'Monk' series finale sets ratings record

'Monk,' USA Network's hit series about an OCD afflicted detective starring Tony Shalhoub, ended it's 8 season run last Friday. It was the highest rated episode of a cable drama in TV history.

The finale drew 9.4 million viewers for the USA network. It is the largest audience and demo turnout to date, not only for the show and for a USA scripted series but also for a drama series on basic cable, eclipsing the 9.2 million mark for TNT's 'The Closer.'

The show was also the highest rated program on all of TV on Friday night.

Following 'Monk' the fall finale of USA's freshman series 'White Collar' also hit series highs, averaging 5.55 million viewers, the cable network's best performance at 10 p.m. Friday in more than three years, since the series premiere of 'Psych.'

"What a perfect way for 'Monk', our first tentpole success, to finish its run -- going out even stronger than it came in, and helping to launch another great show, 'White Collar'," said USA's president of original programming Jeff Wachtel.