American Idol won the night for FOX last night and in doing so forced all other shows to slip except – unexpectedly – Cougar Town, which was at its season-to-date average.

Idol posted a 10.1 (18-49) rating last night between 8-9.30, down almost 15% from yesterdays 11.7. The show also lost 3 million viewers, taking its total to 26.4 million. At 9.30, a rerun of The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special was shown, pulling a 3.6 rating and 8.1 million viewers.

CBS took a hit in the 8pm timeslot last night, with Gary Unmarried and The New Adventures of Old Christine averaging just a 1.9 rating and 6 million viewers – well down from the last new episode. At 9, Criminal Minds continued to perform well with a 3.9 (18-49) rating and 14 million viewers. CSI:NY performed better than its season-to-date average, posting a 3.6 (18-49) rating and 14.1 million viewers.

ABC was another network that was affected heavily by Idol, with The Middle posting just a 2.1 (18-49) rating and 6.1 million viewers. Modern Family was probably the most affected though, losing almost 25% in the key demo with just a 3.2 (18-49) rating and almost 20% in viewers, where it drew 7.6 million. Cougar Town was reasonably unaffected though, staying with its season average – a 3.1 (18-49) rating and 7.4 million viewers. Ugly Betty was steady with last weeks Wednesday night premiere, pulling a 1.6 (18-49) rating and 4.5 million viewers.

NBC has a less than stellar night too, with Mercy pulling just a 1.5 (18-49) rating and 5.9 million viewers (why did they pick up extra episodes of this again?). Law & Order: SVU posted a miserable 2.0 (18-49) rating and 7.7 million viewers – I think this will be the show that’ll improve most when moved back to 10pm. The Jay Leno Show was average – posting a 1.6 rating and 5.4 million viewers.

The CW went with something, I don’t really care though.

Full Breakdown:

8.00pm – FOX – American Idol (8-9.30pm) – 10.1 (18-49) rating – 26.4 million viewers
ABC – The Middle – 2.1 – 6.1 million
CBS – The New Adventures of Old Christine – 1.9 – 6.2 million
NBC – Mercy – 1.5 – 5.9 million

8.30pm – CBS – Gary Unmarried – 1.9 (18-49 rating) – 5.8 million viewers

9.00pm – CBS – Criminal Minds – 3.9 (18-49 rating) – 14 million viewers
ABC – Modern Family – 3.2 – 7.6 million
NBC – Law & Order: SVU – 2.0 – 7.7 million

9.30pm - FOX – The Simpsons – 3.6 (18-49 rating) – 8.1 million viewers
ABC – Cougar Town – 3.1 – 7.4 million viewers

10 pm – CBS – CSI: NY – 3.6 (18-49 rating) – 14.1 million viewers
NBC – The Jay Leno Show - 1.6 – 5.4 million
ABC – Ugly Betty – 1.6 – 4.5 million

On a night where all networks other than ABC were strong, it was NBC’s Sunday Night Football that took the win.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football saw the Carolina Panthers in an unlikely victory over my Minnesota Vikings, which averaged a solid 5.6 (18-49) rating between 8.30 and 11pm to lead NBC to victory. A NFL overrun on FOX helped them to second place, averaging a 4.4 rating even though they were in repeats from 8-10pm.

The Survivor: Samoa finale posted solid numbers for CBS, averaging a 4.2 (18-49) rating between 8-11pm. At 7, 60 minutes posted a 2.4 rating and 13.1 million viewers.

ABC had a dismal night with America’s Funniest Home Videos (1.7), Movie: Santa Clause 3 (2.0) and Desperate Housewives (1.3)

Winners:
Sunday Night Football (NBC)
NFL Overrun (FOX)
Survivor: Samoa (CBS)
FOX animation reruns

Losers:
ABC reruns
60 Minutes (CBS)

Full Breakdown:  

7:00 – FOX – NFL overrun – 7.1 (18-49) rating - 19.6 million
CBS – 60 Minutes – 2.4 - 13.1 million
NBC – Football Night In America - 2.1 – 6.3 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) – 1.7 - 6.9 million

8:00 - NBC – Football Night In America - 4.2 (18-49) rating – 12.5 million viewers
CBS – Survivor: Samoa (finale) - 4.2 - 14 million
FOX - The Simpsons (repeat) – 3.8 - 8.2 million
ABC – Santa Clause 3 (movie) – 1.8 – 6.7 million

8:30 – NBC – Sunday Night Football (8.30 – 11pm) - 5.6 (18-49) rating – 15.8 million viewers
FOX The Cleveland Show (repeat) 2.8 7 5.917

9:00 – CBS – Survivor: Samoa (finale) - 4.5 (18-49) rating – 14.3 million viewers
FOX – Family Guy (repeat) - 3.1 - 6.3 million
ABC – Santa Clause 3 (movie) – 2.1 - 7.3 million

9:30 – FOX – American Dad (repeat) – 2.5 - 5.1 million

10:00 – CBS – Survivor: Samoa (special) - 3.9 (18-49) rating – 13.3 million viewers
ABC - Desperate Housewives (repeat) – 1.3 - 4 million

Mad Men, 30 Rock and The Office and Modern Family led the field for the 2010 Writers Guild Awards with three nods each in the TV section.

30 Rock was nominated in best episodic comedy and two nods for writing. The Office and Mad Men fared a similar fate, whereas Modern Family was nominated for Best Comedy, Best New Show and a Writing nod.

In the drama field, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Lost and Friday Night Lights have all been nominated. This years comedy nods are 30 Rock, The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm and newcomers Glee and Modern Family.

Modern Family and Glee also made the best new series category, along with CBS’ The Good Wife, HBO’s Hung and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

The Simpsons can already start celebrating, having been nominated in all 5 animation writing slots. 

The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Real Time with Bill Maher and Saturday Night Live were all nominated in the Comedy/ Variety category.

Drama Series:
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Lost
Mad Men

Comedy Series:
30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Modern Family
The Office

New Series:
Glee
The Good Wife
Hung
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Episodic Drama:
“Broken, Part 1 and Part 2″ (“House“), Written by Russel Friend & Garrett Lerner & David Foster & David Shore; Fox
“Come, Ye Saints” (“Big Love“), Written by Melanie Marnich; HBO
“The Grown Ups” (“Mad Men“), Written by Brett Johnson and Matthew Weiner; AMC
“Guy Walks into an Advertising Agency” (“Mad Men“), Written by Robin Veith and Matthew Weiner; AMC
“I Will Rise Up” (‘True Blood’), Written by Nancy Oliver; HBO
“Phoenix” (“Breaking Bad“), Written by John Shiban; AMC

Episodic Comedy:
“Apollo, Apollo” (“30 Rock“), Written by Robert Carlock; NBC
“Broke” (“The Office”), Written by Charles Grandy; NBC
“Chapter 1″ (“Eastbound & Down“), Written by Ben T. Best & Jody L. Hill & Danny McBride; HBO
“Gossip” (“The Office“), Written by Paul Lieberstein; NBC
“Pilot” (“Modern Family“), Written by Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd; ABC
“Reunion” (“30 Rock“), Written by Matt Hubbard; NBC

Drama – over one hour:
“Georgia O’Keefe,” Written by Michael Cristofer; Lifetime
“Grey Gardens,” Teleplay by Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema, Story by Michael Sucsy; HBO
“Pedro,” Screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, Story by Paris Barclay & Dustin Lance Black; MTV

Adaptation – over one hour:
“America,” Teleplay by Joyce Eliason and Rosie O’Donnell, Based upon the novel by E.R. Frank; Lifetime
“Taking Chance,” Teleplay by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.) and Ross Katz, Based on the short story by Lieutenant Colonel Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.); HBO

Animation:
“The Burns and the Bees” (“The Simpsons“), Written by Stephanie Gillis; Fox
“Eeny Teeny Maya, Moe” (“The Simpsons“), Written by John Frink; Fox
“Gone Maggie Gone” (“The Simpsons“), Written by Billy Kimball & Ian Maxtone-Graham; Fox
“Take My Life, Please” (“The Simpsons“), Written by Don Payne; Fox
“Wedding for Disaster” (“The Simpsons“), Written by Joel H. Cohen; Fox

Comedy/ Variety – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES:
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC)

In a fierce match-up that saw the Philadelphia Eagles overcome the New York Giants, it was NBC who were the biggest winners.

Sunday Night Football averaged a solid 7.0 (18-49) rating average between 8.30 and 11pm to give NBC the win over a CBS which was heavily influenced by an NFL overrun and solid 60 Minutes.

FOX’s animation lineup were all new last night but only Family Guy shone with a 3.8 (18-49) rating, still down over the last few new episodes. Brothers underperformed at 7pm, averaging just a 1.1 (18-49) rating which effectively led FOX to last place.

America’s Funniest Home Videos was poor for ABC at 7, averaging just a 2.2 (18-49) rating. Desperate Housewives was replaced by a solid ep of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which averaged a 3.5 rating at 9pm. The Oprah White House Special which replaced Brothers & Sisters averaged a 2.9 rating, down from B&S’ season-to-date average.

Winners:
Sunday Night Football (NBC)
NFL Overrun (CBS)
Family Guy (FOX)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)

Losers:
Brothers (FOX)
Cold Case (CBS)
Oprah Special (ABC)
America’s Funnies Home Videos (ABC)

Full Breakdown:

7:00 – CBS – NFL overrun / 60 Minutes - 5.2 (18-49) rating – 18.5 million viewers
NBC – Football Night In America - 3.0 – 8.6 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos - 2.2 – 8.7 million
FOX – Brothers – 1.1 - 3.1 million

8:00 – NBC Football Night In America – 5.0 (18-49) rating - 14 million viewers
FOX – The Simpsons – 3.2 - 7.1 million
CBS – 60 Min./ The Mentalist (repeat) – 2.2 – 10.8 million
ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 2.7 – 9.3 million

8:30 NBC – Sunday Night Football (8.30-11pm) - 7.0 (18-49) rating – 19 million viewers
FOX – The Cleveland Show – 3.0 - 6.5 million

9:00 – FOX – Family Guy – 3.8 (18-49) rating – 7.7 million viewers
ABC – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – 3.5 - 11.2 million
CBS – Mentalist / Cold Case – 2.0 – 9.9 million

9:30 – FOX – American Dad – 3.1 (18-49) rating - 6.2 million viewers

10:00 – ABC – Oprah Primetime Special – 2.9 (18-49) rating – 11.8 million viewers
CBS – Cold Case / Criminal Minds (repeat) – 2.3 - 8.8 million

As usual, Sunday Night Football got the victory for NBC last night, but ABC was also strong with Brothers and Sisters posting season highs.

Football Night In America opened for NBC between 7-8.30pm, posting a 4.0 rating and 8.5 million viewers. The Vikings/ Cardinals game took top honors in the rest of primetime, averaging a 6.5 rating and just under 18 million viewers.

An NFL overrun at 7 helped FOX to second last night when combined with The OT, the BCS selection show and reruns of The Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad.

ABC was third for the night with America’s Funniest Home Videos (2.0), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (3.0), a strong Desperate Housewives (4.9) and a season best Brothers and Sisters (3.7), which was up nearly 30% vs. last week.

CBS was last but had a strong showing from The Amazing Race finale (3.7 rating, 12.3 million). At 7, 60 minutes was third for the eye and Cold Case was up to a 2.3 rating – obviously benefitting from the different timeslot. An NCIS: Los Angeles rerun was last at 10pm with a 1.6 rating and 7.3 million viewers.

Full Breakdown:

7:00 – FOX – NFL Football Overrun - 7.8  (18-49 rating) - 20.9 million viewers
NBC – Football Night In America – 2.8 –  7.8 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) - 2.0 – 8.2 million
CBS – 60 Minutes - 2.1 – 11.8 million

7:30 – FOX – The OT – 4.5 - 11.1 million

8:00 – NBC - Football Night In America (8.30-11) - 6.5 (18-49 rating) – 17.8 million viewers
CBS – The Amazing Race (finale) - 3.7 – 12.3 million
FOX – BCS Selection Show – 3.4 - 8.6 million
ABC – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 3.0 - 10.3 million

8:30 – NBC Sunday Night Football - 6.8 (18-49 rating) – 18.892 million viewers
FOX - The Simpsons (repeat) - 2.6 - 5.6 million

9:00 – ABC – Desperate Housewives – 4.8 (18-49 rating) – 14.7 million viewers
FOX – Family Guy (repeat) – 3.0 - 6.1 million
CBS – Cold Case – 2.3 - 9.7 million

9:30 – FOX – American Dad (repeat) – 2.1 - 4.4 million viewers

10:00 – ABC – Brothers & Sisters (18-49 rating) - 3.7- 10.8 million viewers
CBS – NCIS: LA (repeat) – 1.6 - 7.3 million

FOX’s Animation Domination rebounded from last week to come second to Sunday Night Football on NBC.

Between 7-11, NBC’s NFL coverage of the Steelers/Ravens game averaged a 5.4 rating and 14 million viewers to win the night.

At 7, an NFL overrun/ The OT helped FOX to victory with a 4.9 rating and 12.8 million viewers. The Simpsons rebounded from last weeks season low to post a 4.2 rating, The Cleveland Show posted a 3.5, Family Guy was up nearly 25% with a 4.4 rating and American Dad was up with a 3.3 rating.

CBS went with 60 Minutes at 7, which averaged a 2.6 rating and 14.3 million viewers, third for the hour. The Amazing Race was roughly level with last week with a 3.4 rating, good enough for third at 8. The eye aired A Dog Named Christmas between 9-11 and it outrated Cold Case and the now defunct Three Rivers with a 2.1 rating.

ABC was last a 7 with America’s Funniest Home Videos (2.1 rating, 8.3 million viewers, last at 8 with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (3.0 rating, 10.4 million viewers), Second at 9 with Desperate Housewives (4.4 rating, 12.7 million viewers) and second at 10 with Brothers and Sisters (3.0 rating, 8.8 million viewers).

Full Ratings Breakdown:

7:00 – FOX - NFL Football - 6.2 A18-49 rating – 16.7 million viewers
CBS – 60 Minutes – 2.3 - 12.8 million
NBC – Football Night In America - 2.2 – 6.5 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos - 1.8 – 7.5 million

7:30 - FOX – The OT – 3.6 A18-49 rating – 9 million viewers
NBC – Football Night In America – 3.1 – 8.2 million
CBS – 60 Minutes – 2.9 - 15.8 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos - 2.4 - 9.2 million

8:00 – NBC Football Night In America – 4.9 A18-49 rating - 13.7 million viewers
FOX – The Simpsons – 4.2 - 9 million
CBS – The Amazing Race – 3.4 - 12 million
ABC – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – 2.8 – 9.8 million

8:30 – NBC – Sunday Night Football: Pittsburg v. Baltimore – 6.9 A18-49 rating - 18.6 million viewers
FOX – The Cleveland Show – 3.5 - 7.2 million
CBS – The Amazing Race - 3.4 – 11.3 million
ABC – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – 3.2 – 10.9 million

9:00 - NBC – Sunday Night Football: Pittsburg v. Baltimore – 6.6 A18-49 rating – 17.1 million viewers
FOX – Family Guy – 4.4 - 8.5 million
ABC – Desperate Housewives – 4.3 – 12.7 million
CBS – A Dog Named Christmas (special) - 2.0 – 11.7 million

9:30 – NBC Sunday Night Football: Pittsburg v. Baltimore – 6.4 A18-49 rating - 16.1 million viewers
ABC – Desperate Housewives – 4.4 – 12.6 million
FOX – American Dad – 3.3 - 6.4 million
CBS – A Dog Named Christmas (special) - 2.0 - 12.2 million

10:00 – NBC Sunday Night Football: Pittsburg v. Baltimore - 6.7 A18-49 rating – 16.1 million viewers
ABC – Brothers & Sisters - 3.2 – 9.2 million
CBS – A Dog Named Christmas (special) - 2.2 - 12.6 million

10:30 – NBC Sunday Night Football: Pittsburg v. Baltimore – 6.6 A18-49 rating – 15.8 million viewers
ABC – Brothers & Sisters – 2.8 – 8.5 million
CBS – A Dog Named Christmas (special) - 2.2 - 12.6 million

Sunday night saw the Eagles/Bears game go head to head with the American Music Awards with one winner – NBC.

Overall the contest was close, with NBC slightly edging out ABC between 7pm-8pm which made all the difference when calculating the averages.

An NFL overrun helped CBS win the 7pm slot and also threw off the numbers in for CBS a little. Then it was the Eagles/ Bears game and the AMA’s trading blows until 11 pm.

The AMA’s beat Sunday Night Football between the hours of 8-11 with a controversial Adam Lambert performance that has received 1,500 complaints thus far. They also posted their best A18-49 numbers in 5 years! Sunday Night Football still averaged a 5.5 rating though, a solid evening for NBC.

Fox’s Animation Domination linuep wasn’t performing that well though, posting just a 2.7 A18-49 average for the night, almost a season low. CBS’ experiment, where they swapped Cold Case and Three Rivers around didn’t work, they still averaged roughly the same as last week.  

Full hourly Breakdown:

7:00 – CBS – NFL Overrun/60 Minutes - 4.7 A18-49 rating – 18.5 million viewers

NBC – Football Night In America – 2.8 – 7.4 million

ABC – NASCAR (Ford 400)/ America’s Funniest Home Videos - 1.8 - 6.1 million

FOX – Brothers/ The Simpsons (R) - 1.5 - 3.3 million

8:00 – NBC – Football Night In America - 5.1 A18-49 rating - 14.1 million viewers

ABC – 2009 American Music Awards – 4.6 – 12.8 million

CBS – 60 Minutes/ The Amazing Race - 3.5 – 14.3 million

FOX – The Simpsons/ The Cleveland Show - 3.3  – 6.8 million

9:00 – ABC – 2009 American Music Awards - 6.2 A18-49 rating - 15.5 million viewers

NBC – Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia v. Chicago – 5.7 - 15.5 million

FOX – Family Guy/ American Dad - 3.3 - 6.4 million

CBS – The Amazing Race/ Cold Case - 2.7 - 10.3 million

10:00 – ABC – 2009 American Music Awards - 5.7 A18-49 rating - 14.1 million viewers

NBC – Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia v. Chicago – 5.6 - 14.3 million

CBS – Cold Case/ Three Rivers - 2.0 - 8.5 million

FOX is planning to give sophomore series Fringe a little help on Thursday nights, via both traditional and viral marketing.

The show which airs on Thursday nights at 9, has been averaging just a 2.2 A18-49 rating this season, down over 25% vs. last year. This will be a welcome push towards survival for the sci-fi drama, starring Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson.

via variety:

Fox is plotting a major marketing push for “Fringe” this week, unleashing a viral promotional spree for the show via both on- and off-air efforts.Campaign had been in the works for some time, tied to this week’s episode — which reveals the existence of (semi-spoiler alert here, if you haven’t seen Fox’s promos) multiple “observers,” the show’s mysterious bald white men who are witness to many of “Fringe’s” key events.

But it comes as “Fringe” could use a boost of some sort. Fox’s “Bones”-”Fringe” lineup has given the network its first solid scripted night on Thursdays in years — but “Fringe” has taken a hit in recent weeks vs. tough competition (“CSI,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Office”).

Net execs believe a baseball preemption also took a bite out of the show’s performance.

“Thursdays at 9 p.m. are fiercely competitive,” said Fox marketing topper Joe Earley. “‘Fringe’ isn’t just up against well-performing shows, it’s up against shows with preexisting, fiercely loyal audiences. We can tell by the DVR numbers that people like ‘Fringe,’ it’s just their DVR choice.”

As a result, Earley said the network has zeroed in on “Fringe” to find ways to make the show feel like more of a major event.

“Observer Week,” as the campaign is dubbed internally, includes placing multiple actors playing “observers” in the crowd at live Fox telecasts — Sunday’s NFL game, as well as an episode of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Fox did something similar last year on programs such as “American Idol” and NASCAR.

Fox will also send out street teams dressed as the observer (dark suits, bald heads, carrying briefcases) to various spots in Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, Boston and Chicago. The characters will pass out Tabasco sauce (a nod to the fact that “Fringe’s” observers like spicy food).

Fast-pausing DVR users may also notice subliminal shots of “Fringe’s” observers popping up in primetime via hidden images in the net’s night opens, as well as via seven-frame graphics flashed throughout the evening.

“The hope is we get a few more viewers watching the show live,” Earley said. “Or at least watching it within three days of air. The show is too good, and we want to continue to support it.”

The Easter-egg approach of the campaign also plays well with the fans of mythology-based shows like “Fringe,” he said.

Fox is coming off another similarly viral campaign for “The Simpsons,” having planted references to Homer and company within some of its primetime shows last week.

Last night saw the Colts beat the Patriots with a last gasp attack and it was NBC which reaped the benefits.

At 7pm, a football overrun helped FOX win the hour with The OT from 7.30-8. Football Night in America was second for NBC, pulling in a 2.7  rating and 7.3 million viewers.

As usual, Sunday Night Football won the night for NBC, averaging a 7.5 rating and just under 19 million viewers. In other news, Three Rivers and Cold Case were up a couple of ticks vs. last week, The Simpsons got a nice post- NFL bump and Brothers and Sisters were up 9% from last weeks series low (2.9 vs. 3.2).

7pm -
FOX – Football Overrun/ The OT - 6.6 rating (A18-49) – 17.5 million viewers. 
NBC – Football Night in America – 2.7 rating (A18-49) – 7.3 million viewers
CBS – 60 Minutes – 2.2 rating (A18-49) – 12.2 million viewers
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos - 2.2 rating – 8.5 million viewers

8pm -
NBC – Football Night in America/ SNF – 6.7 rating (A18-49) – 16.25 million
FOX – Simpsons/ Cleveland Show – 3.8 rating (A18-49) – 8 million viewers
ABC – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – 3.6 rating (A18-49) – 11.58 million
CBS – The Amazing Race – 3.2 rating (A18-49) – 11.64 million viewers.

9pm -
NBC – Sunday Night Football – 7.7 rating (A18-49) -  20.9 million viewers.
ABC – Desperate Housewives – 4.9 rating (A18-49) – 14.4 million viewers. 
FOX - Family Guy/ American Dad – 3.5 rating (A18-49) – 7.1 million viewers
CBS – Three Rivers – 2.0 rating (A18-49) – 8.5 million viewers

10pm -
NBC – Sunday Night Football – 7.0 rating (A18-49) – 17.5 million viewers.
ABC – Brothers and Sisters – 3.2 rating (A18-49) – 10.2 million viewers.
CBS – Cold Case - 2.1 rating (A18-49) – 9.2 million viewers.

A 20 minute NFL overrun on CBS messed with the hourly numbers, but we still know that NBC and Sunday Night Football won the night in the key demographics.

At 7 pm, The 20 minute NFL overrun/60 Minutes won the hour for CBS drawing 15.6 million viewers and a 5.0 rating. Second was NBC’s Football Night In America with a 3.3 rating and 9 million viewers. A combination of Brothers (2.3) and an American Dad (2.1) rerun took third for FOX. ABC’s coverage of the NASCAR: Dickies 500 race and a half hour America’s Funniest Home Videos drew 6.5 million viewers and a 1.9 rating.

At 8, Football Night in America/ Sunday Night Football took the lead for NBC, with 18.2 million viewers and a 6.2 rating.  A Family Guy rerun replaced The Simpsons this week and combined with Family Guy Presents: Seth & Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show drew a 3.6 rating and 7 million viewers. The end of 60 Minutes and beginning of The Amazing Race brought in 13 million viewers and a 3.5 rating – good enough for 3rd. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition took last place for ABC with a 3.0 rating and just under 10.5 million viewers.

At 9, Sunday Night Football continued to grow, bringing in 20.8 million viewers and a 7.5 rating – the highest of the night. Desperate Housewives took over the #2 spot for ABC with a 4.3 rating and 13.2 million viewers, down slightly vs. last week. A new Family Guy/ Cleveland Show combo took 3rd for FOX with a 3.6 rating and 7 million viewers, also down vs. last week. The end of The Amazing Race and Beginning of Three Rivers placed CBS in last for the hour, with a 2.2 rating and 8.6 million viewers.

The end of the Cowboys/Eagles game on NBC brought in a 7.4 rating and 18.4 million viewers, rounding off a good night for the peacock. Brothers and Sisters fell to season lows with a 2.9 rating and 9 million viewers for the alphabet. The end of Three Rivers/beginning of Cold Case brought in 8.2 million viewer and a 1.8 rating to end the night for CBS.