'Dancing' tops night; 'Gary' repeat hits season high

Fox's presentation of the World Series was disrupted by rain while CBS' try out of "Gary Unmarried" on Monday night seemingly paid off.

Fox tied ABC for first place overall, airing just six innings of Game 5 of the World Series (13.2 million viewers, 4.0 time-zone adjusted fast national rating). The Rays vs. Phillies game was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth when the baseball league called a delay.

With CBS in repeats, ABC's lineup enjoyed modest across-the-board bumps. "Dancing With the Stars" was up a tenth (18.8 million, 4.2), "Samantha Who" gained 11% (11.4 million, 3.0) and "Boston Legal" climbed 10% (10.4 million, 2.9).

CBS was third, with an encore airing of the "Gary Unmarried" pilot (8.2 million, 2.9) hitting a season high rating at 9:30 p.m., retaining 76% of its lead in from a "Two and a Half Men" repeat (11.7 million, 3.8). By comparison, "Worst Week" held 62% of "Men" last week, when both shows aired originals. 

CBS has to choose whether to keep the Jay Mohr freshman comedy on Wednesday -- hopefully benefiting from last night's additional sampling -- or swap the show with usual time-slot occupant "Worst Week" permanently. Rolling comfortably in first place this season, the network has been disinclined to make fast moves. It will likely opt to take another look at "Unmarried" on Wednesday now that the show has some additional exposure. CBS executives will have to wait another week to get any new information since the Barack Obama ad will air tomorrow night at 8 p.m., followed by "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

NBC was in fourth place, "Chuck" dropping a tenth (6.5 million, 2.5) and "Heroes" holding steady (8.1 million, 3.9). At 10 p.m., "My Own Worst Enemy" dropped for its third week in a row (5.2 million, 2.3).

On the CW, "Gossip Girl" climbed a tenth (3 million, 1.5) from last week's season low, but "One Tree Hill" (3.1 million, 1.6) was chopped 16% from last Monday's season high. As it has for seven of the past eight weeks, the CW topped the night in its young women target demo.

Chart (with shares) after the jump.

MONDAY, Oct. 27, 2008 Rate/share 8-8:30 8:30-9 9-9:30 9:30-10 10-10:30 10:30-11 3.4/8 Dancing With the Stars 18.0 mil,  4.0/10 Samantha Who? 11.4 mil, 3.0/7 Boston Legal 9.1 mil,  2.3/6 3.1/8 The Big Bang Theory 8.0 mil, 3.1/8 How I Met Your Mother 7.2 mil, 3.0/7 Two and a Half Men 11.7 mil, 3.8/9 Gary Unmarried 8.6 mil, 2.9/7 CSI Miami 10.4 mil,  2.9/7 2.9/7 Chuck 6.4 mil,  2.5/6 Heroes 8.1 mil,  3.9/9 My Own Worst Enemy 5.2 mil,  2.3/6 3.4 World Series Game 5 13.2 mil 4.0 No programming 1.6/4 Gossip Girl 3.0 mil,  1.5/4 One Tree Hill 3.1 mil,  1.6/4 No programming