Tuesday ratings: 'Dancing' finale tops

More than 20 million viewers watched Brooke Burke and her professional dance partner Derek Hough win "Dancing With the Stars" on Tuesday night.

Part two of the "Dancing" finale  (20.6 million viewers, 5.1 preliminary adults 18-49 rating) was up 28% from last week’s results show, yet off 20% from last fall’s finale to mark the series' lowest-rated conclusion to date.

The two-hour telecast also had a strong lead-in from “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (11.1 million, 3.4), which was up slightly from last year. The reality finale and animated special helped ABC edge out the usual Tuesday victor, Fox, to win the night in the adult demo, as well as easily sweep among total viewers.

That left Fox in second, with “House” (12.5 million, 5.0) slipping 11% this week and “Fringe” (8.7 million, 3.8) down 7%.

In third, CBS was the only network unharmed by the increased competition. “NCIS” (18.2 million, 3.6) and “The Mentalist” (15.9 million, 3.6) gained a tenth, while “Without a Trace” (10.4 million, 2.5) slipped a notch. [Just posted: Q&A with “The Mentalist” creator Bruno Heller].

In fourth, NBC was heavily impacted by ABC's surge. The typically rock-steady “The Biggest Loser” (6.8 million, 2.6) fell 19% to a season low and “Law & Order: SVU” (8.5 million, 3.2) was down 14% to a series low.

The CW aired a movie.

 

TUESDAY Nov. 25, 2008 Rate/share 8-8:30 8:30-9 9-9:30 9:30-10 10-10:30 10:30-11 4.5/12 Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (R) 11.1 mil, 3.4/9 Dancing With the Stars 20.1 mil, 5.1/15 3.2/9 NCIS 18.1 mil, 3.6/10 The Mentalist 15.9 mil, 3.6/9 Without a Trace 10.4 mil, 2.5/7 2.8/7 Biggest Loser: Families 6.8 mil, 2.6/6 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 8.5 mil, 3.2/9 4.4/12 House 12.5 mil, 5.0/14 Fringe 8.7 mil, 3.8/10 No programming 0.4/1 How to Deal 0.883 0.4/1 No programming