CBS tops World Series

'CSI' edges past 'Grey's Anatomy'

By RICK KISSELL

With the World Series cooling off from its solid start on Wednesday, CBS rose to the top in key demos on Thursday behind "CSI," which edged past "Grey's Anatomy" as the night's top program among adults 18-49.

According to preliminary nationals from Nielsen, Game 2 of the World Series averaged a 9.2 household rating/15 share in the metered-market overnights, down 26% from the second game of last year's Fall Classic (12.5/20). Last year's Game 2 averaged about 17 million viewers, so it's safe to project that Thursday's contest will come in below the 14.6 million Fox drew for Wednesday's Game 1.

Still, coverage of Game 2 figures to stand as Fox's strongest Thursday of the season. The net likely will finish second or third in 18-49 and will win in most key male demos.

Elsewhere, CBS was the top entertainment draw both at 8 o'clock with "Survivor" (4.4/12 in 18-49, 13.4 million viewers overall) and 9 o'clock with "CSI" (5.4/13 in 18-49, 19.2 million viewers overall), with the latter slipping past ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (5.3/13 in 18-49, 14.2 million viewers overall). That order could shift when all DVR playback is counted, as "Grey's" has been one of the most-played back programs in the week following its original broadcast.

"CSI" was the night's top-rated program in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers, while "Grey's Anatomy" was No. 1 in 18-34.

Also for ABC, "Ugly Betty" posted best-since-premiere numbers at 8 (2.8/8 in 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall), while rookie 10 o'clock drama "Life on Mars" (2.5/7 in 18-49, 8.1 million viewers overall) was on par with its performance of the previous week, as was CBS rookie "Eleventh Hour" (3.1/8 in 18-49, 12.2 million viewers overall). Both "Mars" and "Hour" were bested in 18-49 by NBC vet "ER" (3.2/8 in 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall).

NBC got off to a slow start on the night with lowest-yet scores for "My Name Is Earl" (2.4/7 in 18-49, 6.3 million viewers overall) and rookie "Kath & Kim" (2.2/6 in 18-49, 5.0 million viewers overall). "The Office" was also below average at 8 o'clock (4.0/10 in 18-49, 7.7 million viewers overall), and the net's third and final Thursday night "Saturday Night Live" special was also lower than previous weeks (3.9/9 in 18-49, 8.5 million viewers overall).

Of note at CW was above average performances from "Smallville" (1.7/5 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) and "Supernatural" (1.3/3 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall), with the former achieving a season high in 18-34 (1.9/5).