TV Ratings: FOX Friday dramas droop, as CBS rolls

Fast National ratings for Friday, April 24, 2009.

CBS' procedurals has no trouble winning their Friday night timeslots, while FOX's "Prison Break" and "Dollhouse" continued to drop.

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 1.8 rating, nipping the 1.7 rating for ABC in the key demo. NBC was third with a 1.2 rating, nipping the 1.1 rating for FOX. The CW's 0.6 rating was fifth.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 8.72 million viewers in primetime to go with a 5.8 rating/11 share. ABC was a distant second with a 3.9/7, followed by the 2.9/5 for NBC. FOX was fourth with a 2.0/4. The CW's 1.0/2 trailed.

CBS swept the primetime hours starting at 8 p.m. with the 6.2/12 for "Ghost Whisperer." ABC's "Wife Swap" was second. FOX's "Prison Break" did a 2.1/4, nipping NBC's "Howie Do It" in the ratings, though the NBC show had the advantage in viewers. The CW's "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" followed with a 1.2/2.

"Flashpoint" gave CBS a 5.4/10 in the 9 p.m. hour, beating the 3.7/7 for "20/20" on ABC. NBC's "Dateline" did a 3.2/6 for third. FOX's "Dollhouse," off last week, did a 1.9/3 in its return, averaging a series-low 2.99 million viewers. The CW's encore of "America's Next Top Model" was fifth.

CBS won the 10 p.m. hour with a 5.8/11 for "Numb3rs." ABC's "20/20" was a close second with a 5.3/10 and actually won the hour in the 18-49 demo. NBC's "Dateline" was third.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.

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