TVSquad

After the success of the CSI franchise, it's only natural that CBS would look at other shows on its lineup for spinoff possibilities. Oddly enough, the lucky show isn't World's Greatest Dog, but Criminal Minds. According to Executive Producer Ed Bernero, talks between CBS and ABC studios, who produces Minds, are currently underway, saying, "It's safe to say there will be something soon."

Because the Criminal Minds spinoff is still in the discussion phase, there's no news on exactly what the new show will entail. But, since there are obviously many more specialties within the FBI besides criminal profiling, chances are the new series will focus on one of those. As is the case with most spinoffs nowadays, the new series will probably be introduced via a "backdoor pilot" in an upcoming Criminal Minds episode.

Here are the weekly TV ratings, by number of viewers.

Summer is a funny time for TV ratings. You're not quite sure what's going to be in the mix, just that's it's going to be a mix of new shows and repeats. This isn't a big surprise, but it which repeats that make the list. CBS seems to be dominating the summer, with repeats of CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Two and a Half Men, Without a Trace, Criminal Minds, Rules of Engagement, and 60 Minutes taking up many spots in the top 20. The top show with new episodes is also a CBS show, Million Dollar Password.

1. NBA Finals - Game 5 (ABC)
2. NBA Finals - Game 3 (ABC)
3. NBA Finals - Game 4 (ABC)

Here are the weekly TV ratings, by number of viewers.

It will be interesting to see what the top shows are next week, since American Idol and Dancing with the Stars both had their season finales last week. And a lot of the scripted shows had their season finales too. I'm sure So You Think You Can Dance, at number 19 this week, will soar up in the ratings as spaces open up.

Hell's Kitchen finished a little higher than usual, and Ugly Betty a lot higher than usual.

1. American Idol - Weds (FOX)
2. American Idol - Tues (FOX)

• At 8, FOX has the two hour season finale of American Idol.
• CBS has a new new Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular at 8, followed by the season finales of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• TCM has the original Ocean's 11 at 9.
• At 9, TNT has the NBA Playoffs.
• At 9:15, HBO Family has The Return of Maxwell Smart.
• At 10, ABC has the season finale of Boston Legal.
• NBC has the season finale of Law and Order at 10.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• Also at 10: MTV has a new Real World.

Check your local TV listings for more.

If you look at the Nielsen ratings each week, where you see shows like Survivor, NCIS, all of the CSIs, Two and a Half Men, 60 Minutes, Without A Trace, and Criminal Minds consistently in the top 20, this probably won't come as a surprise: CBS has won this year's May sweeps period.

This is the sixth year in a row that the network has won the period. It also helped that CBS had some big specials this year, including the Academy of Country Music Awards. And here's an interesting little factoid: CBS has the number one scripted show on five different nights: CSI: Miami on Mondays, NCIS on Tuesdays, Criminal Minds on Wednesdays, CSI on Thursdays, and Numb3rs on Fridays. The number one scripted show on Sundays is Desperate Housewives. As for Saturday, who the hell knows what's going on that night.

Here are the weekly TV ratings, by number of viewers.

Not many surprises this week, if any at all (maybe a slight surprise that Dancing with the Stars was broken up by the season finale of CSI), so I thought I'd open up the comments for you to answer two questions. One, what show do you watch that isn't on this list and surprises you that more people don't watch it? And two, what show on here makes you shake your head and say "how they hell can so many people watch that?!"

1. American Idol - Weds (FOX)
2. American Idol - Tues (FOX)

• TNT has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and Boston Legal.
• CBS has a new Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• FOX has new episodes of 'Til Death, Back To You, and American Idol.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal at 8, followed by a new Law and Order.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8, then a new Farmer Wants A Wife.
• There's a new Secrets of the Dead on PBS at 8.
• Also at 8: TCM has Frank Sinatra movies, including The Tender Trap and Marriage on the Rocks.
• At 10, Bravo has a new Top Chef.
• At 11, TV Land has a new Big 4-0.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TNT has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by a new Supernanny and a new special about Barbara Walters new memoir, Audition.
• CBS has a new Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal at 8, then a new Law and Order.
• FOX has new episodes of 'Til Death, Back to You, and American Idol.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model at 8 on The CW, followed by a new Farmer Wants A Wife.
• PBS has a new Secrets of the Dead at 8, then a new American Experience.
• Also at 8: TCM has From Here To Eternity.
• At 10, Bravo has a new Top Chef.
• MTV has a new episode of The Real World at 10.
• Spike has a new Ultimate Fighter at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TLC has a Little People, Big World marathon all night.
• TNT has the NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, then new episodes of Supernanny and Boston Legal.
• CBS has a new Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular at 8, followed by new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal at 8, then a new Law and Order.
• FOX has new episodes of 'Til Death, Back to You, and American Idol.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8, then the series premiere of Farmer Wants A Wife.
• PBS has a new Secrets of the Dead at 8, followed by a new installment of Carrier.
• At 9, Rachael Ray guests on a new Larry King Live, on CNN.
• Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters at 9.
• Also at 9: Oxygen has the new movie Husband For Hire.
• At 10, Bravo has a new Top Chef.
• Food Network has a new Dinner: Impossible at 10.
• There's a new Real World on MTV at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S04E13) "Allison... close your eyes. I gotta get out of bed now and I'm not wearing any clothes." - Lee Scanlon

The opening voice over left me a bit unnerved. I'm used to Medium starting with some kind of disturbing vision. The only thing disturbing about Allison's narration was that it made me feel like I was watching Criminal Minds.

The pool of blood seeping from the head of Di Novi's dead friend was a little closer to what I've come to expect and I really liked the surrealistic way Scanlon and Di Novi repeated Allison's dream verbatim.

• TLC has a Little People, Big World marathon all night.
• At 8, ABC has a Democratic Presidential Debate from Pennsylvania, followed by a new Men In Trees.
• CBS has a new Big Brother at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8.
• FOX has new episodes of 'Til Death, Back To You, and American Idol.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model at 8, then a new Pussycat Dolls.
• At 9, Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters.
• Spike has a new UFC Unleashed at 9, followed by a new Ultimate Fighter.
• Also at 9: Travel Channel has two new episodes of John Ratzenberger's Made in America.
• At 9:30, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, MTV has the season premiere of The Real World: Hollywood.
• TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
• Comedy Central has a new South Park at 10.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• TCM has Buster Keaton in The General at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7:30, FOX has the "Idol Gives Back" American Idol special.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother, then episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8.
• The CW has new episodes of America's Next Top Model and Pussycat Dolls.
• HGTV has a new Designed To Sell at 8, then new episodes of Get It Sold, Deserving Design, Design on a Dime, and House Hunters.
• At 9, ABC has a new Supernanny, followed by a new Primetime.
• PBS has a new American Masters at 9.
• Food Network has a new Chefography at 9, about the Food Network itself.
• Travel Channel has two new episodes of John Ratzenberger's Made in America at 9.
• Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters, followed by a new Destination Truth.
• At 10, Comedy Central has a new South Park, then a new Lewis Black's Root of All Evil.
• There's a new Top Chef on Bravo at 10.
• Spike has a new Ultimate Fighter at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and Men in Trees.
• CBS has a new Big Brother 9 at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8.
• FOX has the season finale of Moment of Truth at 8, then a new American Idol.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model on The CW at 8.
• At 9, Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters, then a new Destination Truth.
• Travel Channel has two new episodes of John Ratzenberger's Made in America starting at 9.
• At 9:30, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
• Comedy Central has a new South Park at 10, followed by a new Lewis Black's Root of All Evil.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• Also at 10, MTV has a Real World reunion show, The Real World Awards Bash.

Check your local TV listings for more.

If you want great acting, she will come. The Field of Dreams allusion is purposeful. The leading lady from that film, Amy Madigan, is joining ABC's Grey's Anatomy. The actress who's a past Oscar-nominee for Twice in a Lifetime will have a recurring role, becoming part of the Seattle Grace Hospital coterie on April 24 when the show returns with new episodes.

Last year, Amy was seen in Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone, which interestingly came out soon after she appeared on CBS's Criminal Minds for two shows. Going from features to television is clearly not a problem for the gifted actress. In fact, she won a Golden Globe for the TV movie Roe vs. Wade in 1990.

Fans of the Tiffany network can do the happy dance. CBS has renewed 11 scripted shows for the 2008-2009 TV season. The lucky 11 are: CSI; CSI: Miami; CSI: New York; NCIS; Criminal Minds; Cold Case; Without a Trace; Ghost Whisperer; Numb3rs; Two and a Half Men; and The Big Bang Theory.

There are not a lot of surprises in this bunch, although it's great news that The Big Bang Theory, CBS's rookie Monday-night sitcom from Chuck Lorre's stable, made the cut. Still in limbo, however, are three other Monday-night comedies from the network: How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. The story speculates that Mother will get the greenlight for a fourth season soon, but Rules and Christine seem to be in competition for the 9:30-10:00 half-hour slot.