THE EAGLES - THE MENTALIST BECOMES TOP-RATED ENTERTAINMENT SHOW

THE MENTALIST BECOMES TOP-RATED ENTERTAINMENT SHOW

CBS's The Mentalist turned out to be not only the top-rated new show of the season but also the most-watched entertainment show of last week, according to Nielsen Research. The show attracted 19.6 million viewers, but it ranked only fourth because of end-of-the-season football mania. Fox's coverage of the BCS championship game between Florida and Oklahoma attracted 26.8 million viewers, while its coverage of the NFC playoff game between the Eagles and Giants drew 23.8 million. Indeed Fox's football coverage -- college and pro -- gave the network an easy overall win for the week as it averaged 14.2 million viewers, far surpassing usual ratings winner CBS, which averaged 11.7 million.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research 1. BCS National Championship, Fox, 15.8/25; 2.NFC Playoff, Fox, 13.8/23; 3. AFC Playoff/ Post-Game, CBS, 12.6/20; 4. The Mentalist , CBS, 12.2/18; 5. NCIS , CBS, 11.6/18; 6. Fiesta Bowl, Fox, 10.4/17; 7. 60 Minutes , CBS, 9.2/14; 8. Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 9.2/14; 9. Grey's Anatomy , ABC, 8.9/13; 10. Desperate Housewives , ABC, 8.5/12.

14/01/2009