Tuesday ratings: 'Mentalist,' 'Trace' hit season highs

UPDATED: CBS' freshman procedural "The Mentalist" continues to impress, climbing to a season high rating Wednesday evening to tie ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" for first place in the 9 p.m. hour.

With usual time-period titan "Fringe" airing a repeat, "The Mentalist" grew 15% (16.1 million, 3.9 national adults 18-49 rating and a 9 share) despite its lead-in "NCIS" shrinking 6% (17.3 million, 3.4/9). The boosted performance of "The Mentalist" also lifted 10 p.m.'s "Without a Trace" to a season high (12.2 million, 2.9/8).

All told, this is CBS' best Tuesday since December.

Still, CBS couldn't overthrow Fox for the nightly average-rating win. "House" (13.5 million, 5.4/14) sank a couple tenths this week yet ruled 8 p.m.

NBC squeezed out ABC for third place, airing an on par "The Biggest Loser" (8.1 million, 3.2/8) and "Law & Order: SVU" (9.3 million, 3.5/9).

ABC started the night with its annual reminder of the eternal ratings draw of Charlie Brown specials. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (10.4 million, 3.4/9) tied "NCIS" to place second in the hour. Despite its strongest lead-in all season, "Dancing With the Stars" was up slightly (17.4 million, 3.9/9). "Eli Stone" (6.9 million, 1.9/5) fell a couple notches.

In repeats for two weeks, the CW's "90210" (3.2 million, 1.6/4) returned roughly on par with its previous original airing. Aided by having an original lead-in again, "Privileged" (1.9 million, 0.9/2) climbed slightly.

TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2008 Rate/share 8-8:30 8:30-9 9-9:30 9:30-10 10-10:30 10:30-11 3.1/8 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown 10.4 mil, 3.4/9 Dancing with the Stars 17.4 mil,  3.9/9 Eli Stone 6.9 mil, 1.9/5 3.4/9 NCIS 17.3 mil,  3.4/9 The Mentalist 16.1 mil,  3.9/9 Without a Trace 12.2 mil,  2.9/8 3.3/8 Biggest Loser: Families 8.1 mil,  3.2/8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 9.3 mil,  3.5/9 3.9/10 House 13.5 mil,  5.4/14 Fringe (R) 5.9 mil,  2.3/6 No programming 1.3/3 90210 3.2 mil,  1.6/4 Privileged 1.9 mil, 0.9/2 No programming