Why Chuck? Why Not Heroes?

Looking to TV ratings for answers on why some shows are coming back—and why some shows aren't

The TV networks' new schedules have addressed a big question—namely,  Which shows will be back? But they've raised a bigger question—namely, Why won't some shows be back? 

As you'll see, all will not necessarily be answered in the latest TV ratings quiz:

1. Why Chuck? Why not Heroes?

You won't find the answer in the Nielsens for this one. Chuck and Heroes were about even in overall viewers: 6.6 million to 6.5 million. Among the demographically desirable, Heroes had it all over Chuck, outrating its NBC sibling by 25 percent.

2. Why Medium? Why not Ghost Whisperer?
Ditto. The CBS shows were virtual twins, with Ghost Whisperer actually holding the slight edge in overall viewers: 8.2 million to Medium's 8 million. But today it was the Jennifer Love Hewitt series that got the ax, Watch With Kristin reports. 

3. Why V? Why not FlashForward?
This one's easier. Season to date, V is a top 20 show among all-important 18-to-49 year-olds; FlashForward is a top 50 show. Do the math. ABC apparently did.

4. Was One Tree Hill, renewed today for an eighth season, saved by its finale?
Here's guessing it made its case elsewhere. Last night's seventh-season closer was nothing special, Nielsen-wise, with slightly fewer than 2 million viewers, per estimates. 

5. Will 30 Rock notice it's not airing afterThe Office next season?
The Tina Fey sitcom has long seemed oblivious to its lead-in. This season, on average, it's blown 2 million Office viewers.

6. Which show scored last week's most-watched season finale?
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (ninth place, 13.5 million viewers in the latest Nielsen weekly rankings), which personally prevented Desperate Housewives (14th place, 12.7 million) from claiming the distinction. 

7. Do people actually watch Miss USA—or do they just talk about it the next day?
Well, the pageant ranked a middling 59th, but its audience was up from last year's Carrie Prejean show: from 5 million viewers to 5.3 million. So, to answer the question, yes, some people actually watch. So they can talk about it the next day. 

Here's a look at the top 10 broadcast network shows for the week ended Sunday, per Nielsen Media Research:

1. American Idol (Wednesday), 20 million
2. American Idol (Tuesday), 19.17 million
3. Dancing With the Stars (Monday), 19.16 million
4. NCIS, 17.2 million
5. NCIS: Los Angeles, 16 million
6. The Mentalist, 14.8 million
7. Two and a Half Men, 13.9 million
8. The Big Bang Theory, 13.7 million
9. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, 13.5 million
10. CSI, 13.4 million