Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Feb. 16-22. (Week 22)
1. The 81st Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 36.31 million viewers. 2. American Idol (Tue), Fox, 25.37 million viewers. 3. American Idol (Wed), Fox, 24.79 million viewers. 4. The Oscars Red Carpet 2009, ABC, 24.36 million viewers. 5. The Mentalist, CBS, 18.23 million viewers. 6. NCIS, CBS, 18.06 million viewers. 7. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 16.92 million viewers. 8. Grey's Anatomy, ABC, 15.57 million viewers. 9. Criminal Minds, CBS, 14.54 million viewers. 10. House, Fox, 14.20 million viewers. 11. Survivor: Tocantins, CBS, 13.59 million viewers. 12. Two and a Half Men,(R) CBS, 13.32 million viewers. 13. The Bachelor, ABC, 12.52 million viewers. 14. CSI: NY, CBS, 12.33 million viewers. 15. Without a Trace, CBS, 12.10 million viewers. 16. The Barbara Walters Oscar Special, ABC, 11.55 million viewers. 17. Lost, ABC, 11.41 million viewers. 18. 24, Fox, 11.22 million viewers. 19. Eleventh Hour, CBS, 11.17 million viewers. 20. Private Practice, ABC, 11.16 million viewers. (R) = repeat
21. Lie to Me, Fox, 11.09 million viewers. 23. NASCAR Sprint Cup: Auto Club 500, Fox, 10.21 million viewers. 24. Bones, Fox, 9.51 million viewers. 25. Law & Order: SVU, NBC, 9.48 million viewers. 26. 60 Minutes, CBS, 9.17 million viewers. 27. Medium, NBC, 8.97 million viewers. 28. The Biggest Loser: Couples, NBC, 8.88 million viewers. 30. Worst Week, CBS, 8.70 million viewers. (1st season finale) 34. The Amazing Race 14, CBS, 7.81 million viewers. 35. Heroes, NBC, 7.74 million viewers. 36. Ugly Betty, ABC, 7.60 million viewers. 37. ER, NBC, 7.51 million viewers. 39. 20/20, ABC, 7.23 million viewers. 39. Law & Order, NBC, 7.23 million viewers. 41. True Beauty, ABC, 6.99 million viewers. 43. Chuck, NBC, 6.84 million viewers. 44. My Name Is Earl, NBC, 6.79 million viewers. 45. The New Adventures of Old Christine, CBS, 6.72 million viewers. 45. 48 Hours Mystery, CBS, 6.72 million viewers. 47. Hell's Kitchen, Fox, 6.57 million viewers. 48. Gary Unmarried, CBS, 6.50 million viewers. 49. NASCAR Sprint Cup: Auto Club 500 PST, Fox, 6.45 million viewers. 50. 100 Most Outrageous Moments 2, NBC, 6.02 million viewers.
54. Primetime: What Would You Do?, ABC, 5.70 million viewers. 55. Dateline NBC (Fri), NBC, 5.62 million viewers. 56. Cops, Fox, 5.61 million viewers. 57. Life on Mars, ABC, 5.48 million viewers. 61. Knight Rider, NBC, 5.32 million viewers. 62. America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back, Fox, 5.27 million viewers. 63. Kath & Kim, NBC, 5.18 million viewers. 64. Supernanny, ABC, 5.12 million viewers. 65. Life, NBC, 5.04 million viewers. 68. Homeland Security USA, ABC, 4.71 million viewers. 70. Dateline NBC (Sun), NBC, 4.55 million viewers. 71. Dollhouse, Fox, 4.25 million viewers. 72. Howie Do It, NBC, 4.10 million viewers. 75. Friday Night Lights, NBC, 3.92 million viewers. 77. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fox, 3.86 million viewers. 91. 13: Fear Is Real, CW, 0.80 million viewers. (1st season finale) --. The Closer, TNT, 5.89 million viewers. --. Monk, USA, 5.54 million viewers. (7th season finale) --. iCarly, Nickelodeon, 5.09 million viewers. --. Psych, USA, 4.83 million viewers. (3rd season finale) --. Burn Notice, USA, 4.68 million viewers.
--. "Dadnapped", Disney, 4.62 million viewers. (original movie) --. Wizards of Waverly Place, Disney, 4.47 million viewers. --. Hannah Montana, Disney, 4.42 million viewers. --. The Suite Life on Deck, Disney, 4.04 million viewers. --. Sonny With a Chance, Disney, 3.71 million viewers. --. "Spectacular", Nickelodeon, 3.71 million viewers. (original movie) --. Top Chef: New York, Bravo, 3.63 million viewers. --. The Secret Life of the American Teenager, ABC Family, 3.51 million viewers. --. Live From the Red Carpet: The 2009 Academy Awards, E!, 3.38 million viewers. --. Leverage, TNT, 2.91 million viewers. --. Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew, MTV, 2.68 million viewers. --. Nip/Tuck, FX, 2.40 million viewers. --. Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Cartoon Network, 2.11 million viewers. --. "Taking Chance", HBO, 2.0 million viewers. (original movie) --. The Real Housewives of Orange County, Bravo, 1.97 million viewers. (4th season finale) --. Trust Me, TNT, 1.82 million viewers. --. The Real Housewives of New York City, Bravo, 1.64 million viewers. (2nd season premiere) --. Battlestar Galactica, Sci Fi, 1.53 million viewers. --. Kyle XY, ABC Family, 1.28 million viewers. --. The Beast, A&E, 1.06 million viewers. --. Damages, FX, 864,000 viewers. --. High School Reunion, TV Land, 726,000 viewers. (5th season premiere) --. Eastbound & Down, HBO, 616,000 viewers. --. Right America: Feeling Wronged, HBO, 495,000 viewers. --. Flight of the Concords, HBO, 469,000 viewers.
21. Law & Order: SVU (NBC): 3.4/ 9 22. Hell's Kitchen (Fox): 3.2/ 8 23. Barbara Walters Special (ABC): 3.1/ 9 24. True Beauty (ABC): 3.1/ 8 25. The Big Bang Theory R (CBS): 3.0/ 8 25. CSI: NY (CBS): 3.0/ 8 each 27. Bones (Fox): 2.9/ 8 28. Medium (NBC): 2.8/ 7 29. The Office R (NBC): 2.7/ 7 29. ER (NBC): 2.7/ 7
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Feb. 23-March 1. (Week 23)
1. American Idol (Wed), Fox, 24.54 million viewers. 2. American Idol (Thu), Fox, 20.89 million viewers. 3. NCIS, CBS, 18.27 million viewers. 4. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 17.72 million viewers. 5. "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice", CBS, 15.24 million viewers. (original movie) 6. House, Fox, 14.86 million viewers. 7. 60 Minutes, CBS, 14.23 million viewers. 8. Criminal Minds, CBS, 13.93 million viewers. 9. CSI: NY, CBS, 12.56 million viewers. 10. Two and a Half Men,(R) CBS, 12.07 million viewers. 11. Survivor: Tocantins, CBS, 12.05 million viewers. 12. Brothers & Sisters, ABC, 11.98 million viewers. (back-to-back new episodes) 13. Eleventh Hour, CBS, 11.70 million viewers. 14. 24, Fox, 11.68 million viewers. 15. Ghost Whisperer, CBS, 11.54 million viewers. 16. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC, 11.00 million viewers. 17. The Bachelor: The Women Tell All, ABC, 10.93 million viewers. 18. The Amazing Race 14, CBS, 10.60 million viewers. 19. CSI: Miami,(R) CBS, 10.06 million viewers. 20. Lost, ABC, 10.05 million viewers. (R) = repeat
52. King of the Hill, Fox, 5.74 million viewers. 55. American Dad, Fox, 5.66 million viewers. 57. Primetime: What Would You Do?, ABC, 5.54 million viewers. 58. Supernanny, ABC, 5.53 million viewers. 59. America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back, Fox, 5.43 million viewers. 65. Cops, Fox, 4.91 million viewers. 66. Life, NBC, 4.89 million viewers. 67. Life on Mars, ABC, 4.88 million viewers. 70. Wife Swap, ABC, 4.53 million viewers. 71. Howie Do It, NBC, 4.49 million viewers. 72. Dollhouse, Fox, 4.18 million viewers. 73. Friday Night Lights, NBC, 4.16 million viewers. 75. Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five, NBC, 4.03 million viewers. 79. Kath & Kim, NBC, 3.39 million viewers. 80. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Fox, 3.38 million viewers. 85. Privileged, CW, 1.53 million viewers. (1st season finale) --. The Closer, TNT, 6.01 million viewers. (4th season finale) --. Burn Notice, USA, 4.85 million viewers. --. Hannah Montana, Disney, 4.10 million viewers. --. Wizards of Waverly Place, Disney, 4.10 million viewers. --. Sonny With a Chance, Disney, 4.07 million viewers. --. Top Chef: New York, Bravo, 3.74 million viewers. (5th season finale) --. Leverage, TNT, 3.32 million viewers. (1st season finale)
--. The Secret Life of the American Teenager, ABC Family, 3.27 million viewers. --. "America", Lifetime, 3.21 million viewers. (original movie) --. Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew, MTV, 2.64 million viewers. --. The Girls Next Door, E!, 2.54 million viewers. (5th season finale) --. Big Love, HBO, 2.4 million viewers. --. Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Cartoon Network, 2.37 million viewers. --. The Real Housewives of Orange County Reunion, Bravo, 2.21 million viewers. --. Nip/Tuck, FX, 2.10 million viewers. --. The Real Housewives of New York City, Bravo, 1.86 million viewers. --. Dirty Jobs, Discovery, 1.73 million viewers. --. Battlestar Galactica, Sci Fi, 1.66 million viewers. --. Trust Me, TNT, 1.65 million viewers. --. Kyle XY, ABC Family, 1.24 million viewers. --. Damages, FX, 887,000 viewers. --. Rita Rocks, Lifetime, 700,000 viewers. (1st season finale)
21. The Simpsons (Fox): 3.2/ 8 22. True Beauty (ABC, season or series finale): 3.2/ 7 23. CSI: NY (CBS): 3.1/ 8 24. The Amazing Race (CBS): 3.0/ 8 25. 30 Rock (NBC): 2.9/ 7 26. Eleventh Hour (CBS): 2.8/ 8 27. King of the Hill (Fox): 2.8/ 6 28. Ghost Whisperer (CBS): 2.7/ 9 29. America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC): 2.7/ 8 30. The Big Bang Theory R (CBS): 2.7/ 7 30. How I Met Your Mother R (CBS): 2.7/ 7