TV Ratings: CBS dominates, 'Dollhouse,' 'Ugly Betty' drop

The CW ties FOX in the demo, while 'Ghost Whisperer,' 'Medium' and 'Numb3rs'

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Oct 24, 2009 11:51 AM

Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy of 'Ghost Whisperer'

Credit: CBS

Fast National ratings for Friday, Oct. 23, 2009.

The bottom line for Friday night is that CBS' three primetime procedurals each won their hours, both overall and in the key demographic.

But when it comes to the information that readers truly care about, "Dollhouse" and "Ugly Betty" were both down on Friday night, yielding some ugly ratings in the 9 p.m. hour.

Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 2.0 rating for the night, just ahead of NBC's 1.6 rating and the 1.3 rating for ABC. FOX and The CW tied for four in the key demographic (which has to be a bit humiliating for FOX) with a 0.8 rating.

Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 8.32 million viewers in primetime to go with a 5.2/9. NBC was a close second with a 4.7/8. ABC's 3.4/6 was third. FOX had a 1.3/2 to barely top The CW's 1.2/2.

In the 8 p.m. hour, CBS' "Ghost Whisperer" averaged a 5.3/10, with a 2.1 rating in the key demo. NBC's "Law & Order" was a close second. The season premiere of ABC's "Supernanny" had a 3.3/6 for third. The CW's "Smallville" had control over fourth with a 1.6/3 and a 1.1 demo rating. FOX's "Brothers" and "'Til Death" had a 1.3/2 and a dismal 0.7 demo rating.

Things were sticky at the top in the 9 p.m. hour. The ratings figures show that NBC's "Dateline" took first with a 5.2/9, just beating the 5.1/9 for CBS' "Medium," but the CBS show had more viewers (8.43 million versus 7.91 million) and won in the demo (2.2 rating versus a 1.8 rating). ABC's "Ugly Betty" was third with a 3.1/5, dropping more than half-a-million viewers from its premiere last week and dipping to a 1.2 demo. FOX's "Dollhouse" finished fourth with a 1.3/2, averaging 2.147 million viewers and a 0.8 dem rating. That's down from the last original airing, but still just ahead of the 2.09 million viewers who watched the Oct. 2 episode. The CW was fifth for the hour with an "America's Next Top Model" repeat.

CBS' "Numb3rs" won the 10 p.m. hour with a 5.1/9 and a 1.8 demo rating. NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" was second overall with a 4.1/7, though ABC's "20/20" took second in the demo.

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

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.