TV Jots

Fox Hit Stays on Top

I haven’t watched Fox’s American Idol regularly since Season One eons ago. Judging from the latest Nielsen numbers, however, I’m about the only person in the United States who doesn’t tune in to every episode.

Once again, the music reality competition leads the pack, earning the first and second slots in the Top 10 list of television shows for the week January 19–25. Sure, the ratings for the episodes are down 4.425 million (Wednesday) and 7.651 million (Tuesday) viewers. Then again, all of the numbers for the highest-rated series are lower this week than last.

As usual, the remaining eight spots in the Top 10 are occupied by a hodgepodge of familiar CBS and Fox series, with the exception of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, which takes the seventh position. A welcome addition to the winner’s circle is the Sunday-night staple Cold Case, a show I never hear anyone talking about that much, despite its consistently strong storylines and Nielsen performance.

Moving on to the Top 20, it’s nice to see Eleventh Hour, which I didn’t care for at first, placing a respectable 13th with 12.314 million total viewers. If ever there was an example of a series that has gotten progressively better, Eleventh Hour is it. I’m so glad I kept watching.

Also in the Top 20 are the premiere episode of Fox’s newbie Lie to Me (#12, 12.37 million), another debut that didn’t exactly wow me; the first 2009 episode of Fox’s creepily satisfying freshman chiller Fringe (#15, 11.962 million); and the fifth-season premiere of Lost pulling up the rear at Number 20 with 11.347 million total viewers. All in all, not too shabby.

The remaining Top 10 shows for the week January 19–25 follow.

1. American Idol, Wednesday (Fox) — 25.897 million viewers
2. American Idol, Tuesday (Fox) — 22.773 million viewers
3. CSI (CBS) — 17.572 million viewers
4. Two and a Half Men (CBS) — 16.094 million viewers
5. House (Fox) — 15.027 million viewers
6. CSI: Miami (CBS) — 14.579 million viewers
7. Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) — 14.432 million viewers
8. 60 Minutes (CBS) — 14.208 million viewers
9. Criminal Minds (CBS) — 13.816 million viewers
10. Cold Case (CBS) — 13.257 million viewers