NEW YORK -- CBS had the top-rated show with "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" while NBC won last week's overall prime-time ratings, claiming six of the top 10 shows.
Along with "Monday Night Football" (tied for fifth) ABC's brightest spot was its special "Prime Time" interview with singer Whitney Houston, which nailed fourth place.
CBS' only other top 10 entry was "Survivor: Thailand" (eighth).
Meanwhile, NBC dominated with "Friends," "ER," "Scrubs," "Will & Grace," "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
But perhaps the week's most remarkable ratings coup was by HBO with "The Sopranos." Airing Sunday night, the finale of this mob drama was seen by 12.5 million cable viewers, beating all the broadcast networks in its time slot. If cable programming were included in the Nielsen rankings, this "Sopranos" airing would have claimed 19th place - even though HBO reaches only about one-third of all the nation's TV households.
In this post-sweeps lull largely occupied by series repeats and holiday specials, NBC took the week with 12 million viewers (7.9 household rating, 13 share), followed by CBS with 11.1 million viewers (7.4 rating, 12 share). ABC had 9.7 million viewers (6.3 rating, 10 share), while Fox drew 7.7 million viewers (4.7 rating, 7 share), according to Nielsen Media Research.
The WB averaged 3.7 million viewers (2.3 rating, 4 share), while UPN had 3.3 million viewers (2.1 rating, 3 share) and Pax 1.5 million viewers (1.0 rating, 2 share).
"NBC Nightly News" won the evening news race with an average 11.4 million viewers (8.1 rating, 15 share), compared to ABC's "World News Tonight" with 10.5 million viewers (7.5 rating, 14 share). "The CBS Evening News" had 8.8 million viewers (6.3 rating, 12 share).
A ratings point represents 1,067,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 106.7 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.
Prime-time ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Dec. 2-8. Top 20 listings include the week's ranking, with rating for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses.
An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation. The rating is the percentage of the nation's estimated 106.7 million TV homes. Each ratings point represents 1,067,000 households.
1. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 18.0, 19.2 million homes.
2. (2) "Friends," NBC, 15.8, 16.9 million homes.
3. (3) "ER," NBC, 15.2, 16.2 million homes.
4. (X) "Prime Time Special Edition-Wednesday," ABC, 13.7, 14.7 million homes.
5. (9) "NFL Monday Night Football: New York Jets at Oakland Raiders," ABC, 12.2, 13.0 million homes.
5. (9) "Scrubs," NBC, 12.2, 13.1 million homes.
5. (5) "Will & Grace," NBC, 12.2, 13.0 million homes.
8. (8) "Survivor: Thailand," CBS, 12.0, 12.8 million homes.
9. (6) "Law & Order," NBC, 11.2, 12.0 million homes.
10. (12) "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," NBC, 11.1, 11.8 million homes.
11. (19) "60 Minutes," CBS, 10.0, 10.7 million homes.
11. (4) "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 10.0, 10.7 million homes.
13. (15) "Good Morning Miami," NBC, 9.9, 10.6 million homes.
14. (37) "Crossing Jordan," NBC, 8.3, 8.9 million homes.
14. (14) "Still Standing," CBS, 8.3, 8.8 million homes.
16. (20) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 8.2, 8.7 million homes.
16. (25) "NFL Monday Showcase," ABC, 8.2, 8.8 million homes.
18. (32) "Third Watch," NBC, 8.0, 8.6 million homes.
19. (X) "Christmas in Rockefeller Center," NBC, 7.9, 8.5 million homes.
19. (7) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation: Miami," CBS, 7.9, 8.5 million homes.
19. (29) "My Wife and Kids," ABC, 7.9, 8.4 million homes.
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22. "CBS Sunday Movie: Hallmark Presents: The Locket," CBS, 7.8
22. "Without a Trace," CBS, 7.8
24. "Dateline NBC-Tuesday," NBC, 7.6
24. "The Simpsons," Fox, 7.6
26. "Becker," CBS, 7.4
26. "The Practice," ABC, 7.4
28. "Dateline NBC-Friday," NBC, 7.3
28. "Fear Factor," NBC, 7.3
28. "Frasier," NBC, 7.3
31. "60 Minutes II," CBS, 7.2
31. "The King of Queens," CBS, 7.2
31. "The West Wing," NBC, 7.2
34. "8 Simple Rules," ABC, 7.1
34. "Boston Public," Fox, 7.1
36. "George Lopez," ABC, 7.0
36. "Providence," NBC, 7.0
36. "Yes, Dear," CBS, 7.0
39. (X) "The King Of Queens," CBS, 6.9
40. "NYPD Blue," ABC, 6.8
41. "Judging Amy," CBS, 6.7
42. "24," Fox, 6.5
42. (X) "In-Laws-Tuesday," NBC, 6.5
42. "King Of the Hill," Fox, 6.5
45. "According to Jim," ABC, 6.4
45. "Boomtown," NBC, 6.4
45. "Hack," CBS, 6.4
48. (X) "Dateline NBC-Sunday," NBC, 6.1
49. "The Guardian," CBS, 6.0
50. "48 Hours Investigates," CBS, 5.9
50. "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back," Fox, 5.9
50. (X) "A Charlie Brown Christmas," ABC, 5.9
50. (X) "King Of the Hill," Fox, 5.9
50. "That '70s Show," Fox, 5.9
55. "The Amazing Race: 3," CBS, 5.7
55. (X) "Robbery Homicide Division-Saturday," CBS, 5.7
57. "20/20-Friday," ABC, 5.6
57. "Malcolm in the Middle," Fox, 5.6
59. "Alias," ABC, 5.5
59. "Cops 2," Fox, 5.5
59. "JAG," CBS, 5.5
62. "America's Funniest Home Videos," ABC, 5.4
62. "Life With Bonnie," ABC, 5.4
62. "MDs," ABC, 5.4
65. "Less Than Perfect," ABC, 5.3
66. "The Bernie Mac Show," Fox, 5.1
66. "The District," CBS, 5.1
66. "In-Laws," NBC, 5.1
69. "Grounded For Life," Fox, 5.0
70. (X) "ABC's Christmas in Aspen," ABC, 4.9
70. (X) "Big 12 Championship: Oklahoma vs. Colorado," ABC, 4.9
70. "Cedric the Entertainer Presents," Fox, 4.9
70. "NBC Saturday Night Movies: It's a Wonderful Life," NBC, 4.9
74. "Primetime Thursday," ABC, 4.7
75. "Just Shoot Me," NBC, 4.6
76. "Cops," Fox, 4.5
77. "Monk," ABC, 4.4
78. (X) "The Agency," CBS, 4.2
78. "Fastlane," Fox, 4.2
78. (X) "The World's Funniest Movie Outtakes," Fox, 4.2
81. "Andy Richter Controls the Universe," Fox, 4.1
82. (X) "King Of the Hill-Sunday," Fox, 4.0
83. (X) "Hollywood Christmas Spectacular," NBC, 3.9
84. "John Doe," Fox, 3.6
85. "Dinotopia," ABC, 3.4
85. "World Wrestling Entertainment Smackdown!," UPN, 3.4
87. "7th Heaven" WB, 3.3
88. "Whose Line Is It Anyway?," ABC, 3.2
89. "The Drew Carey Show," ABC, 3.0
89. "Gilmore Girls," WB, 3.0
91. "Smallville," WB, 2.9
92. (X) "Dear Santa," ABC, 2.7
92. "Everwood," WB, 2.7
92. "Girlfriends," UPN, 2.7
92. "One On One," UPN, 2.7
92. (X) "Return to Middle Earth," WB, 2.7
97. "Futurama," Fox, 2.6
97. "The Parkers," UPN, 2.6
99. "Firefly," Fox, 2.4
99. "Half and Half," UPN, 2.4
101. "Enterprise," UPN, 2.3
101. (X) "Fox Movie: Dead Man On Campus," Fox, 2.3
101. "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," WB, 2.3
104. "Charmed," WB, 2.2
105. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," UPN, 2.0
105. "Gilmore Girls-Beginnings" WB, 2.0
107. "Family Affair," WB, 1.9
107. (X) "Family Affair-Friday," WB, 1.9
107. (X) "Olive, the Other Reindeer," WB, 1.9
110. "Angel," WB, 1.8
111. "Birds Of Prey," WB, 1.7
112. (X) "The Parkers-Tuesday," UPN, 1.6
113. "Do Over," WB, 1.5
113. (X) "Girlfriends-Tuesday," UPN, 1.5
113. "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment," WB, 1.5
116. "Doc-Sunday," Pax, 1.4
116. "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment 1," WB, 1.4
118. (X) "Mary Christmas-Sunday," Pax, 1.3
119. "The Twilight Zone," UPN, 1.2
120. "Americas Favorite Movies: Mc Q," Pax, 1.1
120. "Diagnosis Murder-Friday," Pax, 1.1
120. "Diagnosis Murder-Thursday," Pax, 1.1
120. "Diagnosis Murder-Wednesday," Pax, 1.1
120. "Friday Night Flix: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause," Pax, 1.1
120. "UPN's Movie Friday: Star Trek III: The Search For Spock," UPN, 1.1
126. "Diagnosis Murder-Tuesday," Pax, 1.0
127. "Candid Camera-Wednesday," Pax, 0.9
127. "Diagnosis Murder-Monday," Pax, 0.9
127. "Doc-Wednesday," Pax, 0.9
130. "Candid Camera-Sunday," Pax, 0.8
130. "Sue Thomas: F.B. Eye-Monday," Pax, 0.8
130. "Weakest Link," Pax, 0.8
133. "It's a Miracle," Pax, 0.7
133. "Just Cause-Monday," Pax, 0.7
133. "Narrow Escapes," Pax, 0.7
136. "It's a Miracle-Saturday," Pax, 0.6
On the Net:
http://www.nielsenmedia.com
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