THE BAD Notice how we skipped Wednesdays? Mutant drama Wolf Lake scared up only a No. 85 ranking, and The Amazing Race limped in at No. 59. Fridays were soggy with No. 95 The Ellen Show (yep, she's tanking), No. 99 Danny (Ohhh, Danny boy), and No. 81 That's Life (guess so). Richard Dreyfuss' Sunday drama, The Education of Max Bickford, earns remedial ratings at No. 37; the producers are trying to lighten the tone (and, we assume, broaden the audience; it's No. 90 in the 18-49 demo). The Agency is nearly a bust at No. 40 (losing 12 million viewers from its CSI lead-in). And No. 66 Citizen Baines has already opted for early retirement.
THE UPSHOT Survivor and CSI show CBS can reverse the aging process--by keeping it real and edgy.
MIDSEASON HOPEFULS The Supreme Court drama First Monday; Top Gun-like reality series American Fighter Pilots.
NBC No. 2 in total viewers; No. 1 among 18-49-year-olds
THE GOOD Survivor crushed Friends in last season's head-on, but this fall, the sexy sextet (No. 1) bested the castaways with an average of 24.1 million viewers. Surprised? NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker wasn't. "Friends tapped into a story line that was brilliant," he says of Rachel's pregnancy. ER still wheels 'em in at No. 3, Will & Grace stands proud at No. 10 (No. 3 among 18-49ers), and The West Wing commands the No. 7 spot. Whip-smart medicom Scrubs is alive and kicking at No. 34 (No. 18 among 18-49ers), and new coroner drama Crossing Jordan is stiff competition on Mondays at No. 23. "It's a perfect example of a show that critics chose to ignore at the expense of other programs that haven't delivered," says Zucker. Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, meanwhile, earned a three-peat: His latest L&O spin-off, Criminal Intent, is No. 26, SVU hit No. 15, and No. 6 Law & Order--stop us if this sounds familiar--is doing its best numbers ever.
THE BAD Emeril's comedy couldn't kick it up a notch above No. 83. "Our thinking was to take a swing," says Zucker, "to try something different." Sadly, it was the same old story Thursdays at 8:30, as sportscom Inside Schwartz (No. 16) couldn't hold Friends' audience. And--psssst!--freshman detective drama UC is too undercover at No. 63.
THE UPSHOT Beg, borrow, and steal to renew Friends--and keep Mr. Wolf on speed dial.
MIDSEASON HOPEFULS The thirtysomething comedy Leap of Faith and Julia Louis-Dreyfus' real-time laugher Watching Ellie.
ABC No. 3 in total viewers; tied for No. 2 among 18-49-year-olds
THE GOOD Let's see: If you organize the networks alphabetically, ABC is still No. 1, right? Okay, maybe things aren't quite that dire: The net still has a prayer on Sundays with The Wonderful World of Disney (No. 23) and The Practice (No. 21), while spy-girl drama Alias (No. 31 in 18-49) just needs a few more folks to go with its burgeoning buzz. Tuesday titan NYPD Blue is still arresting at No. 20, and Damon Wayans' My Wife and Kids (No. 35) wins its Wednesday-at-8 time slot among 18-49-year-olds. "While everybody else has shied away from family comedies," says ABC's Bader, "this is different."
