For years everybody has been playing for second place on Thursday nights, with NBC supreme. With the lineup of Survivor, CSI, and Without a Trace, does CBS finally have a better lineup show for show than NBC?

Maybe. But the fact is Survivor's rating have gone down since it's 3rd season. During it's second season it averaged 30 million viewers now it averages 19 million viewers. That is a decline of 11 million viewers. And NBC still wins the 8:00 hour. CSI, yes has won the 9:00 hour. But unlike when NBC use to win the 9:00 all the show against it didn't do all that well. But will and Grace does very well. Averaging 21 million viewers so far this season. And at the 10:00 hour ER still is the king of it's timeslot. Plus CBS in a way is copying itself. Just like one of the producers of CSI said Without a Trace is a copycat of CSI. I guess CBS can't come up with new original programming they have to copy their other shows. Until ratings take a tumble.

But you have to know this when Cheers and The Cosby Show left NBC in the early 90's NBC's must see tv lineup ratings took a fall. But then NBC came back with big powerhouse shows and took back their Thursday nights. I'd say CBS will have the win in Thursday nights for the next 2 years after Friends leaves. But after those 2 years NBC will be right back on top in the Thursday night ratings.

I agree but franchise is the big thing now in TV. If you have a drama that works and is a hit, you just clone it and can't miss. CSI begat CSI Miama and CSI Miami begat Without a Trace. Look at NBC, they might as well be the Law and Order Network. As far as Survivor goes, CBS will suffer because it can't be on an entire season, as there is always a 3 or four month break while they make the next one so what will they do the second half of the year? This is the first one I have not watched anyway. By the way, I never watched Will and Grace before I saw it in syndication last week and I liked it. I wonder if its still funny or I was seeing some early episodes of a now tired show?