NBC PRIMETIME RESULTS FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 14-20

BURBANK, Calif. -- November 22, 2005 -- NBC averaged a 3.3 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49 and 9.6 million viewers for the week of Nov. 14-20, according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Primetime averages for the week of Nov. 14-20 in adults 18-49 were CBS (4.6/12), ABC (4.4/12), NBC (3.3/9), Fox (3.0/8), UPN (1.7/4) and WB (1.6/4). In overall total viewers the weekly averages were CBS (15.2 million), ABC (11.7 million), NBC (9.6 million), Fox (7.0 million), UPN (4.2 million) and WB (3.8 million).

NBC highlights for the week of Nov. 14-20:

* On Tuesday, "The Biggest Loser" scored NBC's highest 18-49 rating and total viewership in the time period since the "Biggest Loser 1" finale last January and beat all series competition in adults 18-49.

* Also on Tuesday, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" was the top-rated show on television Tuesday night in adults 18-49; "My Name is Earl" was the week's #1 comedy and #1 freshman series in 18-49; and "The Office" delivered its best retention rate to-date of its "Earl" lead-in.

* On Thursday, "ER" hit a season-high rating in adults 18-49 and won its hour in the key demographic, overcoming a 106 percent ratings advantage for the CBS competition coming into the hour. "ER" ranked #6 out of 113 network programs this week in 18-49.

* Also on Thursday, "Joey" matched its highest 8-8:30 rating since March 24 in 18-49 and "Will & Grace" scored its top numbers since the show's live season premiere Sept. 29.

* On Wednesday, "E-Ring" scored its highest 18-49 rating to-date and gave NBC its highest rating in the time period with regular programming since Sept. 1, 2004.

* On Sunday, the primetime overrun of NASCAR racing from Miami delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the time period since the Summer Olympics on Aug. 22, 2004.

Additional NBC highlights for the week of Nov. 14-20:

On Monday, Nov. 14, all three NBC dramas posted ratings gains versus the prior week. At 8 p.m. ET, "Surface" (2.9 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49, 9.3 million viewers overall) was up 7 percent versus the previous week; at 9 p.m. ET, "Las Vegas" (3.6/8 in 18-49, 11.4 million viewers overall) built by 9 percent in 18-49 versus a week earlier; and at 10 p.m. ET, "Medium" (4.4/11 in 18-49, 12.5 million viewers overall) was up 7 percent in 18-49 versus its performance of the prior week.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. ET, "The Biggest Loser" (4.1/11 in adults 18-49, 11.1 million viewers overall) scored its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership in this time period since Jan. 11. "Biggest Loser" was up 17 percent in 18-49 versus its current season-to-date average. "Loser" beat all series competition in adults 18-49, trailing only CBS' "CMA Awards" special. In adults 18-34, "Loser" won over all competition.

At 9 p.m. ET, "My Name is Earl" (5.2/12 in 18-49, 11.5 million viewers overall) outperformed all series competition in adults 18-49, including Fox's "House" (4.6/11 in that half-hour) and ABC's "Commander-in-Chief" (3.2/8). "Earl" was the #1 comedy and the #1 first-year series of the week in adults 18-49 and season-to-date is the current season's #1 comedy, #1 Tuesday series and #1 new series in adults 18-49.

Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET, "The Office" (3.9/9 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall) delivered its best retention so far of its "Earl" lead-in (75 percent) and has generated its four best retentions of the season over its past four telecasts. "The Office" won its time period last week among men 18-34 and topped ABC's "Commander-in-Chief" in the key demographic of adults 18-49 (3.9 vs. 3.6 in that half-hour).

That same night at 10 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.7/14 in 18-49, 15.7 million viewers overall) was the top-rated show of the night in adults 18-49 and the only program to beat the CMA Awards in head-to-head competition. "SVU" matched its highest 18-49 rating in six weeks and ranked #11 out of 113 primetime series programs this week in adults 18-49.

On Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. ET, "E-Ring" (2.9/8 in 18-49, 9.7 million viewers overall) scored its highest 18-49 rating to-date and delivered NBC's highest rating in the time period with regular programming in 14 months (since Sept. 1, 2004). "E-Ring" finished 1 share out of first place in adults 18-49.

On Thursday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. ET, "Joey" (3.2/9 in 18-49, 8.0 million viewers overall) matched its highest 8-8:30 p.m. rating since March 24 in 18-49. "Joey" ranked a decisive #2 in the time period, topping Fox's "The O.C." (2.6/7 for that half-hour), WB's "Smallville" (2.5/7 for that half-hour), ABC's "Alias" (2.1/6 for that half-hour) and UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris" (2.1/6). At 8:30 p.m. ET, "Will & Grace" (3.8/10 in 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall) hit its highest 18-49 rating and total viewership since its live season premiere on Sept. 29. "Will & Grace" built on its 18-49 lead-in by 19 percent to keep NBC a strong #2 in the time period, well ahead of "The O.C." (2.9/7 for the half-hour), "Smallville" (2.7/7 in that half-hour), "Alias" (2.1/5 for that half-hour) and UPN's "Love, Inc." (1.5/4).

On Thursday, at 9 p.m. ET, "The Apprentice" (4.8/12 in 18-49, 10.8 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in 18-49, outpacing the hour's third-place program by 153 percent in 18-49 (4.8 vs. 1.9 for ABC's "PrimeTime Live" special).

That night at 10 p.m. ET, "ER" (6.9/18 in 18-49, 15.3 million viewers overall) scored a season-high 18-49 rating and its second-highest total viewership of the season (trailing only its prior-week result). "ER" won the hour in adults 18-49, overcoming a 106 percent advantage for the CBS competition leading into the hour (9.9 for CBS from 9-10 p.m. vs. 4.8 for NBC). "ER" built on its lead-in by 44 percent in 18-49.

NBC ranked #2 on Thursday night, outperforming the #3 network, Fox, by 122 percent (5.1 vs. 2.3 for Fox).

On Saturday, Nov. 19, at 10 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.4/7 in 18-49, 8.6 million viewers overall) hit a five-week time period high for NBC in 18-49, ranking #2 for the hour in the demographic and #1 in total viewers.

On Sunday, Nov. 20, the primetime overrun of NASCAR racing from Miami from 7-7:31 p.m. ET averaged a 4.1/12 in 18-49 and 11.5 million viewers overall, delivering NBC's highest 18-49 rating in the Sunday 7-7:30 p.m. time period since the Summer Olympics on Aug. 22, 2004.

Also on Sunday, from 8-11 p.m. ET, "The Poseidon Adventure" (3.1/7 in 18-49, 9.6 million viewers overall) is now the top-rated (18-49) single-part TV movie of the 19 that have aired so far this season on the broadcast networks (note: this excludes the two-part "Category 7" on CBS). "The Poseidon Adventure" is also now the top-rated single-part made-for-television movie to air on any broadcast network since May 1 (CBS' "Riding the Bus with My Sister").