Dan Power, Lifetime NetworksWhy could LeAnn Rimes be president? Why are the TV networks once again grateful that Barack Obama is? And how close did Dancing With the Stars come to upsetting American Idol?
The answers—and more questions—in this week's TV ratings pop quiz:
1. What exactly makes Rimes Oval Office materal? Her approval ratings. In the wake of last week's tabloid scandal, Rimes' TV movie with Eddie Cibrian, Nora Roberts' Northern Lights, finished as the No. 3 show in all the great, big cable universe, the latest Nielsen rankings show. Her success reminds that in the wake of Bill Clinton's own tabloid scandal in 1998, his approval ratings shot up, not down—from 60 percent, in one pre-Monica Lewinsky poll, to 69 percent, post-Lewinsky.
2. Why are the networks happy to have Obama on the job? Even without a sex scandal, the president's Nielsen appeal remains strong. In the same week, Obama lifted Jay Leno's Tonight Show to its best numbers in four years, his sit-down interview on 60 Minutes gave the newsmag its biggest audience in three months (17 million), and a fourth-place finish in the broadcast standings. Demographically, the Obama 60 Minutes scored more women 18-34 than Bones, Ugly Betty and Gossip Girl, among others.
3. Just how close was Idol's close call with Dancing? Historically close. In the weekly broadcast rankings, the Monday edition of Dancing With the Stars (21.2 million) placed third, just 662,000 viewers behind Tuesday's American Idol (21.9 million). Per ABC, that was the smallest ever differential between the two franchises.
4. Why isn't Idol beaten yet? Because, um, it hasn't been beaten yet. The show's Wednesday edition finished No. 1, with 23.7 million viewers. When the Tuesday DWTS, meanwhile, had to go toe-to-throat against Tuesday Idol, the ABC franchise fell all the way down to 14th place (12.7 million).
5. Why wasn't Battlestar Galactica cable's biggest finale of the week? Because the first-season ender for Star Wars: The Clone Wars (3.3 million) was. Sunday's Big Love season finale made out with 2.7 million, HBO said, up 135 percent over its season premiere. Both shows bested Galactica's 2.4 million.
6. What sells more than a cheating scandal? USA's wrestling (5.3 million for back-to-back episodes) and Disney's Hannah Montana (4.6 million), both of which topped the Rimes-Cibrian affair. Other top prime-time cable shows: iCarly (3.9 million), Suite Life on Deck (3.4 million) and South Park (3.3 million).
7. Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy? Once again, Housewives edged Grey's as TV's top scripted show among adults 18-49. Idol and Monday's DWTS ruled overall.
Editor's Note: Since airing opposite Idol in January, NCIS, The Mentalist and Criminal Minds have basically held onto their young-adult base. Based on data acknowledged by Nielsen to be incorrect, it was originally reported here that the shows had suffered steep declines in the 18-49 demo. Per CBS data, The Mentalist is even with its pre-Idol performance, NCIS is down just 2 percent, Criminal Minds is off about 9 percent.