Fox has captured its second straight Monday in key demos behind another dominant showing for reality skein "Joe Millionaire" (9.4/21 in adults 18-49, 17.5 million viewers overall), according to preliminary nationals from Nielsen. "Joe" retained a strong 93% of its premiere-week 18-49 audience.
Fox wasn't nearly as strong in the opening hour, where "Boston Public" dropped to a fourth-place finish among adults 18-49 (3.7/9).
ABC's "American Music Awards" (12.9 million viewers overall) hit an off-note, as its 5.6/13 in adults 18-49 was off more than 20% from last year's 7.3/18 (on a Wednesday). That was enough, though, to give the net a solid second-place finish on the night in the key demo.
NBC was a solid third, as "Fear Factor" led the 8 o'clock half-hour in adults 18-49 (6.0/15) and, like lead-out "Third Watch" (4.7/10), was up vs. the same night a year ago. And at 10, "Crossing Jordan" hit a season high in 18-49 for a second straight week (5.2/13), easily topping a repeat of CBS' "CSI: Miami" (4.3/10). The net also eked out a victory in total viewers.
It was a rare fourth-place Monday finish in key demos and total viewers for CBS, which went with an all-repeat lineup.
Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 6.5/15; ABC, 5.6/13; NBC, 5.3/13; CBS, 4.2/10.
In total viewers: NBC, 13.4 million; Fox, 13.3 million; ABC, 12.9 million; CBS, 12.5 million.
Contact Rick Kissell at
rick.kissell@variety.com