The ABC News primetime special “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People Of 2012″ helped boost ABC’s ratings last night.

The special drew 7.66 million viewers, according to preliminary national ratings from Nielsen. It also drew a 2.7 rating/6 share in the adults 25-54 demo. The program placed ahead of NBC’s “Chicago Fire” during the 10 PM hour in both total viewers and the demo, though CBS juggernaut “CSI:” held on to the top spot in both categories.

Among the people that made the list this year were New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor/director Ben Affleck and Olympian Gabby Douglas. The “Most Fascinating” person was former General David Petraeus.

The Today show team returned to Rockefeller Plaza this morning by red double-decker bus, a nod to the last three weeks spent in London covering the Summer games.

“You notice they did a little remodeling while we were gone,” said Matt Lauer. “Take a look at this. A brand-new look to Studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza with this monstrous LED screen we’ll have fun with over the next days and weeks.”

By the time they got to the stage, a momentary, but loud, audio glitch stopped them in their tracks, just as Guthrie was going to talk about last night’s Closing Ceremony.

“Today” is trying to keep the momentum — and the winning — earned in London by bringing on several medal-winning Americans as contributors, including gymnasts Jordyn Wieber, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Kyla Ross; gold medal diver David Boudia; soccer star Hope Solo; track and field sprinter Allyson Felix; and swimmers Cullen Jones and Katie Ledecky.

The show is concerts each day this week and debuts a new series, “TODAY in History” where Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Natalie Morales each recreate an iconic photograph. The series kicked off today with the anchors reenacting the the Beatles crossing Abbey Road.

We’ll get final ratings for last week, which “Today” will win, on Thursday. The question is, will they be able to maintain the #1 spot, which “Good Morning America” held for five straight weeks before “Today” went to London? Expect both shows to pull out all the stops in the coming weeks leading up to the political conventions and the general election.