November should be quite a sweeps month. CBS and NBC are battling for supremacy, with CBS sporting the most viewers, and NBC leading with the advertiser-desired 18-to-49 demographic. This is one of four sweeps periods where advertising rates of local stations are set based on ratings performances. Here are some ways broadcasters will be trying to gain an edge:
Mini-series/TV movies
“Gladiator,” ABC (8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Ch. 7) — Never-before-seen footage is added to Russell Crowe’s swords-and-sandals Oscar-winner.
“Home Alone 4,” ABC (6 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 7) — New TV movie with 9-year-old Mike Weinberg taking over for Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister.
“Carrie,” NBC (7 p.m. Monday, WMAQ-Ch. 5) — Three-hour adaptation of Stephen King’s horror novel, with Angela Bettis taking the title role from Sissy Spacek, who played the sensitive teenage telekinetic in the frightening 1976 movie.
“Hunter: Return to Justice,” NBC (8 p.m. Nov. 16, Ch. 5) — Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer reprise their roles from the gritty 1984-91 cop show in the first of two movies this season.
“Mr. St. Nick,” ABC (6 p.m. Nov. 17, Ch. 7) — “Frasier’s” Kelsey Grammer stars as the son of Santa Claus (Charles Durning)
“The Pennsylvania Miners’ Story,” ABC (8 p.m. Nov. 24, Ch. 7) — True story of the nine Quecreek coal miners who were trapped in July.
“Martin and Lewis,” CBS (8 p.m. Nov. 24, Ch. 2) — “Will & Grace’s” Sean Hayes stars as Jerry Lewis to Jeremy Northam’s Dean Martin in this biopic of the duo.
Specials
“The 36th Annual CMA Awards,” CBS (7 p.m. Nov. 6, Ch. 2) — Vince Gill hosts the Country Music Association’s honors, with performances by Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Alan Jackson, George Strait and others.
“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” CBS (9 p.m. Nov. 20, Ch. 2) — This scantily clad frilly fest caused grief for ABC last year, so let’s see how traditionally older-skewing CBS does.
“Paul McCartney ‘Back in the U.S.’,” ABC (8 p.m. Nov. 27, Ch. 7) — The music superstar’s tour from earlier this year is detailed in a “rock ‘n’ roll movie.”
“Tim McGraw: Sing Me Home,” NBC (7 p.m. Nov. 27, Ch. 5) — The country singer’s first TV special takes him to his hometown of Smart, La., for a performance.
Series highlights
“ER,” NBC (9 p.m. Thursday, Ch. 5) — Don Cheadle (“Traffic”) starts a four-episode arc as a new, older, surgical intern.
“The Simpsons,” Fox (7 p.m. Sunday, WFLD-Ch. 32) — Making a belated appearance is the animated series’ annual “Treehouse of Terror” Halloween episode. Clones of Homer . . . eekk!
“Smallville,” the WB (8 p.m. Tuesday, WGN-Ch. 9) — This episode explains what the Kents (John Schneider, Annette O’Toole) did after they found Clark’s (Tom Welling) crashed spaceship.
“The West Wing,” NBC (8 p.m. Nov. 6, Ch. 5) — Christian Slater guest-stars as Election Night finally arrives.
“Friends,” NBC (7 p.m. Nov. 7, Ch. 5) — The series supersizes its 200th episode to 40 minutes.
“According to Jim,” ABC (7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, Ch. 7) — Doug Savant reunites with his former “Melrose Place” castmate Courtney Thorne-Smith as “The Bachelor,” as Cheryl’s (Thorn-Smith) sister Dana (Kimberly Williams) is a contestant on the ABC reality series.
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” UPN (7 p.m. Nov. 12, Ch. 50) — Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) gets a visit from her late mother Joyce (Kristine Sutherland).
“The Bachelor,” ABC (8 p.m. Nov. 20, Ch. 7) — The reality series wraps up with Aaron finally selecting a mate.
“Will & Grace,” NBC (7:30 p.m. Nov. 21, Ch. 5) — Special hour-long episode celebrates the comedy’s 100th episode, followed by a half-hour clips show.
“Half & Half,” UPN (8:30 p.m. Nov. 25, Ch. 50) — Diahann Carroll guests as the half-sisters’ (Rachel True, Essence Atkins) grandmother.
