'Prison Break' ends initial run with top ratings
Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:07 PM ET
By Cynthia Littleton
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox's "Prison Break" wrapped its initial 13-episode run with conviction Monday, posting its highest ratings yet in all key demos.
"Prison Break," which is set to return to Fox's schedule in March, locked up an average of 12.1 million viewers and a 5.5 rating/12 share in the adults 18-49 demographic at 9 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
The cliffhanger episode, which ended with the incarcerated heroes beginning their bust-out, only to learn of some unexpected impediments, spiked significantly from its lead-in, the 8 p.m. repeat (6.7 million, 2.8/7) of last week's "Prison Break" installment.
ABC appeared to win the night with a solid 20 million-plus turnout for "Monday Night Football's" bout between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts. (Reliable national estimates for ABC's live game coverage were not immediately available.) But "Prison Break" wasn't the only scripted program to grab some glory on Monday.
CBS posted season-high ratings for its Monday comedies "The King of Queens" (13.1 million, 4.5/11), "How I Met Your Mother" (12.3 million, 4.5/11) and 9 p.m.'s "Two and a Half Men" (16.7 million, 5.7/13). The network capped the night with a good turnout for 10 p.m.'s "CSI: Miami" (19.2 million, 6.9/16) though the football appeared to top the forensic drama in the hour.
The surge for "Prison Break" put a damper on the demo delivery of NBC's "Las Vegas" (11.3 million, 3.9/9). The network was in its usual zone at 8 p.m. with "Surface" (10 million, 3.1/8) and 10 p.m.'s "Medium" (12.1 million, 4.5/11).
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
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