• by Paul Gough , June 5, 2003

Sports and an FX original movie about a true-life hostage standoff at a Los Angeles bank several years ago topped Nielsen's primetime listing of top cable shows for the week ended Sunday.

Two TNT playoff games between the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks - Thursday and Tuesday - drew a 4 and a 3.7 rating respectively. The Thursday game was viewed by 4.2 million households and 5.7 million people; the Tuesday game drew 3.9 million households and 5.2 million people. Third place went to an FX original movie, 44 Minutes, and Spongebob was the first regular series to make the top 10. Six Feet Under was the top pay cable program on Sunday night drawing a 3.6 rating, 3.7 million households and 5.7 million viewers.

Among syndicated programs, Wheel of Fortune led in total households and 2+ persons. Friends was in second place in households and Jeopardy was the second highest-rated show in the P2+ demographic. In total households, the top 10 programs were Wheel of Fortune, Friends, Jeopardy, Seinfeld, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, Entertainment Tonight, Seinfeld/Weekend, Judge Judy and the Dr. Phil Show. In P2+, the top programs were Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Friends, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Oprah Winfrey Show, Entertainment Tonight, Seinfeld/Weekend, Judge Judy and the Dr. Phil Show.

The top 10 primetime programs in basic cable according to Nielsen for the week ended Sunday:

1. NBA Playoffs/Spurs-Mavericks (TNT), 4 rating.

2. NBA Playoffs/Mavericks-Spurs (TNT), 3.7 rating.

3. FC Original Movie/44 Minutes (FX), 3.6 rating.

4. Winston Cup Race (FX), 3.6 rating.

5. WWE Raw Zone (TNN), 3.1 rating.

6. WWE Raw (TNN), 2.9 rating.

7. Spongebob (Nick), 2.8 rating.

8. Law & Order (TNT), 2.7 rating.

9. Spongebob (Nick), 2.8 rating.

10. Fairly Odd Parents (Nick), 2.5 rating.