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For 'CSI: NY,'
a new challenger to face

CBS's top Wednesday copper is airing episode 100

By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Nov 19, 2008

CBS’s “CSI: NY” has dominated its 10 p.m. Wednesday timeslot this season, and it should continue to do so tonight, as it becomes the third in the “CSI” franchise to reach the 100-episode milestone.

It remains a remarkable achievement these days, made moreso by the fact that five seasons in, “NY” is still easily winning its timeslot among total viewers and adults 18-49. But things will soon become more competitive.

In January, ABC is expected to move its Thursday cop drama, “Life on Mars,” into the Wednesday 10 p.m. slot, nestling it behind the highly anticipated fifth season of “Lost.”

Though “Mars” has been a bit of a dud on Thursday, losing more than half its “Grey’s Anatomy” lead-in, thematically it meshes much better with the time-traveling “Lost.” It follows a modern-day cop who’s mysteriously sent back to the 1970s, and it has received critical praise and the support of media buyers, who think it’s smartly done.

ABC will likely mount a big promotional campaign behind “Mars’” move, and it has little to lose. Current timeslot occupant “Dirty Sexy Money” has mustered only a 2.4 adults 18-49 rating this season, finishing behind NBC’s stalled “Law & Order” the last two weeks. “Mars” has averaged a 3.0.

That could mean a tougher time for “NY,” which was on the ratings upswing earlier this season but last week tied a series low with a 3.0 rating.

The hoopla over the show’s heavily advertised 100th episode could give “NY” a bit of a lift tonight, when Det. Mac Taylor confronts a killer who has already murdered two other men with the name “Mac Taylor.”

A look at this week’s top TV draws
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	CW	“America’s Next Top Model” (R)	Season finale. One of the final three is bounced after a cosmetics shoot, then a winner is selected.
8 p.m.	Telemundo	“Soccer” (S)	World Cup qualifier between Honduras and Mexico should draw a large Hispanic audience.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Private Practice” (D)	Addison helps two pregnant women, each with the same husband.
9 p.m.	CBS	“Criminal Minds” (D)	Jason Alexander guests as a serial killer who turns himself in.
9 p.m.	National Geographic Channel	“The Real George Washington” (N)	A new look at our first president using modern-day forensics.
10 p.m.	CBS	“CSI: NY” (D)	Two guys named Mac Taylor are killed within a short span, so Mac must protect himself.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order” (D)	A woman who escaped a polygamist cult is somehow connected to a murder.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Musical legend Tony Bennett guests.
7:30 p.m.	ESPN	“College Football” (S)	Important ACC game between Miami and Georgia Tech.
8 p.m.	CW	“Smallville” (D)	Doomsday tries to kidnap Chloe at her wedding.
9 p.m.	CBS	“CSI” (D)	A mother and child are killed in a double homicide.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Grey’s Anatomy” (D)	Lexie and Sadie have what should be a routine surgery go wrong.
10 p.m.	NBC	“ER” (D)	Can ratings stay up after Anthony Edwards’ guest appearance last week?
10 p.m.	CBS	“Eleventh Hour” (D)	Hood looks into a government experiment involving soldiers.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	CW	“Everybody Hates Chris” (C)	Chris goes out with a nerdy girl so her feelings aren’t hurt.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Ghost Whisperer” (D)	Melinda tries to help a guy with amnesia.
9 p.m.	History Channel	“Gangland” (N)	A look at the gang culture in New Orleans.
10 p.m.	Sci Fi Channel	“Sanctuary” (D)	Will looks into a suicide with help from a teen artist.
10 p.m.	CBS	“Numb3rs” (D)	A passenger train crashes into a freighter carrying toxic materials.
10 p.m.	USA	“The Starter Wife” (D)	Molly and Zach discuss their relationship after dealing with Molly’s stalker.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Time	Network	Program	Description
Noon	ABC	“College Football” (S)	Michigan might be struggling this year, but its annual date with Ohio State is always a big one.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“College Football” (S)	Another Big Ten game, this between Michigan State and Penn State, could decide the conference title.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Cops in Las Vegas hear gunshots and investigate.
8 p.m.	ABC	“College Football” (S)	Huge Big 12 game between Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
9 p.m.	Fox	“America’s Most Wanted” (N)	Investigating drug smugglers in the Caribbean.
10 p.m.	HBO	“Boxing” (S)	Ricky Hatton versus Paulie Malignaggi for the junior welterweight title.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Time	Network	Program	Description
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“Soccer” (S)	The Major League Soccer championship game.
8 p.m.	Fox	“24: Redemption” (M)	Jack Bauer helps school kids in Africa while a new president is inaugurated in the U.S.
8 p.m.	ABC	“American Music Awards” (A)	The 36th annual event, hosted this year by Jimmy Kimmel.
8:15 p.m.	NBC	“Sunday Night Football” (S)	The Colts take on the Chargers in an AFC battle.
9 p.m.	History Channel	“Cities of the Underworld” (N)	A look at the underground of Belgium, including World War I-era tunnels and trenches.
10 p.m.	Showtime	“Californication” (C)	Hank actually turns down an offer for sex.
10 p.m.	HBO	“Entourage” (C)	Season finale. With the movie shoot all done, Vince and the guys head to New York City.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.