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For the fourth week in a row, CBS'
Criminal Minds has ranked number 1 in its 9pm to 10pm ET/PT slot, winning in all key measures with its new episode. The drama series created by Jeff Davis continues to lure audience with its team of profilers as they analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.
Giving more confirmation to the success of the series is last week's episode called “Birthright,” which finds the BAU team investigating a series of murders in rural Virginia with a link to a killing spree that transpired two decades ago.
This episode aired on December 12 and established
Criminal Minds as first in households (9.0/14), viewers (14.18m), adults 25-54 (4.8/12), and tied for first in adults 18-49 (3.6/10) with NBC. Prior to the recent ratings,
Criminal Minds marked its season-high performance for the week of November 26 to December 2, where the CBS show triumphed over ABC's
Pushing Daisies with its episode “True Night” featuring guest star
Frankie Muniz of
Malcolm in the Middle fame.
In addition, it previously delivered its largest audience and best ratings in the adults 18-49, sweeping last month with three consecutive wins in its time period. The show was first in households (10.0/15), viewer (16.23m), adults 25-54 (5.5/13) and adults 18-49 (4.5/11), the best delivery for the program since it aired its first Wednesday episode after the Super Bowl in February.
Hopefully, the show will continue to thrive amidst the writers strike, although this will be very challenging. With the network's cupboard of first-runs nearly empty, it has replaced tonight's new episode with a rebroadcast of “About Face.” The fifth episode of season 3 serves as a substitute for “3rd Life,” which features cast member
Joe Mantegna's real-life daughter Gina Mantegna as one of the abducted teenagers in the suspense-filled storyline.
No word yet on when new episodes of
Criminal Minds will air.
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Futon Critic
(Image courtesy of CBS)