FOX Rides World Series Wave To Ratings Victory

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FOX, which hasn’t premiered its new season because of its baseball commitments, averaged 16.3 million viewers with a 10.2 rating and a 16 share. CBS dropped to second place, with 12.6 million viewers, an 8.4 rating and a 13 share. NBC followed with 11 million viewers, a 7.5 rating and a 12 share. ABC had 9.4 million viewers with a 5.9 rating and a 10 share. The WB came in with 4.6 million viewers, 2.9 rating and 4 share. UPN and Pax TV came in last, with UPN’s 3.9 million viewers, 2.5 rating and 4 share and Pax TV’s 1.2 million viewers, 0.9 rating and 1 share.

The top-rated program was Sunday night’s seventh game of the World Series between the Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants. Game 7 received a 17.9 rating and 28 share. Games 4 and 6 were tied for fifth place with 11.8 ratings and 19 and 21 shares. Two other World Series games made the top 20 but that was all for FOX. The network’s primetime airings of the league championships and World Series has pushed back its fall premieres so it has yet to be determined how FOX’s new season will fare. But one show that has premiered, David E. Kelly's girls club, was canceled Tuesday after two disappointing episodes.

Four CBS shows made the top 10, including the highest-ranking program on TV so far this season. Last week’s CSI averaged 16.5 million viewers, a 15.6 rating and a 23 share, to make it the second-ranked show for the week of Oct. 21-27. In five telecasts since its Sept. 26 season premiere, CSI has averaged a 17.8 rating and a 27 share. Its spinoff, CSI: Miami, averaged 13.1 million viewers with a 12.4 rating and a 20 share. CSI: Miami is also in the top 5 in season-to-date.

Everybody Loves Raymond was the week’s highest-rated comedy, with the CBS program earning a 13.7 rating and a 20 share. Survivor: Thailand received a 11.7 rating and an 18 share, just ahead of NBC’s three top 10 shows. Friends (11.5 rating, 18 share) was tied for the number-eight position with Law and Order SVU (11.5 rating, 20 share). Law and Order rounded out the Top 10 with a 11.3 rating and a 19 share.

This story will be updated throughout the day as more Nielsen data becomes available.