Last week wasn't much different than the week before it, Sunday Night Football featuring the Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons was the most-watched program among the advertising-centric adults 18-49 demographic for the week ending October 18, 2009. NCIS was the most-watched program overall averaging over 21 million viewers.
Among scripted shows, this week House edged out Grey's Anatomy with adults 18-49, 6.79 million vs. 6.59 million with both shows down a bit from the week before.
Aside from Sunday Night Football and its pregame, NBC again placed only two other shows on either list: The Office and The Biggest Loser - both made the 18-49 list.
Keep your eye on CBS' The Big Bang Theory its growth this season in the 9:30 slot (which began over the summer during reruns) continues to be impressive. TBBT was the #4 show with adults 18-49 last week.
On to the lists!
Weekly cable show ratings and overnight broadcast show ratings are also available.
Adults 18-49 viewing for the week ending October 18, 2009:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | 18-49 rating | 18-49 Viewers (000) |
| 1 | NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | 7.2 | 9,534 | |
| 2 | HOUSE | FOX | 5.2 | 6,792 | |
| 3 | Grey'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 5.0 | 6,589 | |
| 4 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 5.0 | 6,563 | |
| 5 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 4.8 | 6,276 | |
| 6 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 4.6 | 6,104 | |
| 7 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 4.5 | 5,978 | |
| 8 | NCIS | CBS | 4.5 | 5,899 | |
| 9 | Family Guy | R | FOX | 4.2 | 5,470 |
| 10 | Simpsons | FOX | 4.1 | 5,414 | |
| 11 | OFFICE | NBC | 4.1 | 5,348 | |
| 12 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 4.0 | 5,246 | |
| 13 | Private Practice | ABC | 3.8 | 5,058 | |
| 14 | HELL'S KITCHEN | FOX | 3.8 | 5,031 | |
| 15 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 3.8 | 4,941 | |
| 16 | CLEVELAND | FOX | 3.8 | 4,935 | |
| 17 | CSI | CBS | 3.6 | 4,800 | |
| 18 | Modern Family | ABC | 3.6 | 4,791 | |
| 19 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 3.6 | 4,696 | |
| 20 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 3.6 | 4,683 | |
| 21 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.5 | 4,641 | |
| 22 | Biggest Loser 8 | NBC | 3.5 | 4,624 | |
| 23 | SURVIVOR: SAMOA | CBS | 3.5 | 4,624 | |
| 24 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | CBS | 3.5 | 4,563 | |
| 25 | GLEE | FOX | 3.4 | 4,532 |
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Overall viewing (all ages 2+) for the week ending October 18, 2009:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH RATING (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) |
| 1 | NCIS | CBS | 21,035 | 12.9 | 20 | |
| 2 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18,170 | 10.9 | 17 | |
| 3 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 16,789 | 10.8 | 16 | |
| 4 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | CBS | 15,384 | 9.7 | 15 | |
| 5 | CSI | CBS | 15,376 | 9.7 | 15 | |
| 6 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 15,080 | 9.7 | 16 | |
| 7 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 14,317 | 9.2 | 14 | |
| 8 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 14,174 | 8.7 | 13 | |
| 9 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 13,955 | 9.1 | 14 | |
| 10 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 13,917 | 8.5 | 13 | |
| 11 | Grey'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 13,786 | 8.9 | 14 | |
| 12 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 13,677 | 8.7 | 13 | |
| 13 | HOUSE | FOX | 13,498 | 7.9 | 12 | |
| 14 | CSI: NY | CBS | 13,402 | 8.8 | 15 | |
| 15 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 13,273 | 8.5 | 14 | |
| 16 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 13,068 | 8.0 | 12 | |
| 17 | GOOD WIFE, THE | CBS | 12,978 | 8.7 | 15 | |
| 18 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 12,003 | 7.1 | 11 | |
| 19 | SURVIVOR: SAMOA | CBS | 11,779 | 7.0 | 11 | |
| 20 | AMAZING RACE 15 | CBS | 10,923 | 6.4 | 10 | |
| 21 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 10,360 | 6.8 | 12 | |
| 22 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P | ABC | 10,329 | 6.3 | 10 | |
| 23 | CASTLE | ABC | 9,768 | 6.5 | 11 | |
| 24 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 9,722 | 6.6 | 11 | |
| 25 | BONES | FOX | 9,587 | 5.9 | 10 |
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Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. All ratings above Live+SD (live viewing plus same day DVR viewing)
| 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 | NCIS | CBS | 21,035 | 12.9 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18,170 | 10.9 | 17 | 1 | |
| 3 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 16,789 | 10.8 | 16 | 5 | |
| 4 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | CBS | 15,384 | 9.7 | 15 | 16 | |
| 5 | CSI | CBS | 15,376 | 9.7 | 15 | 11 | |
| 6 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 15,080 | 9.7 | 16 | 13 | |
| 7 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 14,317 | 9.2 | 14 | ||
| 8 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 14,174 | 8.7 | 13 | 4 | |
| 9 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | 13,955 | 9.1 | 14 | ||
| 10 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 13,917 | 8.5 | 13 | ||
| 11 | Grey'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 13,786 | 8.9 | 14 | 3 | |
| 12 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 13,677 | 8.7 | 13 | 12 | |
| 13 | HOUSE | FOX | 13,498 | 7.9 | 12 | ||
| 14 | CSI: NY | CBS | 13,402 | 8.8 | 15 | 6 | |
| 15 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 13,273 | 8.5 | 14 | ||
| 16 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 13,068 | 8.0 | 12 | ||
| 17 | GOOD WIFE, THE | CBS | 12,978 | 8.7 | 15 | ||
| 18 | SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK | NBC | 12,003 | 7.1 | 11 | 17 | |
| 19 | SURVIVOR: SAMOA | CBS | 11,779 | 7.0 | 11 | ||
| 20 | AMAZING RACE 15 | CBS | 10,923 | 6.4 | 10 | 18 | |
| 21 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 10,360 | 6.8 | 12 | 8 | |
| 22 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P | ABC | 10,329 | 6.3 | 10 | 7 | |
| 23 | CASTLE | ABC | 9,768 | 6.5 | 11 | ||
| 24 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 9,722 | 6.6 | 11 | ||
| 25 | BONES | FOX | 9,587 | 5.9 | 10 |
