CBS comedies score an 18-49 win while ABC grabs the most viewers

Fast National ratings for Monday, Oct. 20, 2008

"Two and a Half Men" led CBS to a demographic triumph Monday night, but ABC and its dancing stars still ruled the overall ratings.

ABC drew a 9.2 rating/14 share for the night, beating out CBS' 7.3/11 for the top spot. NBC finished a fairly distant third at 4.3/7. FOX, 3.3/5, came in fourth, and The CW trailed with a 2.1/3.

CBS led the adults 18-49 demo with a 3.9 rating. ABC finished second at 3.3. NBC, 2.9, took third, followed by FOX, 2.2, and The CW, 1.7.

"Dancing with the Stars," 11.9/18, once again dominated the 8 p.m. hour. CBS snagged second with "The Big Bang Theory," 5.8/9, and "How I Met Your Mother," 5.7/8. NBC's "Chuck," 4.0/6, improved a little on its recent performances and finished third. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" drew a 3.1/5 for FOX, a point better than "Gossip Girl" on The CW.

ABC held the overall lead at 9 p.m. with the end of "Dancing with the Stars," 12.7/18, and "Samantha Who?," 7.4/11. "Two and a Half Men" (8.9/13) -- which was also the night's top show in the 18-49 demo -- and "Worst Week" (6.3/9) kept CBS in second. "Heroes," 5.1/7, came in third for NBC. FOX's "Prison Break" improved a little on its lead-in, as did The CW's "One Tree Hill," which scored a 2.2/3.

"CSI: Miami" easily won the 10 p.m. hour for CBS with an 8.7/14. "Boston Legal," 5.8/10, was second for ABC, while "My Own Worst Enemy" could muster only a 3.7/6 for NBC.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.