Top-rated United States television programs of 2008–09

This table displays the top-rated primetime television series of the 2008–09 season as measured by Nielsen Media Research.^[1]

Rank	Program	Network	Rating
1	American Idol — Wednesday	FOX	15.1
2	American Idol — Tuesday	FOX	14.6
3	Dancing with the Stars — Monday	ABC	12.9
4	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	CBS	11.5
5	NCIS		10.9
6	The Mentalist		10.8
7	Dancing with the Stars — Tuesday	ABC	10.7
8	Sunday Night Football	NBC	10.0
9	Desperate Housewives	ABC	9.9
10	Grey's Anatomy	ABC	9.6
11	Criminal Minds	CBS	9.4
12	Two and a Half Men		9.1
12	CSI: Miami		9.1
14	60 Minutes		8.9
15	CSI: NY		8.6
16	Without a Trace		8.4
17	House	FOX	8.1
18	Survivor	CBS	7.8
18	Eleventh Hour		7.8
20	Cold Case		7.5
20	The Bachelor	ABC	7.5
22	24	FOX	7.3
23	Brothers & Sisters	ABC	7.2
24	Rules of Engagement	CBS	7.1
25	Castle	ABC	6.9
26	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	NBC	6.7
	ER	NBC
	Bones	FOX
29	Ghost Whisperer	CBS	6.6
	Lost	ABC
	NUMB3RS	CBS

References

v t e Top-rated United States television programs by season
Nielsen ratings
1950s	1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960s	1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s	2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19