Cooking-related shows may serve well for FOX and Bravo, but they do nothing for NBC. Last night’s premiere of The Chopping Block debuted to fewer viewers than Knight Rider‘s finale. (Ouch!) Meanwhile, Lie to Me performed better than expected in its new time slot. The freshman drama worked with American Idol to give FOX two easy victories.

8pm

• Lie to Me (11.1 million, 3.4/10 in 18-49) picked up 900,000.
• The New Adventures of Old Christine (7.6 million, 2.1/6) added on 2.1 million; Gary Unmarried (7.7 million, 2.3/7) rose by 2.3 million.
• America’s Next Top Model (4.5 million, 1.9/6) improved by 600,000.
• The Chopping Block (1.4.4) premiered to 4 million.
• Scrubs* (1.2/3) pulled in 3.6 million.

9pm

• American Idol (24.9 million, 8.9/22 in 18-49) rounded up 2.4 million.
• Criminal Minds (14.1 million, 3.6/9) tacked on 3.8 million.
• Life (5.3 million, 1.7/4) had a 700,000 bump.
• Lost* (1.6/4) recapped 4.2 million.
• 90210* (0.5/1) settled in with 1 million.

10pm

• CSI: NY (13.5 million, 3.5/10) easily won its hour.
• Law & Order (7.6 million, 2.2/6) gathered another 1.8 million.
• Life (4.6 million, 1.4/4) slid by 1.1 million.

*denotes repeat

(You can review last Wednesday’s ratings here.)