Nielsen Ratings

Reality doesn't bite for the networks. With the writers strike in full swing, viewers have embraced reality shows to fill the lack of new scripted programming. The finale of Survivor: China was the second highest-rated show in last week's Nielsen ratings, with more than 15 million viewers. The penultimate episode took fifth place with 14-and-a-half million viewers, while the reunion special also placed in the top 15. That's the good news for the long-running CBS reality franchise. The bad? Despite taking second place, only one other finale in Survivor history has drawn lower ratings -- this past spring's Survivor: Fiji.

While episodes of Survivor held the top of the Nielsens last week, other reality shows scored big, too. The Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and multiple episodes of Deal or No Deal all finished in the top 20.

CBS was the highest-rated network for the week, followed by NBC, Fox, ABC, the CW, Univision, My Network TV and Telemundo

Here are the top 10 primetime programs for the week of Monday, December 10th-Sunday, December 16th

1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS, 19.9 million viewers.

2. Survivor: China Finale, CBS, 15.2 million viewers.

3. Without a Trace, CBS, 15.1 million viewers.

4. Sunday Night Football: Washington Redskins at New York Giants, NBC, 14.6 million viewers.

5. Survivor: China, CBS, 14.5 million viewers.

6. CSI: NY, CBS, 14.4 million viewers.

7. Criminal Minds, CBS, 14.2 million viewers.

8. CSI: Miami, CBS, 14.1 million viewers.

9. The O.T., Fox, 13.5 million viewers.

10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 13.4 million viewers.