"NCIS" whips the cool shows

CBS would like you to know that despite all the media hoopla surrounding shows like “Heroes,” “Lost” and “24,” in the last week of sweeps when shows were presenting their season finales, its own series, “NCIS,” averaged more viewers than any of them – 14.14 million, to be precise. By contrast, “Lost” had 13.86m, “Heroes,” 13.48m, and “24,” 10.31m.

Of course, “NCIS’s” audience skewed a little older than the demographic most sought after by advertisers, and those other shows no doubt all lured more viewers aged 18-49. On the other hand, none of those other shows had to go up against “American Idol’s” final night of competition, either. (Though, to be fair, “Lost” may have arguably had a tougher task – the first 75 minutes of its two-hour finale aired opposite the announcement of the new “American Idol.”) “NCIS” ranked No. 5, among all primetime programs (“House,” the top-rated scripted series on the season, ended its run the previous week), behind only the competition and results finales of “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars.”

OK, so CBS wanted you to know that, and now you do. Carry on.