TVSquad

• TNT has the NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has two new episodes of According To Jim, then new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and Women's Murder Club.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, followed by a new Shark.
• NBC has a new Most Outrageous Moments at 8.
• FOX has new episodes of American Idol and Hell's Kitchen.
• The CW has a new Beauty and the Geek at 8, then a new Reaper.
• There's a new Nova on PBS at 8, followed by a new Frontline.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch.
• History Channel has a new Mega Disasters at 9.
• Also at 9: BBC America has a new Last Restaurant Standing.
• At 10, NBC has the season finale of Law and Order: SVU.
• Bravo has a new Work Out at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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

Last week I mentioned that Lost had dropped a lot in the ratings. This week they're not even in the top 20.

Looking over this list, it becomes apparent what it takes to get on it. If you're FOX, keep pumping out reality shows and reality competitions shows. If you're ABC, it's dancing and doctors. And if you're CBS, the answer is clear: create another police procedural show. It doesn't matter who's in it or where it's set, just make sure it's about a team of investigators who investigate something that needs investigation.

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

• TNT has NBA Playoffs all night.
• CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News have North Carolina/Indiana Primary coverage all night.
• At 8, ABC has two new episodes of Dancing with the Stars (a "best of" episode and the regular episode), then a new Women's Murder Club.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, followed by a new Shark.
• NBC has a new Most Outrageous Moments at 8.
• FOX has new episodes of American Idol and Hell's Kitchen.
• The CW has a new Beauty and the Geek, followed by a new Reaper.
• AMC has The Great Escape at 8.
• At 9, PBS has a new American Experience.
• Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch at 9.
• Also at 9: BBC America has a new Last Restaurant Standing.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order: SVU.
• There's a new Work Out on Bravo at 10.
• MTV has a new A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TNT has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new According To Jim.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, followed by a new Shark.
• FOX has new episodes of American Idol and Hell's Kitchen.
• There's a new Beauty and the Geek on The CW at 8, then a new Reaper.
• At 9, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, then a new Women's Murder Club.
• PBS has a new installment of Carrier at 9.
• Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch at 9.
• Hallmark has the new movie The Good Witch at 9.
• BBC America has a new Last Restaurant Standing at 9.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order: SVU.
• FX has a new episode of The Riches at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new ECW at 10.
• HBO has a new Costas Now at 10.
• Also at 10: MTV has a new A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila.

Check your local TV listings for more.

The failure of Secret Talents of the Stars has had ripple effects on the CBS prime time schedule. With Big Brother coming to an end and Secret Talents unable to make it past one episode, the return of Shark, which was going to come back on Tuesdays at 10 p.m., will now return on Tuesday at 9 p.m. for three broadcasts beginning April 29. Had Secret Talents worked, CBS wouldn't be scrambling on Tuesdays.

The CBS Tuesday lineup for next Tuesday, therefore, will be NCIS, Shark and a rerun of CSI. Then on May 6, it'll be NCIS, Shark and a CSI: Miami rerun. On May 13, NCIS, Shark and a Criminal Minds rerun.

What'll be interesting for Shark fans -- and TV geeks in general like us -- will be to see exactly how well the James Woods legal drama performs with a strong lead in like NCIS. Even the reruns scheduled to follow the three episodes are all strong support. Will this Tuesday hammock experiment be advantageous to Shark, securing the kind of Nielsen numbers that will be a deciding factor in the show's renewal for next season?

There's been another transfer out of the squad at NBC. Detective Chester Lake has turned in his badge. Actor Adam Beach is leaving Law and Order: SVU. He'll be on the show till the end of this season -- his one and only with Law and Order: SVU.

Adam Beach, who was also excellent in the Clint Eastwood feature Flags of Our Fathers as the troubled serviceman Ira Hayes, uncomfortable with the acclaim he received as one of the men who rose the flag at Iwo Jima, received a number of award nominations for his role on the HBO mini-series Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. It was on that project that he worked with producer Dick Wolf.

"From the first day I met him on the set of Bury My Heart, I was knocked out by his commitment, dedication and total immersion in the film's most crucial role," said Wolf.

This is a bummer. (By the way, isn't there a better expression than that to describe disappointment? "What a shame" is just too British to me.) Anyway, TV Guide's Michael Ausiello reports that Law & Order: SVU has lost Diane Neal. The actress, who's played assistant district attorney Casey Novak on the Dick Wolf show for five years has turned in her resignation. This season will be her last. "Diane spent five years on SVU and was a tremendous addition to the SVU team. She is looking forward to new opportunities and she will be missed," says the NBC source about her departure.

Like I said, I'm not happy about this one. Unlike so many of the faces and forms that come in and out of the L&O universe, Diane Neal stuck out. And I mean that in a good way. She had a presence and a passion, which was not only recognizable amid the many others who seem interchangeable, it was crucial to match fire with Christopher Meloni, Mariska Hargitay and the other SVU cast.

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

A rather mixed up top 10 in the cable ratings this week. Not only did a bunch of kids and a certain green, slimy substance knock around the Monday Night RAW wrestlers, MTV pushed into the list with two shows, America's Best Dance Crew and The Hills. No Hannah Montana or iCarly in sight this week.

But nothing can stop the SpongeBob SquarePants juggernaut.

1. Kids Choice Awards (Nickelodeon)

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Alvin & The Chipmunks - Funny, We Shrunk The Adults
• Becker - Season 1
• Doctor Who - The Time Warrior and Timelash
• Father Knows Best - Season 1
• John From Cincinnati - Complete Series
• Law and Order: SVU - Season 6
• Martin - Season 4
• Murder, She Wrote - Season 8
• Stingray - Complete Series
• That 70's Show - Season 8
• Tomorrow - John, Paul, Tom, and Ringo

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

I just realized that I don't watch any of the shows in this week's top ten cable ratings. I mean, yeah, I've seen episodes of Law and Order: SVU and SpongeBob SquarePants in the past but they aren't shows I watch regularly. As for Monday Night RAW, Hannah Montana, iCarly, and Ella Enchanted...well, they're not really made for me I guess.

I think the last time something was in the top ten here that I watch regularly was Burn Notice.

1. Monday Night RAW (USA)
2. Monday Night RAW (USA)

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Law & Order: SVU, Lost, Moonlight, Psych, Pushing Daisies, Smallville and The Office. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• At 8, FOX has the season premiere of American Idol.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then part 2 of Comanche Moon.
• ABC has a new Just For Laughs at 8.
• There's a new, two-hour Biggest Loser on NBC at 8.
• PBS has a new Nova at 8.
• CNN and FOX News has coverage of the Michigan Republican Primary all night.
• At 9, ABC has a new According To Jim.
• MSNBC has a Democratic Debate from Las Vegas at 9, then coverage of Michigan.
• At 10, ABC has a new Boston Legal.
• NBC has a new Law and Order: SVU at 10.
• Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Orange County at 10.
• Also at 10: FX has a new Nip/Tuck.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Note: after the jump, a special poll about our new format.

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

Two things strike me as I look at this week's list: 1.) if crime didn't exist, CBS probably wouldn't be in the top 20 as much as they are, and 2.) NBC had a lot of football on last week. So many football games, shows, and pre-kicks in the top 20 that it's actually a little confusing.

1. Sunday Night Football (NBC)

Here are the weekly ratings, by number of viewers.

Funny how the ratings race becomes a little bit more interesting when Dancing with the Stars vanishes from the schedule. Though I guess it's always possible that ABC will give Marie Osmond her own weekly variety show again, and she can dance and sing and faint and cry and sell her dolls and find her way back into the top 10 again. NBC makes a strong showing, with five shows in the top 20 (though I guess two of them are really one show, Sunday Night Football and the Pre-Kick). Also good to see Rudolph at #4. They must think he's cuuuuuuuuuute.

1. CSI (CBS)

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

A big week for ABC, as they grab the first five spots and eight spots overall in the top 20. That will change next week when Dancing with the Stars is no longer around (and will someone please tell all of the entertainment shows to stop talking about and/or to Marie Osmond? The show is over!). It's always great to see Christmas specials in the top 20 year after year.

1. Dancing with the Stars - Tues (ABC)