'MNF,' 'Loser' are winners

December 7, 2005 - 8:20am

*Manic Monday. It was a good night for three networks: ABC's Monday Night Football scored 22.6 million viewers, its biggest total in nearly five years, Fox's "fall finale" of Prison Break had a series-high 12.2 million viewers, and a Ray Romano guest spot on CBS' The King of Queens (12.9 million) boosted that show to its best numbers since March 2004, giving lead-out How I Met Your Mother a series-high 12.3 million.

*Not such a loser. The season finale of diet contest The Biggest Loser gained poundage with a series-best 16 million viewers and helped NBC to an easy nightlong win. The show returns next month as a series of six weekly specials.

Felicity

not felicitous. Felicity: An American Girl Adventure, the second WB movie based on a doll, was weak with 4 million viewers, below the network's typical Tuesday and the 6 million who tuned in for last year's Samantha movie.

*Season's greetings. CBS perennial Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer pranced with a big 15.8 million viewers Wednesday, the last night of the November sweeps period, while NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center trailed far behind with 9.5 million. On Friday, ABC's Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (8.7 million) easily edged NBC's The Happy Elf (5.7 million).

*Pope no draw. Dueling pope biopics fizzled, as ABC's Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II sank with 6.7 million viewers Thursday, and Part 1 of CBS' Pope John Paul II (7.5 million) was CBS' lowest Sunday movie this season.

*Knotty

Knots

. Friday's Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again special fell short with 6.9 million viewers, losing to America's Funniest Home Videos.

*Curbed. The fifth-season finale of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm averaged 1.1 million viewers Sunday, capping the comedy's lowest-rated season. That same night's premiere of Showtime terrorist miniseries Sleeper Cell averaged 296,000.

Grey's

grows. While Desperate Housewives (25.5 million) dipped slightly, ABC's Grey's Anatomy climbed to a season-high 20.6 million Sunday.

By Gary Levin

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