CBS crime drama, Criminal Minds, comewithin about 200,000 bodies topped ABC's "Lost".(File Photo)

Photo Gallery >>>BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- On Wednesday night, the two-season-old CBS crime drama, "Criminal Minds," came within about 200,000 bodies of topping ABC's "Lost."

For the 9 p.m. hour, Lost tallied 16.9 million viewers; "Criminal Minds," 16.7 million, Nielsen Media Research stats said.

CBS declared Wednesday's results a "virtual tie," and boasted that "Criminal Minds" beat "Lost" for the first time ever in household ratings.

In other ratings categories: total viewers, viewers 18-49, "Lost" was ahead of all competitors. Its adults 18-49 rating of 6.7 was 52 percent higher than that of second place "Criminal Minds."

Unbowed, ABC declared "Lost" the most watched show of the hour, and proclaimed it the highest-rated show of the night among demographically desirable 18-to-49-year-olds.

Still, the show was down 10 percent in viewers from last week's third-season premiere, which itself was down 20 percent in viewers from its second-season premiere. Enditem

(Agencies)