Scripted Shows Go On, But Viewers Simply Yawn

Last week, when the Hollywood writers' strike was in full throttle, viewers flocked to whatever crumbs of original scripted programming were tossed their way -- not.

Here's a look at the week's super and subpar:

WINNERS

"20/Tabloid," a.k.a. "20/20: The Final Hours of Natalee Holloway." Just in time for the February ratings sweeps, the journalists at the ABC News program succumbed to an urgent need to update us about new evidence in America's favorite blond-chick-in-peril story that has prompted Aruban authorities to reopen the case -- again. The update snagged nearly 13 million viewers, the newsmag's biggest audience in more than a year.

"Biggest Loser." NBC gave its weight-watching competition another season pickup because week in and week out it's the best performer among young viewers in the "American Idol" Tuesday time slot.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." While Disney-owned ABC's "EM:HE" team builds a deserving family a new home, the family repays the favor by agreeing to be shipped to San Diego to endure a "Hannah Montana" concert and meet with singer Miley Cyrus, so the show can flog that Disney franchise. It beat the Grammy-cast among teen viewers and clocked the biggest overall "EM:HE" audience in a year.

LOSERS

Grammy Awards. Despite a Writers Guild the-show-must-go-on waiver, and big trophy hauls by Amy Winehouse and Kanye West, the music industry's trophy show drew its second-smallest audience in at least 30 years and probably forever -- 17.17 million viewers. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, the Grammy telecast suffered its smallest ratings in people-meter history. Could viewers have been confused by the Writers Guild's flipping and flopping over picketing the show? Do they not care about Winehouse and West? Whatevs.