Ratings: Dancing Puts the Brakes on Knight Rider
Justin Bruening, Knight Rider
Wednesday's ratings recap:
8 pm/ET
A special election-delayed broadcast of the Dancing with the Stars results show averaged 15.6 million total viewers, and thus played havoc with the competition. While Bones (10.1 mil) fought the good fight, dipping just 250K from its last outing, Knight Rider found water in its tank, skidding 29 percent to hit 5.14 mil. Similarly, CBS' Christine (6.57 mil) and Gary (6.44 mil) both dropped about 16 percent. Top Model matched last week's 3.94 mil.
9 pm
Criminal Minds topped the hour with 14.29 million viewers, up 480K. Goosed by a stronger (non-Daisies) lead-in, Private Practice surged 23 percent to a season-high 9.54 mil. NBC's relocated Life (5.82 mil) was up 320K from its last Friday airing, and the CW's Stylista inched up 130K, to two mil.
10 pm
Trailing CSI: NY (which at 11.75 mil was down 14 percent), Law & Order's 19th season premiered to an audience of 7.85 mil. That's down slightly from its May season finale, and a full 40 percent off from its previous season opener. Dirty Sexy Money inherited third place from Lipstick Jungle, delivering 6.25 mil (up 170K).
