Here are all of the highest-rated network TV programmes for the 2008-09 television season

http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=051909_05

American Idol took the top two spots for the 5th straight year. Dancing With the Stars only got number three, but CSI and NCIS are on the top five again. Anyone else think that American Idol's ratings should decline and it should stop being the #1/#2 highest-rated show in US network television? Because one show cannot be the highest-rated show on network TV forever.

Doesn't American Idol now tie the record with Cosby and All in the Family?

As long as Idol remains entertaining, then why should its ratings drop? They pretty much held steady with last season, so people still do enjoy watching it each week. If that's the case, then why should it deserve to be #1?

The Mentalist coming in at #6 is very impressive, right behind NCIS. Two and a Half Men also made the top 10 for the first time in 3 years I believe.

And, I love how Without a Trace still made the top 20, yet CBS cancelled it. It deserved at least another half season. And America's Got Talent is NBC's second highest rated show, right behind Sunday Night Football-lol.

A very interesting list. Thanks for sharing!

Can someone post this list? The site isn't working for me!

The site doesn't seem to be working at the moment, not sure why.

Can someone post this list? The site isn't working for me!

The site is working again (can you figure out #25?). It was really difficult to copy/paste the numbers, but I will copy/paste all the shows.

Here's how the shows rank for the 2008-2009 television season:

1. AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
2. AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY
3. DANCING WITH THE STARS
4. CSI
5. NCIS
6. THE MENTALIST
7. DANCING W/STARS RESULTS
8. NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
9. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
10. TWO AND A HALF MEN
11. CRIMINAL MINDS
12. GREY'S ANATOMY
13. 60 MINUTES
14. CSI: MIAMI
15. SURVIVOR: GABON
16. HOUSE
17. CSI: NY
18. WITHOUT A TRACE
19. SURVIVOR: TOCANTINS
20. 24
21. AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED
22. COLD CASE
23. ELEVENTH HOUR
24. THE BACHELOR
25. THE OT
26. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
27. AMAZING RACE 13
28. LOST
29. AMAZING RACE 14
30. LIE TO ME
31. SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK
32. BONES
33. BROTHERS & SISTERS
34. GHOST WHISPERER
35. LAW AND ORDER:SVU
36. ER
37. NUMB3RS
38. EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P
39. BIGGEST LOSER 7
40. SURVIVING SUBURBIA
41. CASTLE
42. MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
43. THEUNIT
44. THE BIG BANG THEORY
45. FRINGE
46. WORST WEEK
47. BOSTON LEGAL
48. FLASHPOINT
49. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
50. HARPER'S ISLAND
51. HEROES
52. PRIVATE PRACTICE
53. THE OFFICE
54. SAMANTHA WHO?
55. APPRENTICE 8
56. HELL'S KITCHEN
57. BIGGEST LOSER 6
58. SUPERSTARS OF DANCE
59. MEDIUM
60. SOUTHLAND
61. SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL
62. LAW AND ORDER
63. FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3
64. UGLY BETTY
65. LIFE ON MARS
66. 30 ROCK
67. DEAL OR NO DEAL-WED
68. AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS
69. FAMILY GUY
70. FOX NASCAR SPRINT CUP PST
71. CHUCK
72. TRUE BEAUTY
73. OLD CHRISTINE
74. GARY UNMARRIED
75. ELI STONE
76. 20/20-FRI
77. SIMPSONS
78. 48 HOURS MYSTERY
79. PRIMETIME:WHAT WOULD U DO
80. DIRTY SEXY MONEY
81. EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-7P
82. MY NAME IS EARL
83. KNIGHT RIDER
84. EX LIST, THE
85. LIFE
86. THE UNUSUALS
87. HOMELAND SECURITY USA
88. CRIMETIME SATURDAY
89. PUSHING DAISIES
90. CUPID
91. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
92. HOUSE-WED 9P
93. DEAL OR NO DEAL-FRI
94. LAW AND ORDER:SVU 9P
95. KING OF THE HILL
96. AMERICAN DAD
97. PARKS AND RECREATION
98. SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER
99. DATELINE SUN-7PM
100. DATELINE FRI
101. COPS 2
102. AMW: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
103. IN THE MOTHERHOOD
104. ACCORDING TO JIM-TU 9PM
105. LAW & ORDER-WED 8PM
106. MY OWN WORST ENEMY
107. LAW & ORDER:CI-WED
108. TERMINATOR: SRH CNR CHRON
109. SCRUBS-WED 8PM
110. MOMMA'S BOYS
111. DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON
112. DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS
113. SIMPSONS-SUN 7:30P
114. BONES-WED 9P
115. SAT NIGHT FTBL PRE-GAME
116. KATH & KIM
117. PRISON BREAK
118. LOST-WED 8PM
119. SUPERNANNY
120. LIPSTICK JUNGLE
121. BETTER OFF TED
122. CRIMETIME SATURDAY 8PM
123. COPS
124. KINGS
125. LAW & ORDER:SVU-WED 9PM
126. LAW & ORDER:SVU-SAT
127. ACCORDING TO JIM-TU 9:30P
128. SCRUBS-TU 9PM
129. LAW AND ORDER-SAT
130. FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2
131. SCRUBS-TU 9:30PM
132. DOLLHOUSE
133. HOWIE DO IT 8P
134. KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
135. FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN
136. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
137. WIFE SWAP
138. GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD
139. TIL DEATH
140. AMERICA'S TOP MODEL-5
141. KITCHEN NIGHTMRS-THU 8P
142. AMERICA'S TOP MODEL - 6
143. CRUSOE
144. GAME SHOW IN MY HEAD 830P
145. HOWIE DO IT 8:30
146. TIL DEATH-WED 9:30P
147. AMERICA'S TOUGHEST JOBS
148. ACCORDING TO JIM-TU 8:30P
149. ABC SAT MOVIE OF THE WEEK
150. ACCORDING TO JIM-TU 8PM
151. HOLE IN WALL THU-8:30P
152. SMALLVILLE
153. DO NOT DISTURB
154. HOLE IN WALL THU-8P
155. LAW & ORDER:CI-SAT
156. CHOPPING BLOCK
157. SNL PRIME-SAT
158. SOUTHLAND-SAT
159. SIT DOWN SHUT UP
160. KING OF HILL-SUN 7:30P
161. SUPERNATURAL
162. KING OF HILL-SUN 7P
163. KNIGHT RIDER-SAT
164. HOLE IN WALL-SUN 7:30P
165. HOLE IN WALL-SUN 7P
166. AMERICAN DAD-SUN 7:30P
167. MY OWN WORST ENEMY-SAT
168. GOSSIP GIRL-MON
169. REAPER
170. ONE TREE HILL-MON
171. AMERICAN DAD-SUN 7P
172. 90210
173. THE OFFICE-SAT
174. THEGAME
175. STYLISTA
176. EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
177. PRIVILEGED
178. AMERICA'S TOP MODEL6-ENC
179. ONE TREE HILL-ENC
180. AMERICA'S TOP MODEL5-ENC
181. 13 - FEAR IS REAL
182. THE CW SUNDAY MOVIE
183. STYLISTA-ENC
184. 90210-ENC
185. PRIVILEGED-ENC
186. 13 - FEAR IS REAL-ENC
187. VALENTINE
188. JERICHO
189. IN HARM'S WAY
190. EASY MONEY

Wow Better Off Ted finished at a close #121 and still managed to get new eps-lol Maybe next season the show can move up to #90

As a show I hate dominates the ratings, great. Reality Rules whether we like it or not

As long as Idol remains entertaining, then why should its ratings drop? They pretty much held steady with last season, so people still do enjoy watching it each week. If that's the case, then why should it deserve to be #1?

Because American Idol next season needs to get a lower place in the ratings (i.e. somewhere between #5-#10) and let Dancing With the Stars or (more likely) another show on ABC or CBS take the #1 spot. Because of its long reign as the Nielsen Ratrings Champion, our family has a moratorium against watching that program.

Because American Idol next season needs to get a lower place in the ratings (i.e. somewhere between #5-#10) and let Dancing With the Stars or (more likely) another show on ABC or CBS take the #1 spot. Because of its long reign as the Nielsen Ratrings Champion, our family has a moratorium against watching that program.
LOL "Let's not watch it just because there are so many other people who are watching it!"

Wow, 30 Rock is at #66. I think it's been in the 100's or the 90's since the show started. Hopefully it'll continue to climb.

It really pisses me off that Samantha Who is #54 and gets cancelled while Better off Ted and Scrubs are #121 and #109 and they get renewed :o

Because American Idol next season needs to get a lower place in the ratings (i.e. somewhere between #5-#10) and let Dancing With the Stars or (more likely) another show on ABC or CBS take the #1 spot. Because of its long reign as the Nielsen Ratrings Champion, our family has a moratorium against watching that program.

That is one of the most single-minded explanations I've ever heard-lol.

Overall rankings for shows don't mean anything. 1. Because repeats are mixed in for most shows. 2. Because it depends what is on opposite the show and what the lead-in is. That's why the overall rankings is the most overrated list from all of Nielsen.

Overall rankings for shows don't mean anything. 1. Because repeats are mixed in for most shows. 2. Because it depends what is on opposite the show and what the lead-in is. That's why the overall rankings is the most overrated list from all of Nielsen.


Or, could it be....

3. Because one of your favourite shows just happens to finish near the bottom of the list.

Come on, admit it, that's the real reason you don't like the chart, right?
So which one was it???

For me, it was Scrubs. (#109 and 128) For the last few seasons, I feel it's been given a raw deal and treated very shabbily. Zach Braff got out just in time.

No, it just isn't a fair way of seeing how shows do (and the networks don't look at this). I have always said that every year for many years now, Solomon knows that because I have told him this many times. For example, Surviving Suburbia was #40 but it bled so much out of its lead-in and is not coming back and Better off Ted was #121 and was compatible with Scrubs and that is back. This list doesn't mean anything anymore. Now if this were 1985 when everything repeated well then this list would be somewhat good, but even then the list didn't mean that much--it really depends on what is airing before the show and if it can hold a decent amount from that.