• by Wayne Friedman , February 8, 2008

"American Idol" is a monster. So networks that don't carry it are eager for the strike to end. But it may not make any difference.

Fox continues to win the early days of January--especially Tuesday and Wednesday--thanks to "American Idol." All this despite the fact that other networks are now offering up more original programming than in previous weeks.

Last night "Idol" grabbed a 10.5/27, which is up versus the same day a week before. Fox's "The Moment of Truth," which followed "Idol" at 9 p.m., went in the other direction--a 7.1/17, down from a 7.8 rating the week before. Non-Fox programs were way down the rating list at 9 p.m.: ABC's "Supernanny" took second place at 9 p.m. with a 3.0/7.

The also-rans, two procedural crime dramas with original episodes, didn't grab viewers' fancy. At 10 p.m., CBS' "CSI: NY" and NBC's "Law & Order" tied with 2.9/8 numbers. Another original scripted show, ABC's "Cashmere Mafia," was a distant third as it continued to drift downward to 2.0/5.

Fox was at an 8.8/22 for the night. ABC edged out CBS--a 2.5/6.3 to CBS' 2.5/6.2. Then NBC landed with a 2.3/6.

CW, with "Top Model Exposed" and a repeat of "One Tree Hill," earned a 0.7/2. MyNetworkTV, with "Whacked Out" and "Impossible Magic," finished the night with a 0.4/1.