Y&R Celebrates 9,000 Episodes

The number-one daytime drama for the past 19 years, CBS's THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, celebrates its 9,000th episode, Tuesday, Oct. 14, on the CBS Television Network. The show celebrated 35 years on the air this past March.

PREVIEW: Tonight's FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

1 The coach's wife and Dillon High's newest principal become the centerpiece of a town controversy in FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT's second episode of Season 3. The decision by Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) to reallocate money raised for athletics to academics, preferring new books to a new JumboTron, has the mayor of the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, on the attack early on in the episode. It's not the only drama in the episode, which sees a former couple start to reconnect and brings a bit of good news back to Brian "Smash" Williams (Gaius Charles). Related: TV Guide interview with Connie Britton

List of top 20 shows in prime-time Nielsen ratings

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Sept. 29-Oct. 5. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation. 1. (1) DANCING WITH THE STARS, ABC, 18.88 million viewers. 2. (4) NCIS, CBS, 17.47 million viewers. 3. (11) 60 MINUTES CBS, 16.65 million viewers. 4. (5) DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, ABC, 15.68 million viewers. 5. (9) DANCING WITH THE STARS RESULTS, ABC, 15.49 million viewers. 6. (7) THE MENTALIST, CBS, 15.48 million viewers. 7. (10) CSI: NY, CBS, 14.89 million viewers. 8. (6) CRIMINAL MINDS, CBS, 14.78 million viewers. 9. (7) CSI: MIAMI, CBS, 14.35 million viewers. 10. (3) NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: PITTSBURGH VS. JACKSONVILLE, NBC, 14.21 million viewers. 11. (12) TWO AND A HALF MEN, CBS, 13.58 million viewers. 12. (14) SURVIVOR: GABON, CBS, 13.08 million viewers. 13. (13) HOUSE, Fox, 12.98 million viewers. 14. (X) AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Wednesday), NBC, 12.69 million viewers. 15. (16) WITHOUT A TRACE, CBS, 12.61 million viewers. 16. (16) EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION, ABC, 11.83 million viewers. 17. (18) COLD CASE, CBS, 11.1 million viewers. 18. (20) AMAZING RACE 13, CBS, 11 million viewers. 19. (22) LAW & ORDER: SVU, NBC, 10.39 million viewers. 20. (18) BROTHERS & SISTERS, ABC, 10.33 million viewers. Meanwhile, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS averaged 5.20 million viewers for the week peaking at 5.33 million on Wednesday.

Jon Lindstrom Cast As Craig On ATWT

1 Jon Lindstrom as been cast as the new Craig Montgomery on AS THE WORLD TURNS. HIs first airdate is December 3. Lindstrom is best known to soap fans for his roles as twin brothers Kevin Collins and Ryan Chamberlain on GENERAL HOSPITAL and PORT CHARLES. He won a Soap Opera Digest Award in 2008 as Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role on PC. Before joining the cast of GH in 1996, he played Brady on RITUALS, Paul on GENERATIONS and Mark on SANTA BARBARA. Scott Bryce, the original and most recent Craig, was fired from AS THE WORLD TURNS in February of this year apparently due to backstage drama with Executive Producer Christopher Goutman. Goutman wanted Bryce's Craig to be more like Hunt Block's version of the character per an interview Bryce did with "BuzzWorthy Radio" in July. Despite Bryce's popularity with fans, Goutman did not want him in the role. Hunt Block had a successful run as Craig earlier in the decade, and Jeffrey Meek had a short and unmemorable stint as Craig immediately before Bryce returned in April 2007.