Nielsen TV ratings for the week ending Nov. 7

[hwn.]

The following is a list of the past week's television ratings. Like it
or not, my editorial comment is enclosed in [brackets].

Prime-time ratings as compiled by the A.C. Nielsen Co. for Nov. 1-7.
Top 20
listings include the week's ranking, with rating for the week,
season-to-date
rankings in parentheses, and total homes.

An ``X'' in parentheses denotes one-time-only presentation. A rating
measures the percentage of the nation's 93.1 million TV homes. Each
ratings
point represents 942,000 households.

1. (1) ``Home Improvemnent,'' ABC, 22.3, 21.0 million homes

2. (3) ``60 Minutes,'' CBS, 21.2, 20.0 million homes

3. (4) ``Seinfeld,'' NBC, 20.2, 19.0 million homes

4. (2) ``Roseanne,'' ABC, 18.9, 17.8 million homes

5. (6) ``Frasier,'' NBC, 18.0, 17.0 million homes

6. (9) ``Grace Under Fire,'' ABC, 17.1, 16.1 million homes

7. (5) ``Coach,'' ABC, 16.7, 15.7 million homes

[Pretty standard top 7. While waiting for "Moon Over Miami" I watched
"Grace Under Fire." A very unfunny and uninteresting show.]

8. (X) ``Ghost'' _ ``CBS Sunday Movie,'' 16.6, 15.6 million homes

9. (12) ``20 - 20,'' ABC, 16.5, 15.5 million homes

[See, I told you so. Barbra's Limbaugh interview did bring up "20/20's"
ratings.]

10. (20) ``Dances With Wolves, Pt 1'' _ ``ABC Sunday Night Movie,''
16.4, 15.4 million homes

10. (6) ``NFL Monday Night Football,'' ABC, 16.4, 15.4 million homes

12. (8) ``Murphy Brown,'' CBS, 16.3, 15.3 million homes

13. (18) ``Wings,'' NBC, 15.9, 15.0 million homes

[Strong showing for this program. "Mad About You" is still getting
creamed by the "Simpsons."]

14. (10) ``Murder, She Wrote,'' CBS, 15.5, 14.6 million homes

15. (X) ``A Matter of Justice, Pt 1'' _ ``NBC Sunday Night Movie,''
15.2, 14.3 million homes

16. ``Unsolved Mysteries,'' NBC, 15.0, 14.1 million homes

17. (17) ``Primetime Live,'' ABC, 14.9, 14.0 million homes

18. (16) ``Fresh Prince of Bel Air,'' NBC, 14.6, 13.8 million homes

18. (13) ``House of Secrets'' _ ``NBC Monday Night Movies,'' 14.6,
13.8 million homes

20. (13) ``Northern Exposure,'' CBS, 14.5, 13.7 million homes
___

[NX returns as the highest rated one hour drama, even with all the nudity
on "NYPD." BTW: check out the blurb in "Entertainment Weekly" about
Janet Reno's proposed TV show. Good stuff.]

21. ``Blossom,'' NBC, 14.3

21. (11) ``NYPD Blue,'' ABC, 14.3

23. (18) ``Dave's World,'' CBS, 14.1

24. ``Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman,'' CBS, 14.0

24. ``Evening Shade,'' CBS, 14.0

26. ``Family Matter,'' ABC, 13.9

27. ``Full House,'' ABC, 13.5

27. (X) ``George Special,'' ABC, 13.5

[Huh?]

27. (15) ``Love and War,'' CBS, 13.5

[Just like old times, NX gets better numbers than L&W.]

27. ``Rescue: 911,'' CBS, 13.5

31. ``Conviction: K. Dodds'' _ ``CBS Tuesday Movie,'' 13.2

32. ``Hart To Hart Returns'' _ ``NBC Friday Night Mystery,'' 13.1

[Strong numbers on a Friday.]

32. ``Simpsons,'' Fox, 13.1

34. ``48 Hours,'' CBS, 12.9

34. ``L.A. Law,'' NBC, 12.9

36. ``Mad About You,'' NBC, 12.8

37. ``Now With Tom and Katie,'' NBC, 12.4

37. ``Step By Step,'' ABC, 12.4

39. ``In The Heat of The Night,'' CBS, 12.3

39. ``Nurses,'' NBC, 12.3

41. ``Matlock,'' ABC, 12.2

42. ``Hangin' With Mr. Cooper,'' ABC, 12.0

43. ``America's Funniest-Home Videos,'' ABC, 11.8

44. ``Beverly Hills, 90210,'' Fox, 11.5

45. ``Empty Nest,'' NBC, 11.4

46. ``Law and Order, NBC, 11.3

47. ``Phenom,'' ABC, 11.2

48. ``Nanny,'' CBS, 11.1

[Considering CBS's recent Wednesday history, not completely bad numbers.]

49. ``Walker, Texas Ranger,'' CBS, 11.0

[Chuck once again beats "The Commish" and "Sisters."]

50. ``New America's Funniest People,'' ABC, 10.9

51. ``Sisters,'' NBC, 10.7

52. ``Day One,'' ABC, 10.6

53. ``Harts of The West,'' 10.4

54. ``Melrose Place,'' Fox, 10.3

55. ``Married...With Children,'' Fox, 10.1

55. ``Seaquest DSV,'' NBC, 10.1

[Looking to be one of the most expensive flops/poorly handled series on
TV. It might find friendlier waters on Saturday.]

57. ``Thea,'' ABC, 10.0

58. ``Living Single,'' Fox, 9.7

58. ``Sinbad Show,'' Fox, 9.7

60. ``Diagnosis Murder,'' CBS, 9.4

60. ``Hearts Afire,'' CBS, 9.4

62. ``Joe's Life,'' ABC, 9.2

62. ``Martin,'' Fox, 9.2

64. ``Top Cops,'' 8.8

65. ``Dateline NBC,'' 8.7

65. ``Moon Over Miami,'' ABC, 8.7

[Even a scene with a remote control truck can't save the show.]

67. ``Eye To Eye With Connie Chung,'' CBS, 8.6

67. ``John Larroquette Show,'' NBC, 8.6

67. ``Missing Persons,'' ABC, 8.6

70. ``Commish,'' ABC, 8.5

[This show was cruising along for years, making ABC a tidy profit. Then
they decided to give it Paula Poundstone as a lead in.]

71. ``Cops 2,'' Fox, 8.4

72. ``I Witness Video,'' NBC, 8.2

73. ``Cops,'' Fox, 8.0

73. ``In Living Color,'' Fox, 8.0

73. ``Picket Fences,'' CBS, 8.0

[Hmm. Can anyone confirm these rumors that PF was picked up for the back
nine?]

76. ``Cafe Americain,'' NBC, 7.7

77. ``Mommie,'' NBC, 7.5

78. ``Saved By The Bell: College,'' NBC, 7.4

79. ``Getting By,'' ABC, 7.3

80. ``Second Half,'' NBC, 7.0

81. ``Daddy Dearest,'' Fox, 6.7

82. ``X-Files,'' Fox, 6.6

83. ``Front Page,'' Fox, 6.1

83. ``George,'' ABC, 6.1

[Ahh. That's better.]

83. ``Herman's Head,'' Fox, 6.1

86. ``Brisco County,'' Fox, 6.0

86. ``Ghost Mom'' _ ``Fox Night At The Movies,'' 6.0

86. (X) ``How'd They Do that,?'' 6.0

89. ``Against The Grain,'' NBC, 5.9

90. ``America's Most Wanted,'' Fox, 5.5

90. ``Bob,'' CBS, 5.5

[Hold that thought...]

92. ``Where I Live,'' ABC, 5.4

93. ``Roc,'' Fox, 5.1

94. ``Family Album,'' CBS, 5.0

[...with lead-ins like these, it is apparent that the only reason people
tune into CBS on Friday is PF.]

95. ``Bakersfield, P.D.,'' Fox, 4.6

96. ``Paula Poundstone Show,'' ABC, 3.9

[How low can Paula go? Not much because the show won't escape November
alive. This isn't Fox we're talking about, this is ABC.]

97. ``Townsend Television,'' Fox, 3.7