‘Cheers,’ ‘Roseanne,’ ‘Cosby’ Prime Time’s Top 3

Comedy was king in the prime time ratings race last week, with CBS’s “60 Minutes” the only non-sitcom in the top 10, it was reported today.

“Cheers” (NBC) and “Roseanne” (ABC) were the top two--they have been flip-flopping back and forth in the one-two spot for much of the season.

“The Cosby Show” was No. 3, well ahead of “The Simpsons” as everybody tries to second guess Fox’s decision to air Bart and family opposite Cosby’s clan in the fall.

“Simpsons” was in a three-way tie for 10th place, and the Fox show that follows it, “Married . . . With Children,” tied for seventh. The previous week, “Simpsons” and “Married” were in third and fourth place and “Cosby” was fifth. But as long as the shows are on different nights, it’s all apples and oranges and ratings watchers will just have to wait until they go head-to-head.

Another Fox entry, “In Living Color,” was in 14th place.

The show that caused all the furor and shot to the top of the list when it first aired, “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” sank to 21st place, its lowest slot ever, down from the previous week when it was in 12th place. Apparently its gimmick doesn’t work well in reruns.

ABC had one of the few non-repeats on the air last week--”Dr. Ruth’s House,” which finished in 43rd, aptly placed right behind NBC’s “Dear John.”

NBC’s “Seinfeld” tied for seventh in the ratings, hitting the top 10 for all four of its limited run outings, but the network’s other current summer series, “Singer & Sons,” was 54th.

CBS does well with news and actuality. Not only was “60 Minutes” in fifth place, but “Rescue 911” was in 15th and “48 Hours” tied for 40th with “Return to Crack Street.”

On a night-by-night basis, NBC took Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, CBS was champ on Monday and Sunday and ABC held Friday.

TOP TV SHOWS

The top programs for the week ending Sunday, June 24, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co., were:

1. Cheers (NBC)

2. Roseanne (ABC)

3. The Cosby Show (NBC)

4. Empty Nest (NBC)

5. 60 Minutes (CBS)

6. Golden Girls (NBC)

7. Seinfeld (NBC)

(tie) Coach (ABC)

(tie) Married...With Children (Fox)

10. (tie) A Different World (NBC)

(tie) The Simpsons (Fox)

(tie) Designing Women (CBS)