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'Housewives' bear a hit (10.1 million viewers)Fall phenom Desperate Housewives (No. 4) made lead-out Grey's Anatomy (No. 9) a true breakthrough. ''These are good, strong female characters who seem to capture that Housewives audience,'' says Jeff Bader, executive VP of programming, of Anatomy's appeal. In fact, Anatomy became a fixture Sundays at 10, knocking Boston Legal (No. 27) off the schedule until next fall (it will return on Tuesdays). For all non-Housewives followers, midseason was bleaker. John Stamos' double Thursday airings of Jake in Progress (Nos. 119 and 121) couldn't woo viewers away from CBS' formidable Thursday competition — but it will get another shot on Mondays next year. Blind Justice (No. 70) couldn't capitalize on the defunct NYPD Blue's (No. 43) spot. And sleek PI dramedy Eyes (No. 92) never worked despite following Lost (No. 15) and Alias (No. 40). ''Both were quality dramas,'' Bader says of Justice and Eyes. ''In a less successful year, there would be more discussion about [renewing] these.''
OTHER WINNERS Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, up 4.7 million; Alias, up 2.1 million
OTHER LOSERS My Wife and Kids, down 2.4 million; 8 Simple Rules, down 3.2 million
