The debut of CBS’s Viva Laughlin (and the temporary departure of Without A Trace) should have made it an easy night for ABC.  But despite low numbers at 10pm, CBS still came very close to taking the night in both viewers and demos.

8pm

• With 13.4 million viewers, the aging Survivor (4.3/13 in 18-49 age group) shows no signs of slowing down.
• FOX’s Red Sox/Indians game (3.3/8) averaged about 11.6 million fans through the evening.
• Ugly Betty (9.7 million, 3.1/9) dropped about 730,000 viewers this week.
• NBC’s My Name is Earl (7.3 million, 2.7/8) and 30 Rock (6.3 million, 2.6/7) were both down from last week.
• Smallville (5.1 million, 2.0/6) saw a 300,000 increase.

9pm

• CSI (20.8 million, 6.4/15 in 18-49) gained over 1 million new viewers to claim the night’s biggest audience.
• Grey’s Anatomy (17.7 million, 7.1/17) took another 9pm win in the demos category.
• An hour-long episode The Office (8.5 million, 4.4/11) lost about 400,000.
• Supernatural (1.3/3) rounded off the hour with 3 million viewers.

10pm

• Tthe debut of Viva Laughlin (8.8 million, 2.4/7 in 18-49) was only able to retain less than 1/2 of it’s large lead-in.
• ER (10 million, 4.0/11) benefitted from the absence of Without a Trace.
• Big Shots (8.3 million, 3.3/9) lost 900,000 from last week.