Daily ratings for premiere week rolled in all last week, but now we’ve got a look at how things shook out for the week overall. The big winners in the ratings race? CBS’ NCIS and just-launched spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles, which captured the top two spots for the week ending Sept. 27 with 20.6 million and 18.7 million viewers, respectively. After seasons of the network’s CSI (which premiered at No. 7 with 16.0 million viewers) dominating the chart on Thursday night, it seems that Tuesday night is the new ratings powerhouse for CBS, which also had another winner that evening with the Julianna Marguiles-led The Good Wife, which premiered to a respectable 13.7 million viewers at No. 15.
One show that, not surprisingly, isn’t in the Top 20 anymore? NBC’s falling-fast The Jay Leno Show, which could only muster 6.9 million viewers for its most-watched episode on Tuesday night. That was only good enough for No. 48. The show’s lowest-rated episode, the Thursday night edition, appears at No. 64 with a paltry 5.1 million viewers.
The rest of the week’s top shows were the usual suspects, everything from NBC’s always-successful Sunday Night Football at No. 4 with 17.5 million viewers and Fox’s surging House at No. 5 with 17.2 million viewers to CBS’ The Mentalist at No. 11 with 15.1 million and the still sagging Desperate Housewives on ABC with 13.6 million viewers at No. 16. Besides NCIS: Los Angeles, there were only two other new shows to make the Top 20: ABC’s Modern Family, which rolled in at No. 19 with 12.6 million viewers, and ABC’s FlashForward, which drew 12.5 million viewers to land at No. 20. Both enjoyed not-too-shabby debuts. The week’s full Top 20 — complete with viewership totals — after the jump.
1. NCIS | CBS | 20.6 million
2. NCIS: Los Angeles | CBS | 18.7 million
3. Dancing with the Stars Monday | ABC | 17.8 million
4. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 17.5 million
5. House | Fox | 17.2 million
6. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 17.0 million
7. CSI | CBS | 16.0 million
8. Criminal Minds | CBS | 15.8 million
9. Dancing with the Stars Tuesday | ABC | 15.4 million
(tie) 9. Dancing with the Stars Wednesday | ABC | 15.4 million
11. The Mentalist | CBS | 15.1 million
(tie) 11. CSI: NY | CBS | 15.1 million
13. 60 Minutes | CBS | 14.9 million
14. CSI: Miami | CBS | 14.2 million
15. The Good Wife | CBS | 13.7 million
16. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 13.6 million
(tie) 16. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 13.6 million
18. The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 13.0 million
19. Modern Family | ABC | 12.6 million
20. FlashForward | ABC | 12.5 million
Source: Nielsen
More from EW.com’s Hollywood Insider:
Ratings: ‘The Cleveland Show’ debuts well for Fox
Box Office Report: ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ makes $24.6 million
ABC to break up ‘V’ debut; first four episodes air in November
“The Mentalist” will rise, now that it is against “Private Practice.” But you have to give
“NCIS” credit. A show 6 years old is getting its highest ratings ever. And you have to thank USA network for broadcasting reruns of “NCIS.”
That’s how I started watching it ) how many shows get their highest ratings in their 7th season? I’s incredible. I agree on “The Mentalist”. CBS is gonna have a great year!
ummm…..where did the still sagging desperate housewives comment come from?
Joe: “Desperate” season-opener viewed by over a million-less
viewers than last year’s season-opener. ABC may have to think about what they gotta do to revive interest. Killing off Nicolette Sheridan may have backfired.
i agree. I’m a huge fan. but it’s just not the same without her!
Yay for NCIS. They’ve been solidly in the Top 20, and higher, but I think this might actually be their first number one finish!!
Yay us NCIS fans also keeping the show alive and I heard it’s dethroned CSI yippee=)
Where was Survivor on this list? I guess it premiered the week prior.
I personally don’t enjoy Desperate Housewives, but the show still has big numbers. It’s not #1 anymore, but it’s FAR from a failure.
It was beat out by FlashForward, and in it’s target audience, too.
Besides the list is the top 20 for the week, didn’t really have anything to do with whether they were premier episodes or not.
YAY for NCIS and please CBS when you cancel Accidentally on Purpose can you please move HIMYM up to 8:30? I get home so late that it’s halfway over when I walk through the door.
Wow Big Bang Theory had a bigger showing than How I Met Your Mother. I like How I Met Your Mother, but Big Bang Theory’s time change is a great thing for it.
I’m worried about Flashforward now. Please don’t let it get cancelled!
Why are you worried? Those are good numbers.
I’d like to point out that both NCIS shows are on Tuesday – the least competitive night in television this season. Point that out won’t you?
What does night of the week have to do with it? True, the other networks aren’t giving us much, but they still got the highest numbers of the week. I think that shows some people would rather see a good story than watch Aunt Bessie make a fool of herself.
In general you might be correct, but for this premier week NCIS was up against night 2 of the DWTS premier which with 17.5 million viewers was pretty serious competition.
NCIS (both) will take a hit when “Idol” returns in January but clearly
they will stay strong overall.
Actually, NCIS is the one show that is hardly affected by AI. Both shows attract different demos and NCIS has consistently held onto their ratings when Idol starts in January.
“NCIS” – the little show that could. 7 years in and stronger than ever. I am so proud for everyone with the show. They consistently put out a quality product week after week and year after year.
Adora,
I was going to ask the same question. Thanks for beating me to it.
I dont know anyone who watches any show on CBS….those shows look awful to me
you are crazy man , NCIS is the best show on TV, has been from the start. NBC has the worst line and show. Only CBS and ABC are watched in our household and a little of fox.
Maybe it’s because I’m only 21…but I don’t know a single soul who watches NCIS. but good for it I guess.
maybe you should start watching it…..who knows you might get addicted to the show! i didn’t like it before but i’m a huge fan now.
My girlfriend got me into NCIS and Bones over the summer, and I’m currently watching both. We’re both 23 (well I’ll be on Friday). So yes, there are viewers in the under 30 demographic who watch NCIS. The LA spin off is kind of boring, though.
NCIS deserves these ratings–it was done with hardly any help at all from CBS who hardly promotes it at all. I’m proud of this show–I’ve been watching since JAG. Once AI starts up, yeah, there’ll be competition, but it’ll hold up very well, no doubt about it, especially with AI’s consistently decreasing ratings over the years.
Love NCIS.
We always watch NCIS over American Idol, to many commercials we always TIVO it so we can skip through all the who-lala
THe Jay Leno Show is unwatchable. I tried, but I can’t get through the first 20 minutes.