Ratings: 30 Rocks Hard with its Biggest Audience Ever

Thursday's numbers, at a glance: 8 pm/ETSurvivor (13.15 million total viewers) and Betty (8.55 mil) put up typical numbers to claim the top two spots. While NBC's Earl (6.17 mil) dipped a bit, lead-out Kath & Kim (5.46 mil) reversed its downward trend by gaining 500K. Smallville held steady at 4.24 mil. 9 pmCSI led the hour with 18.64 mil (down 553 thou) but this week ceded command of the demos to Grey's Anatomy (which at 15.05 mil was up six percent). Now here's where things get serious, yet funny. The Office (9.32 mil) surged 20 percent week-to-week, setting up 30 Rock for its largest audience ever — 8.53 mil. That represents a 16 percent bump over the Rock's previous season opener, and a 52 percent improvement on its last episode. Well-played, Garkle! Supernatural was up nine percent, to 3.53 mil. 10 pmEleventh Hour (11.47 mil) dipped six percent, but still easily bested ER (9.12 mil) and Life on Mars (8.4 mil, adding 349K week-to-week).