Ratings up Thursday for "Grey's Anatomy"

They say there is no such thing as bad puiblicity. How true in the case of "Grey's Anatomy." This week's episode turned in an above-average performance with 21.9 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Between the show's Golden Globe Award win Monday and the Isaiah Washington controversy that followed, the show has become a real water cooler topic. Still, "Grey's" barely managed to edge ratings stalwart "C.S.I."
I wonder if the extra eyeballs were curiosity about how the actors interact now that we are more aware than ever about the backstage drama. There was an intimate scene between Washington's Dr. Burke and T.J. Knight's George O'Malley that went off without a hitch. And, ironically, this episode was a real showcase for Knight whose on-screen father dies of cancer. It was a heartbreaker.