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CALENDAR E13 LOSANGELESTIMES TELEVISION RADIO Prime-Time TV Rankings Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Oct. 24-30) as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. They are based on the average number ofpeople who watched a program from start to finish. Nielsen estimates there are 280.50 million potential viewers in the U.S. age 2 and older.

Viewership is listed in millions. Program Network View- ersProgram Network Viewers 1 CSICBS24.22 2 Without a TraceCBS21.75 3 Series Game FOX19.98 4 CSI: MiamiCBS19.94 5 NCISCBS18.00 --------------------------------------------6 Survivor: GuatemalaCBS17.38 7 Two and a Half MenCBS16.77 8 AnatomyABC16.67 9 Series Game 10 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition ABC16.49 --------------------------------------------11 Commander in ChiefABC15.62 12 CSI: NYCBS15.31 13 Monday Night FootballABC14.18 14 Desperate Housewives (Sun.) ABC14.09 15 Law Order: Criminal Intent (Sun.) NBC13.67 --------------------------------------------16 60 MinutesCBS13.59 17 Cold CaseCBS13.19 18 Out of PracticeCBS13.09 19 Criminal MindsCBS12.78 20 MediumNBC12.76 --------------------------------------------21 Crossing JordanNBC12.47 22 NFL Monday ShowcaseABC12.15 23 Ghost WhispererCBS11.73 24 Law Order: SVU 25 Las VegasNBC11.31 --------------------------------------------26 King of QueensCBS11.23 27 Pumpkin Charlie ABC10.98 28 Boston LegalABC10.94 29 How I Met Your MotherCBS10.89 30 Apprentice 4NBC10.60 --------------------------------------------31 The OT (NFL 32 Amazing Race 8CBS10.37 33 Funniest Home Videos ABC10.16 34 Prison Break (9 p.m.)FOX10.12 35 Numb3rsCBS9.91 --------------------------------------------36 Series Game 3 FOX9.88 37 Series Game 4 FOX9.76 38 Crimetime Saturday (9 p.m.) CBS9.69 39 ERNBC9.42 40 SurfaceNBC9.29 41 Close to HomeCBS9.25 42 According to JimABC9.22 43 The SimpsonsFOX9.17 44 LostABC9.06 45 Biggest Loser 2NBC9.05 --------------------------------------------46 48 Hours MysteryCBS9.02 47 Law OrderNBC8.73 49 InvasionABC8.69 50 Crimetime Saturday (8 p.m.) CBS8.67 --------------------------------------------51 Law Order: Criminal Intent (Fri.) NBC8.52 52 The West WingNBC8.51 53 George LopezABC8.50 Three WishesNBC8.50 55 My Name Is EarlNBC8.26 --------------------------------------------56 FreddieABC8.18 57 58 Wife SwapABC7.47 59 Apprentice: MarthaNBC7.38 60 Dateline NBC --------------------------------------------61 Dateline NBC 62 Yes, DearCBS6.76 63 AliasABC6.55 Hope 65 Prison Break (8 p.m.)FOX6.50 --------------------------------------------66 Still StandingCBS6.47 68 Hot PropertiesABC6.41 69 Will GraceNBC6.27 70 ThresholdCBS6.09 --------------------------------------------71 JoeyNBC6.06 72 Gilmore GirlsWB6.02 73 Family GuyFOX5.98 74 SmallvilleWB5.78 75 PrimetimeABC5.61 --------------------------------------------76 War at HomeFOX5.59 77 Next Top Model 5 (Wed.) UPN5.48 78 American DadFOX5.44 79 Cops (9:30 p.m.)FOX5.40 80 Everybody Hates ChrisUPN5.39 --------------------------------------------81 Wonderful World of Disney ABC5.31 82 Cops (9 p.m.)FOX5.29 83 Law Order: SVU 84 Cops (8:30 p.m.)FOX5.23 85 SupernaturalWB5.08 --------------------------------------------86 SupernannyABC5.02 87 Night StalkerABC5.00 88 in 89 Cops (8 p.m.)FOX4.47 90 CharmedWB4.32 --------------------------------------------91 Killer InstinctFOX4.31 92 WWE 93 7th HeavenWB4.10 94 Desperate Housewives (Sat.) ABC3.96 95 EverwoodWB3.91 --------------------------------------------96 Reba 97 Bernie MacFOX3.70 98 Veronica MarsUPN3.58 99 100 Malcolm in the MiddleFOX3.53 --------------------------------------------101 GirlfriendsUPN3.40 102 All ofUsUPN3.38 103 Reba One Tree HillWB3.36 105 One on OneUPN3.32 --------------------------------------------106 Reba 7 p.m.)WB3.11 107 Love Inc. (8:30 p.m.)UPN3.08 108 Next Top Model 5 (Tue.) UPN3.05 109 TwinsWB3.03 110 Half and HalfUPN2.96 --------------------------------------------111 Related 112 EveUPN2.72 113 What I Like About You (8 p.m.) WB2.37 114 CutsUPN2.22 115 Love Inc. (9 p.m.)UPN2.17 --------------------------------------------116 What I Like About You (8:30 p.m.) WB2.05 117 SupernaturalWB2.03 118 Love Inc. (9:30 p.m.)UPN1.97 119 Related Network averages Here is the number of viewers (in millions) that each network averaged per hour of prime time, for last week and for the season.

Network Last week Season to date CBS12.5712.89 FOX10.339.13 ABC9.5010.80 NBC8.709.38 WB3.713.64 UPN3.603.62 From City News Service CBS dominated prime-time viewing last week with six of the seven most-watched shows, led by a rerun of Crime Scene according to Nielsen Media Research figures released Tuesday. In a week heavy with reruns the networks were saving first- run programming for the November ratings sweeps that begin Thursday CBS averaged 12.6 million viewers between Oct. 24 and Sunday, making it the first network to win each of the first six weeks of a season since NBC did so in 1988. drew 24.2 million viewers, continuing its streak of being most-watched program for each week of the season. No first-season series made the top 10.

in was 11th with 15.6 million viewers, the least of any of its five episodes and the first to attract fewer than 16.2 million viewers. coverage of World Series concluded with mixed results. The four-game sweep by the Chicago White Sox was the least-watched World Series, averaging 17.2 million viewers. The previous low was the 2000 World Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees, which averaged 18.1 million. However, series- clinching 1-0victory over the Houston Astros last Wednesday finished third for the week with nearly 20 million viewers, the most for a Fox program since the May 25 finale.

7-514-inning victory in Game 3 the longest World Series game by time at 5 hours, 41minutes was ninth with 16.7 million viewers. Fox was the most-watched network for both nights of World Series telecasts last week and finished first for the week among all adult male demographic groups. leads CBS past the World Series Interact with our critics about movies, music, TV and restaurants. 04ED069 HEBC Calendar Weekend. Thursdays.

How do you weekend? ASK THE CRITIC A Sunday at 11 p.m. as part of Cartoon Adult Swim programming. The half-hour series is astyl- ized version of the controversial strip syndicated in about 300 newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post. The comic, with its sharp-edged riffs on politics and popular culture, has become one of the most popular syndicated strips, even though some nervous editors have pulled installments they said crossed the line in language and in attacks on the Bush administration. Like the strip, centers on the two brothers from Chicago who reluctantly move to the suburbs with their gruff grandfather.

Regina King is the voice of both Huey and Riley, and John Witherspoon is Jebediah Freeman. Other characters include Uncle Ruckus, an African American associate of Granddad who dislikes black people. Relaxing in his darkened Culver City office decorated with artifacts, McGruder is characteristically low-keybut noticeably upbeat about his creation finally seeing the light of late night. He is thrilled at the Korean-drawn anime aesthetic, and believesthat the TV show takes the strip to fresher, funnier heights. He seems just as pleased about the eye-catching promotional billboards around the city featuring the unsmiling Huey and Riley an indication of the promotional push Adult Swim is giving to the show in its effort to capture the 18- to 34-year-old audience that have made hits out of not-ready-for-prime-time fare such as Daily and a says McGruder of the billboards.

all of this is just like what I thought it would be. been 10 years of buildup for this, thinking what it would be like when the moment arrived. This is as good as it gets for But as the premiere approaches, so is a brewing storm. Even before the first episode hits living rooms, has become the latest in a series of urban-themed comedies todraw fire for what community advocates sayis racially offensive humor. Critics are taking issue with the liberal use of the N-word, which is said more than 15 times in the pilot episode, and they are planning to take action.

Although the word is astaple in the hip-hop culture and rap songs, they charge that it is historically painful and degrading to African Americans, particularly when usedin a humorous context. Concerns may erupt over future installments. One episode, Return of the in which the Rev.Martin Luther King Jr.comes out of a 32-year coma and rethinks his the other philosophy. Producers removedreferences to civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks in another episode following her death last week. The forces behind the show are braced for the opposition.

In fact, Turner Broadcasting- owned Adult Swim and Sony Pictures Television are counting on to be a hot button. (The series is rated TV- MA, formature audiences only). Proclaiming as the most expensive series in its four-year history, Adult Swim is positioning the series as the crown jewel of its adult-oriented block, spending an esti- mated $400,000 to $500,000 an episode and flooding the top 10television markets with an intense promotional campaign utilizing 130 billboards, numerous bus placards and posters at bus shelters and subways. even coffee sleeves. Mike Lazzo, senior vice president of Adult Swim, said, is a show that not going to see anywhere else right now.

in keeping with what we want to do, to find provocative voices and giving them His inner Huey ETWORK executives see as the key to establishing Adult Swim as a high-profile brand in the cable universe. But they are banking on a passionate activist with no previous TV experience. McGruder has been fiercely protective of his franchise, resisting previous offers for merchandising. He says he is being allowed to do the TV series with little interference from higher- ups. He is taking on the demands of being a show runner while keeping his day job; McGruder is still writing the strip with the help of an illustrator.

Unlike his angry protagonist, McGruder does smile. But despite his outward calm, McGruder has not been shy about letting his inner Huey come out swinging. He has bragged about calling Secretary of State Condo- leezzaRice a to her face. He feels his demanding nature has paid off with the look of the show and its humor. But he is more uncertain about how the series will be received by viewers, particularly fans of who delight in its ripped- from-the-headlines commentaries and swipes at popular culture.

Because of the months-long process of animation, the series cannot contain the same topical humor. have never had a close relationship with fans. I have to protect the work so I get says McGruder. who like the strip will have their preconceived notions, and they will have to overcome that. The show will have the same point of view, and the same style of humor.

I anticipate a wide range of Ironically, one dissenting opinion has already come from one of friends, Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope in Los Angeles.Saying he has the support of the Rev. Al Sharpton and other leaders, the activist has already planned a community forum the day following the premiere to protest the use of theN-word by several of the characters. support anyone using the Ali said in a recent interview. case, there can be no exception. It represents a horrible part of our past, apainful reminder of slavery.

When black people were lynched, that often was the last word they heard as they hung at the end of Bill Cosby, who has been waging a nationwide crusade in the last few years to address what he believesis disrespect by some poorer blacks of opportunities available because ofthe civil rights movement, maintains that shows such as perpetuate negative images of blacks outside of the country. things travel across both he told The Times in a recent interview. can sit and laugh at them here, but they also play in Asia, Africa, London, Scotland. This is the image people get of Other AfricanAmerican themed comedies in recent years have ignited angry reactions. sparked a firestorm when Sharpton and the Rev.

Jesse Jackson accused that 2002 film of making fun of Parks and King. Several leaders blasted the animated in 1999 for making light of life in an urban housing project. And short-lived 1998 series, Secret Diary of Desmond a Civil War-era series about a black Englishman who becomes a butler and advisor to President Lincoln, drew the wrath of several African American groups claiming it attempted to mine humor from slavery, even though the fictional title character was depicted as the most intelligent member of the Lincoln administration. McGruder is aware of the latest controversy: not being cavalier about this. known Najee for many years, and I definitely give him respect.

But I look at this, and I know that everybody has to do their job. Their job is not to condone the use of that word, and my job is to do a funny show about black people on late night cable. After Dave Chappelle and I thought the whole discussion about that word had been put to bed. The show is what it He added, this strip for six years have prepared me for this. There are those who are going to be wondering with this show, he gone a no-win.

Nothing I can do will be correct for One scholar saysthe controversy may blow over once viewers sample the series. want to stifle what the creators are trying to communicate, as long as they stay true to the spirit of the time and said Darnell Hunt, director of Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies. show should be accorded space to make its point, and might have to use language that others may not series was first developed last year for Fox and was shopped to MTV when the broadcast network passed. McGruder calls the earlier version less funny and edgy than the current show.

When Cartoon Network and Adult Swim agreed to the series, McGruder said he spent much of the summer of 2004 writing and collaborating with his staff to develop stories and concepts. Though is almost entirely vision, veteran filmmaker Reginald Hudlin is also listed as an executive producer. The two were close friendsand worked on several projects, including the Fox pilot. But they split last year before the publication of their graphic novel, of a Hudlin was named this year as entertainment president of Black Entertainment Television, a frequent target of strip. Neither will discuss the details behind the breakup.

But McGruder said of role in are contractually obligated to have his name on the show. He worked on it, and I talked to him in a Responded Hudlin: have worked with Aaron since before he graduated from college, and been developing as a property for five years. not unusual in Hollywood for people to have creative differences or for someone to want to assume complete control of a property. But I think the show will be a big Cartoon Network FOR MATURE AUDIENCES: Militant Huey and his younger brother Riley move to the suburbs with their gruff grandfather in which is being heavily promoted by Adult Swim. from Page E1 No surprise, TV show is controversial For convenient home delivery, visit myaccount.latimes.com or call 1-800-LA TIMES Read all about it Thursday in Calendar Weekend While most of Southern California is asleep, some people are wide awake at 4 a.m.

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