

Today's successful television shows are brain candy treats. They're like comic books with a story arc that can begin and end in brief/conveniently digestible bites that don't require prolonged chewing. The characters that are most interestingly/attractively written are the one that viewers are most drawn to. The ensemble of individually unique/entertaining characters in NCIS, House, Bones, Criminal Minds and the Mentalist are my cup of tea. I've never watched a "reality" show and never will as I've never found unhealthy competition, blind ambition, narcissism, broken dreams, abnormal psychological and intellectual dysfunction or self-humiliation to be the least bit "entertaining". The people who watch those shows are the same ones who slow their cars down at an accident scene hoping to catch a glimpse of a mangled body. I, for one, don't want those kinds of images seared into my brain or psyche. Why would anyone "want" to do damage themselves?

[tangelan]

I do love NCIS but I'm surprised it's #1. Go Gibbs!

[bpowell1]

They are in the lead because they have the least amount of reality television shows. NBC and ABC has ridden the reality wave a little too far. And people are really over them. I never saw the big deal about them anyway. I mean come on the Bachelor is still on. Are you kidding me.

[dissanayake]

Totally! There is no other network that has shows with a storyline. CBS has no competition. The writing on the wall is seen last by those that have the most to lose, It sure aint the viewer.

[Eric8869]

Since they are on Amazing race 15 and Big Brother 12 or something. I don't think that's it.

[kellygrrrl]

I'm not much of a television person, but I have been watching The Mentalist.
Simon Baker is beyond HAWT!!!!!

[prostock69]

Oh, girl, I have to agree!!! He has the most amazing smile! And his hair!! His eyes, those worn out scruffy brown shoes he wears with those 3 piece suits! Yummy!

[Bookkillrr]

I dig "Worst Week" Cracks me up every time.

[instagladiator]

99.9% of what is on your television is "brain rot" material - period!

[PwnedByJesus]

how would you know? unless your brain has rotted too. oh, and if you are from the UK, all of our reality TV garbage is imported from your foul airwaves.

[strangerinthenight]

WOW - in order to give that kind of stat, you had to be glued to the box 99.9% of the time. Are you saying you now have a brain rot ?

[kirtlandpat]

How can this be? I didn't watch any of those. And aside from the occasional 60 Minutes segment or a Giants game, I don't watch crime shows either.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

The Nielsen ratings aren't accurate, that's how.

I only watched two of those shows on the top 20 list, and not regularly.

[instagladiator]

Oh I would venture to say that the Nielsen ratings are accurate. After all, they are "fair and balanced" just like your Fox network, right? Visit the Nielsen Ratings website, read about them and if a few yellow caution flags don't pop out at you, you're missing something.

[strangerinthenight]

'bet you watch "entertainment tonight" or one of those.

[Bulbul]

I like Reege and his Password show, he is the winner, I would say. Can`t watch his daytime show anymore, Ripa is just too much.....

[mediamarv]

It's the crime network. All crime, all the time.

Crime does pay. Don't let anyone tell you different.

[instagladiator]

Your current administration can easily confirm that.

[dissanayake]

Ou current adminsitration and our current financial markets.

[MorpheusXNYC]

I swear to God, I can't believe CBS is now the dominant ratings channel.

I guess I've been watchign cable for far too long and ignoring the networks, but the last thing I've watched on them were Boston Legal, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, House and I just started watching the Mentalist.

But I remember when NBC was a juggernaut and ABC wasn't even in the race.

How times have changed...

But I agree. Until we all just agree to let big brother monitor all the shows we watch, we won;t have accurate metrics for show ratings. However, the trade off is, big brother now knows what shows you watch... :-(