• by Wayne Friedman , March 7, 2008

In this post-strike period, Fox's "American Idol" on Wednesday continued to crush all comers.

Fox put up big numbers on Wednesday--an 8.3/21 among 18-49 viewers. Other networks--ABC, CBS, and NBC--had virtually identical numbers, with a 2.1/6, a 2.1/6, and a 2.2/6, respectively.

"Idol" leveled the competition with a 10.4/27 between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Fox's 9 p.m. game show, "The Moment of Truth," grabbed a hefty amount of viewers as well, with a 6.1/15. But next week may not be so easy. That's when "Moment" starts off Wednesday night at 8 p.m. instead of getting that audience overflow from "Idol."

Plenty of other reality shows chunked up the schedule with medium-to- poor results: ABC's "Wife Swap" (1.9/5), CBS' "Big Brother" (2/5), NBC's "Deal or No Deal" (2.1/5), ABC's "Supernanny" (2.8/7), and CW's "America's Next Top Model" (1.8/5).

Original scripted dramas also fared badly: NBC had the best of the bunch with "Law & Order" and a 2.9/8; ABC's "Men in Trees" and NBC's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" tied at 1.6/4.

CBS again had the strongest showing for the night, with two of its three hours in repeats--and showing up with decent numbers in those reruns. "Criminal Minds" had a 2.1/5, and "CSI:NY" earned a 2.2/8.