Here are the top 100 most-watched cable telecasts for 2009 through December 27 (so it won't include last night's Monday Night Football game which would've been number 3!). Though the list is only for basic cable, I'm guessing none of the HBO/Showtime airings would've made this list for any single telecast.
Also note that this is a "most current" view which blends Live+7 ratings wherever they were available (December 29, 2008 to December 13, 2009) and is Live+7 where they weren't (December 14-27).
Not surprisingly ESPN and sports absolutely dominated. Only the strong performance of The Wizards of Waverly Place Movie kept the entire top 10 from being Monday Night Football. But if you hunt around, you will find some scripted shows, and of course, Jon & Kate Plus 8...
| Rank | Date | Shows | NET | DAY(S) | Time | Viewers (000) |
| 1 | 10/5/2009 | PACKERS/VIKINGS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:56P | 21,898 |
| 2 | 11/30/2009 | PATRIOTS/SAINTS | ESPN | Mon | 08:29P-11:37P | 21,449 |
| 3 | 11/9/2009 | STEELERS/BRONCOS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:41P | 16,069 |
| 4 | 9/28/2009 | PANTHERS/COWBOYS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:37P | 15,735 |
| 5 | 9/21/2009 | COLTS/DOLPHINS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:36P | 14,726 |
| 6 | 9/14/2009 | BILLS/PATRIOTS | ESPN | Mon | 07:00P-10:17P | 14,021 |
| 7 | 8/28/2009 | WIZARDS OF WAVERLY MOVIE | DSNY | Fri | 08:00P-09:46P | 13,499 |
| 8 | 12/7/2009 | RAVENS/PACKERS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-12:04A | 13,506 |
| 9 | 10/19/2009 | BRONCOS/CHARGERS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:46P | 13,500 |
| 10 | 10/12/2009 | JETS/DOLPHINS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:49P | 13,163 |
| 11 | 12/14/2009 | CARDINALS/49ERS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:50P | 13,077 |
| 12 | 10/26/2009 | EAGLES/REDSKINS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:49P | 12,788 |
| 13 | 11/2/2009 | FALCONS/SAINTS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-12:17A | 12,400 |
| 14 | 11/23/2009 | TITANS/TEXANS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:47P | 12,103 |
| 15 | 9/14/2009 | CHARGERS/RAIDERS | ESPN | Mon | 10:17P-01:40A | 11,992 |
| 16 | 12/21/2009 | GIANTS/REDSKINS | ESPN | Mon | 08:29P-11:37P | 11,343 |
| 17 | 6/22/2009 | JON & Kate Plus 8 | TLC | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 11,200 |
| 18 | 6/28/2009 | BET AWARDS SHOW | BET | Sun | 08:00P-11:44P | 10,909 |
| 19 | 5/25/2009 | JON & Kate Plus 8 | TLC | Mon | 09:00P-10:13P | 10,656 |
| 20 | 7/17/2009 | WIZARDS ON DECK W/ HANNAH | DSNY | Fri | 08:00P-09:30P | 10,638 |
| 21 | 12/4/2009 | MONK | USA | Fri | 09:00P-10:00P | 10,622 |
| 22 | 9/12/2009 | COLL FTBALL-SAT PRIME L | ESPN | Sat | 07:50P-11:36P | 10,621 |
| 23 | 12/19/2009 | 2009 - COWBOYS VS. SAINTS | NFLN | Sat | 08:22P-11:34P | 10,497 |
| 24 | 11/16/2009 | RAVENS/BROWNS | ESPN | Mon | 08:30P-11:39P | 10,214 |
| 25 | 5/26/2009 | CAVALIERS/MAGIC | TNT | Tue | 08:36P-11:52P | 10,104 |
| 26 | 5/28/2009 | MAGIC/CAVALIERS | TNT | Thu | 08:34P-11:38P | 10,016 |
| 27 | 12/5/2009 | iCarly MOVIE: IQUITICARLY | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-09:00P | 9,903 |
| 28 | 6/26/2009 | PRINCESS PROTECTION PROGR | DSNY | Fri | 08:00P-09:45P | 9,868 |
| 29 | 5/25/2009 | LAKERS/NUGGETS | ESPN | Mon | 08:56P-12:06A | 9,764 |
| 30 | 9/13/2009 | 2009 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS | MTV | Sun | 09:00P-11:31P | 9,352 |
| 31 | 5/27/2009 | LAKERS/NUGGETS | ESPN | Wed | 08:56P-11:50P | 9,257 |
| 32 | 8/6/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 9,103 |
| 33 | 5/24/2009 | CAVALIERS/MAGIC | TNT | Sun | 08:36P-11:45P | 9,011 |
| 34 | 8/8/2009 | iCarly MOVIE: SHELBY MARX | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-09:00P | 8,901 |
| 35 | 7/27/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,877 |
| 36 | 8/24/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,809 |
| 37 | 1/20/2009 | OBAMA INAUG OATH/SPEECH | CNN | Tue | 12:05P-12:27P | 8,789 |
| 38 | 8/17/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,562 |
| 39 | 5/29/2009 | LAKERS/NUGGETS | ESPN | Fri | 08:56P-11:40P | 8,490 |
| 40 | 6/8/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,448 |
| 41 | 9/7/2009 | MIAMI/FLORIDA STATE | ESPN | Mon | 08:00P-11:56P | 8,426 |
| 42 | 9/12/2009 | iCarly | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-08:30P | 8,412 |
| 43 | 8/3/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,399 |
| 44 | 5/30/2009 | CAVALIERS/MAGIC | TNT | Sat | 08:35P-11:13P | 8,394 |
| 45 | 11/6/2009 | SpongeBob TRUTH OR SQUARE | NICK | Fri | 08:00P-09:00P | 8,387 |
| 46 | 5/17/2009 | MAGIC/CELTICS | TNT | Sun | 08:07P-10:46P | 8,384 |
| 47 | 7/30/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,321 |
| 48 | 8/10/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,288 |
| 49 | 7/13/2009 | 2009 STATE FARM HOME RUN | ESPN | Mon | 08:18P-11:09P | 8,276 |
| 50 | 7/16/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,259 |
| 51 | 7/23/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,215 |
| 52 | 8/6/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 8,196 |
| 53 | 5/19/2009 | NUGGETS/LAKERS | ESPN | Tue | 08:57P-11:55P | 8,131 |
| 54 | 7/20/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 8,054 |
| 55 | 7/5/2009 | Hannah Montana | DSNY | Sun | 08:00P-09:00P | 7,983 |
| 56 | 10/21/2009 | NLCS DODGERS-PHILLIES 5 | TBSC | Wed | 08:00P-11:57P | 7,980 |
| 57 | 7/16/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,972 |
| 58 | 3/28/2009 | S KIDS CHOICE 09 | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-09:35P | 7,966 |
| 59 | 8/31/2009 | VIKINGS/TEXANS | ESPN | Mon | 08:00P-11:00P | 7,940 |
| 60 | 7/30/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,939 |
| 61 | 1/20/2009 | SR/INAUGURATION OF OBAMA | CNN | Tue | 12:00P-12:38P | 7,934 |
| 62 | 5/21/2009 | NUGGETS/LAKERS | ESPN | Thu | 08:56P-11:56P | 7,908 |
| 63 | 7/13/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,873 |
| 64 | 7/23/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,805 |
| 65 | 6/18/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,731 |
| 66 | 6/22/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,708 |
| 67 | 6/29/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,695 |
| 68 | 6/15/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,695 |
| 69 | 2/15/2009 | EAST VS WEST | TNT | Sun | 08:25P-11:23P | 7,691 |
| 70 | 6/22/2009 | WWE Entertainment | USA | Mon | 10:00P-11:08P | 7,644 |
| 71 | 10/2/2009 | Suite Life on Deck | DSNY | Fri | 08:00P-09:00P | 7,617 |
| 72 | 3/5/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:02P | 7,613 |
| 73 | 12/26/2009 | BOSTON COLLEGE/USC | ESPN | Sat | 08:00P-11:26P | 7,563 |
| 74 | 9/13/2009 | 2009 VMA POSTSHOW | MTV | Sun | 11:31P-11:38P | 7,539 |
| 75 | 12/7/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,504 |
| 76 | 6/4/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,499 |
| 77 | 8/27/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,445 |
| 78 | 5/14/2009 | LAKERS/ROCKETS | ESPN | Thu | 09:51P-12:35A | 7,368 |
| 79 | 7/6/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,352 |
| 80 | 5/20/2009 | MAGIC/CAVALIERS | TNT | Wed | 08:36P-11:34P | 7,333 |
| 81 | 8/13/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,302 |
| 82 | 6/18/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,298 |
| 83 | 1/26/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,293 |
| 84 | 11/7/2009 | SpongeBob TRUTH OR SQUARE | NICK | Sat | 09:30A-10:30A | 7,272 |
| 85 | 7/9/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,267 |
| 86 | 8/20/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,257 |
| 87 | 6/25/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 7,178 |
| 88 | 5/9/2009 | iCarly MOVIE:DATEABADBOY | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-09:00P | 7,172 |
| 89 | 11/27/2009 | MONK | USA | Fri | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,122 |
| 90 | 7/9/2009 | Burn Notice | USA | Thu | 09:00P-10:00P | 7,046 |
| 91 | 5/2/2009 | BULLS/CELTICS | TNT | Sat | 08:04P-11:10P | 7,011 |
| 92 | 2/23/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 6,994 |
| 93 | 5/22/2009 | MAGIC/CAVALIERS | TNT | Fri | 08:35P-11:41P | 6,933 |
| 94 | 6/11/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:00P | 6,916 |
| 95 | 1/20/2009 | SR/INAUGURATION OF OBAMA | CNN | Tue | 11:00A-12:00P | 6,885 |
| 96 | 12/25/2009 | 2009 - CHARGERS VS. TITAN | NFLN | Fri | 07:34P-10:30P | 6,883 |
| 97 | 3/7/2009 | iCarly | NICK | Sat | 08:00P-08:30P | 6,883 |
| 98 | 6/4/2009 | Royal Pains | USA | Thu | 10:00P-11:17P | 6,856 |
| 99 | 2/16/2009 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | Mon | 09:00P-10:00P | 6,848 |
| 100 | 6/1/2009 | JON & Kate Plus 8 | TLC | Mon | 09:30P-10:00P | 6,841 |