In a week that contained a lot of repeats both American Idol airings, and new episodes of NCIS and CSI led the list. The CBS Sunday movie Jesse Stone: Thin Ice was the number five show overall, was nowhere to be found among the top 25 programs among adults 18-49.
Meanwhile, an American Idol fueled airing of Hell's Kitchen was number 22 overall, but fifth among 18-49 year olds. Lost was twentieth overall, but fourth with the 18-49 crowd.
It's becoming typical to say it, but I'll say it again anyway, NBC placed no shows among the top twenty most-watched programs for the week. The peacocks can puff out their feathers at least a little bit more in the 18-49 rankings where NBC placed four shows in the top twenty, and even though 30 Rock didn't have a new episode of The Office ahead of it, it placed twenty-fifth with adults 18-49.
Nielsen Top Twenty Shows by viewers for the week ending March 1, 2009:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH rating (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) | 18-49 Rank |
| 1 | AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY | FOX | 24,541 | 13.8 | 21 | 1 | |
| 2 | AMERICAN IDOL THU SP-2/26(S) | S | FOX | 20,889 | 11.9 | 19 | 2 |
| 3 | NCIS | CBS | 18,268 | 11.1 | 18 | 10 | |
| 4 | CSI | CBS | 17,724 | 11.1 | 17 | 6 | |
| 5 | CBS SUNDAY MOVIE-SPECIAL(S) | S | CBS | 15,239 | 9.3 | 14 | |
| 6 | HOUSE | FOX | 14,858 | 8.9 | 14 | 3 | |
| 7 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 14,233 | 9.1 | 15 | ||
| 8 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 13,930 | 8.9 | 13 | 16 | |
| 9 | CSI: NY | CBS | 12,563 | 8.1 | 14 | 23 | |
| 10 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | R | CBS | 12,066 | 7.5 | 11 | 14 |
| 11 | SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS | CBS | 12,053 | 6.9 | 11 | 8 | |
| 12 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 11,976 | 7.8 | 12 | 7 | |
| 13 | ELEVENTH HOUR | CBS | 11,699 | 7.6 | 13 | ||
| 14 | 24 | FOX | 11,683 | 6.9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 15 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 11,543 | 7.2 | 13 | ||
| 16 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P | ABC | 11,003 | 6.6 | 10 | 15 | |
| 17 | BACHELOR, THE | ABC | 10,934 | 7.2 | 11 | 12 | |
| 18 | AMAZING RACE 14 | CBS | 10,597 | 6.2 | 10 | 24 | |
| 19 | CSI: MIAMI | R | CBS | 10,059 | 6.6 | 11 | |
| 20 | LOST | ABC | 10,050 | 5.9 | 9 | 4 |
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved
All numbers above based on live plus same day DVR viewing.
