'Idol' Keeps Its Crown, 'Mars' Crashing To Earth

American IdolIt doesn't matter where it plays--"American Idol" still slays the competition. 

The big Fox two-hour show moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of Tuesday's Presidential State of the Union address. But it earned its usual big numbers--a Nielsen 9.1 rating/23 share--all of which helped Fox run off with the night. Last week, the one-hour results version of "Idol" took a 9.0/24.

ABC and CBS virtually tied for a distant second place on the night with a 2.7/7.

ABC had the best-rated show of the night among this group: a 4.4/11 for "Lost"--down from its 5.1 rating of a week ago, all thanks to the big hit from that second hour of "Idol." ("Idol" typically runs for an hour on Wednesdays this time of year.) Good news: Two weeks ago, "Lost" was at the same 4.4 rating number.

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ABC's "Life on Mars" continues to go in the wrong direction--slipping to a 1.7/5 this week from a 2.0/5 the week before.

CBS took in consistent results week to week--a 3.5/9 for "Criminal Minds" at 9 p.m., the same as a week ago, and a 3.1/8 for "CSI: NY," virtually the same numbers the previous week, when it earned a 3.0/8.

NBC's best came from "Biggest Loser" at a 3.3/9 against "Idol." But thereafter, it suffered with low results from "Life" at 1.6/4 and a rerun of "Law & Order" at 1.7/5.

CW and MyNetworkTV went with reruns. CW took a 0.3/1 for the night; MNTV got to a 0.2/1.

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