TV Ratings Top 25: American Idol, Olympics Top Weekly Broadcast Network Viewing

By
Robert Seidman
– March 2, 2010Posted in: '

I enjoyed the Olympics, but am kind of glad they are over from the perspective of top 25 lists like the ones below.

As with the last two weeks, even with the Olympics, NBC still couldn’t manage to take the top spot with adults 18-49 where American Idol still was perched at the top.   In overall viewing the Friday night primetime coverage was tops for the week, though that was dwarfed by the USA vs. Canada gold medal men’s hockey game on Sunday, but that wasn’t in primetime.

Below are the top 25 tables for both adults 18-49 and overall viewing  in primetime for the week ending February 28..

Weekly cable show ratings and overnight broadcast show ratings are also available.

Adults 18-49 viewing for the week ending February 28, 2010:

Rank Shows R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere Net 18-49 Rating 18-49 Viewers (000)
1 AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY FOX 9.0 11,873
2 American Idol-WEDNESDAY FOX 8.7 11,425
3 WNTR OLYM FRI PRIME 2(S) S NBC 6.5 8,556
4 American Idol THU SP-2/25(S) S FOX 6.5 8,498
5 WNTR OLYM THU PRIME 2(S) S NBC 6.1 8,089
6 WNTR OLYM CLOSE CEREM(S) S NBC 5.5 7,298
7 WNTR OLYM TUE PRIME 2(S) S NBC 5.5 7,200
8 WNTR OLYM WED PRIME 2(S) S NBC 5.5 7,175
9 WNTR OLYM MON PRIME 2(S) S NBC 5.4 7,043
10 Undercover Boss CBS 5.1 6,673
11 MARRIAGE REF P NBC 4.9 6,384
12 VANCOUVER GOLD(S) S NBC 4.8 6,353
13 WNTR OLYM SAT PRIME 3(S) S NBC 4.8 6,266
14 LOST ABC 4.6 6,014
15 BACHELOR, THE ABC 3.9 5,130
16 SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS CBS 3.7 4,873
17 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 3.7 4,843
18 KITCHEN NIGHTMRS-2/25 9P(S) S FOX 3.4 4,461
19 BIG BANG THEORY, THE R CBS 3.3 4,342
20 Two and a Half Men R CBS 3.3 4,337
21 AMAZING RACE 16 CBS 3.2 4,200
22 24 FOX 2.8 3,706
23 FAMILY GUY R FOX 2.8 3,674
24 BROTHERS & Sisters ABC 2.5 3,346
25 COLD CASE CBS 2.4 3,118

=

Overall viewing (all ages 2+) for the week ending February 28, 2010:

Rank Shows R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere Net # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) HH RATING (LIVE+SD) HH SHARE (LIVE+SD)
1 WNTR OLYM FRI PRIME 2(S) S NBC 24,522 13.9 24
2 American Idol-TUESDAY FOX 24,213 13.4 20
3 American Idol-WEDNESDAY FOX 22,959 12.8 20
4 WNTR OLYM THU PRIME 2(S) S NBC 22,920 13.6 23
5 WNTR OLYM CLOSE CEREM(S) S NBC 21,403 12.1 19
6 WNTR OLYM TUE PRIME 2(S) S NBC 21,279 12.6 20
7 WNTR OLYM MON PRIME 2(S) S NBC 20,926 12.5 20
8 WNTR OLYM SAT PRIME 3(S) S NBC 20,630 11.7 21
9 WNTR OLYM WED PRIME 2(S) S NBC 19,808 11.9 19
10 American Idol THU SP-2/25(S) S FOX 18,033 10.3 16
11 VANCOUVER GOLD(S) S NBC 17,994 10.2 17
12 Undercover Boss CBS 15,154 8.7 13
13 MARRIAGE REF P NBC 14,448 8.7 16
14 SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS CBS 11,599 6.7 10
15 NCIS R CBS 11,586 7.3 11
16 BACHELOR, THE ABC 11,266 7.1 11
17 Desperate Housewives ABC 10,894 6.8 10
18 60 Minutes CBS 10,811 6.8 11
19 Two and a Half Men R CBS 10,287 6.5 10
20 Amazing Race 16 CBS 10,213 5.7 9
21 LOST ABC 9,947 5.8 9
22 COLD CASE CBS 9,831 6.1 10
23 Mentalist, THE 9PM-SPCL(S) SR CBS 9,654 6.2 10
24 Big Bang Theory, THE R CBS 9,158 5.8 9
25 24 FOX 8,834 5.2 8

=
Nielsen Ratings Data: ©2010 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.  All ratings above Live+SD (live viewing plus same day DVR viewing)