I'm including the change from last year because CBS was reporting that last week's The Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother both had record ratings. The two shows were actually the highest rated shows (18-49) in their time period, ahead of 24 and The Bachelor. Pretty impressive.
THIS WEEK IN TV * Shows returning/premering with new episodes this week are House on Monday, Fringe on Tuesday, Lie To Me on Wednesday (all 3 on FOX), Lost on ABC Wednesday, and The Simpsons and American Dad on FOX Sunday. * Tuesday night, ABC's entire primetime lineup is related to the Presidential inaguration, while CBS and NBC each have an hour worth of coverage (at different times). * Before the Lost premiere is a one-hour Lost: Clip Show. Then both the clip show and the premiere repeat on Saturday. * NBC has the US Figure Skating Championships on Saturday night. * CBS on Sunday night has the Made For TV Movie Loving Leah. You can buy what I assume is the book the movie is based on (The W at Amazon) at amazon for only $4.75, though it's temporarily out of stock. A widow falls in love and marries her late husband's brother. I don't know what to think about that idea. * The CW movie on Sunday is Antitrust, starring Ryan Phillipe, Rachel Leigh Cook, Claire Forlani and Tim Robbins. The stand-alone DVD is not available from amazon.com (it says it has been discontinued by the manufactuer, though you can get it used for as low as $2.99 shipping included), but as we speak there is one copy left of it in a 3pk with Wargames and Hackers for $17.99. * Sunday is Made For TV Movie night apparently, as NBC is running the first half of The Last Templar, which I will assume is a The DaVinci Code knock-off unless informed otherwise. The book is also available at amazon for $9.99. The second half of the miniseries airs on the following Monday.
I'm kind of happy to see Scrubs not doing all that well in the ratings, as hopefully they won't try to wring one more year out of it without at least two of the main stars. Good enough ratings it should get to finish its run, but not overwhelming enough to demand another season.
Yes, Dutch is a smarmy douchebag. Claudette is as close to likable as they get on the show, but even she gives off a frigid, bitchy, vibe. CCH Pounder is a great actress, I have been a fan of her for a long time.