• by Wayne Friedman , May 2, 2006

Keeping to form, the second big night of the May sweeps this Sunday went to ABC.

Sunday is actually the fourth night of the May sweeps--Thursday, April 27, was the first, in which CBS won handily. Sundays typically have higher HUT levels (Home Using Televisions) than either Fridays or Saturdays, so they are watched more closely.

ABC pulled in with an average 6.8 rating/17 share in viewers 18-49, easily topping the next highest network. ABC's numbers were more than double Fox that had a 3.3/9.

ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" grabbed a heavyweight 9.7 rating in viewers 18-49, with its partner in crime, "Desperate Housewives" getting an also strong 8.9 number. Even ABC's 8 p.m. show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" did well, coming in as the third-highest-rated show of the night with a 5.7.

Fox's highest-rated show was "The Simpsons," with a 4.2 rating.

NBC pulled in after Fox, with a 2.7/7. "Crossing Jordan" was its big hitter of the evening with a 3.5/8; "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" was close behind with a 3.2/7.

CBS was next with an original TV movie starring Tom Selleck, "Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise." It posted a 2.7/6, and for the night CBS tallied 2.6/7.

While CBS came in at a distant fourth place in 18-49 ratings, it came much closer than any other network to ABC in terms of overall viewers. ABC had 16 million average viewers for the night. CBS was relatively close with 13.9 million. Farther behind was NBC at 8.7 million, Fox at 6.8 million, and The WB at 2.3 million.