After weeks that saw the World Series on Fox and then NBC’s Sunday Night Football top the broadcast ratings for the week, a scripted show—specifically, CBS’ powerhouse NCIS—was champion again for the week ending Nov. 22, after dominating for the first five weeks of the season. The Tuesday evening procedural starring Mark Harmon drew 20.3 million viewers, a full 1.5 million over the Monday edition of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, which came in second place with 18.8 million viewers. NBC’s Sunday Night Football, which always performs strongly, showed up at No. 3, grabbing 17.3 million viewers for the showdown that saw the Philadelphia Eagles prevail over the Chicago Bears.
The rest of the Top 20—which you can find after the jump, with viewership totals—is nothing out of the ordinary, except for the American Music Awards, which caused much controversy because of Adam Lambert’s sexually charged performance. (And actually, the fallout continues.) The awards show managed to land at No. 9 with 14.2 million viewers, a bump of 2.0 million viewers from last year and the program’s highest-rated outing since 2002.
1. NCIS | CBS | 20.3 million
2. Dancing with the Stars Monday | ABC | 18.8 million
3. Sunday Night Football | NBC | 17.3 million
4. Dancing with the Stars Tuesday | ABC | 16.0 million
(tie) 4. 60 Minutes | CBS | 16.0 million
6. The Mentalist | CBS | 15.9 million
7. CSI | CBS | 14.9 million
(tie) 7. NCIS: Los Angeles | CBS | 14.9 million
9. American Music Awards | ABC | 14.2 million
10. Grey’s Anatomy | ABC | 14.1 million
11. Criminal Minds | CBS | 13.7 million
(tie) 12. Two and a Half Men | CBS | 13.7 million
13. CSI: NY | CBS | 13.6 million
14. CSI: Miami | CBS | 13.3 million
15. The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 13.2 million
16. The Good Wife | CBS | 12.7 million
(tie) 16. House | Fox | 12.7 million
18. Survivor: Samoa | CBS | 12.3 million
19. The Amazing Race 15 | CBS | 12.2 million
20. Castle | ABC | 10.5 million
Source: Nielsen
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I think this is the first time Castle has ever been in the top 10! Yeah Castle!
You mean top 20
Whoops yeah that’s a boo boo, I meant top 20, still good news!
I wish that you guys would stop calling NCIS a procedural show–it certainly is not. The plots rely upon the characters and the crimes are usually in the background. It is nothing like the CSI shows, even though it may have started out that way. And great to see Castle in the top 20.
WOOO HOOO! AMAZING RACE! this season has been sooo good! GO! Globetrotters!
No fan of the original NCIS. Love NCIS LA. Kind of like no fan of the original CSI. Love CSI Miami.
Lol. No offense but it sounds like you like second-rate stuff.
Ditto, I’m a fan of the original NCIS and a fan of the original CSI but I can’t stand to watch NCIS: LA or CSI: Miami.
To me the spin offs don’t have anything new and the original always does it better.
Funnily enough NCIS seems to be the only exception since it was a spin off of JAG but it has next to nothing in common with it’s mother show.
I’m happy for NCIS, Castle and The Mentalist.
Nerwen,
I liked that JAG and NCIS were two different types of shows. I was disappointed that NCIS’ spinoff wasn’t the same way. You know different from the show it spinoff from.
Okay, here it goes! While NCIS holds the number 1 spot, NCIS:LA falls constantly now it has the 7th place! NCIS, never dropped under the 20 millions mark!NEVER! while this NCIS:LA dropped 5 MILLION viewers! I don’t want to, offend anybody but NCIS-LA don’t has a personality, i would gave it a 5 out of 10, while ncis 9+ out of 10!
I wondered if anybody else noticed that Castle had cracked the Top 20. I’m super-pumped about that. I’m also happy that The Mentalist and BBT are continuing to do so well.
I’m so proud that Castle made it into the Top 20….not that I’m a part of making the show. haha. I just love it like crazy! I’m glad for The Good Wife, too. But most for Castle. It’s a fantastic show, and this is such a good sign! I hope it lasts for a good, long time.
I love that Castle made it into the Top 20, it`s an amazing and fun show to watch!Cast and Crew, keep up the great work! It´s almost like a drug, you want to know what´s on next!