Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 5/11/09

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 15.73 million, CBS: 11.38, Fox: 11.18, NBC: 5.92, CW: 2.09

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 3.9 rating/11 share, CBS: 3.9 rating/10 share, ABC: 3.6/10, NBC: 1.8/ 5, CW: 1.0/ 3

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Dancing With the Stars (ABC), House (Fox), Two and a Half Men (CBS), CSI: Miami (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
The Big Bang Theory (CBS), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), Rules of Engagement (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Deal or No Deal (NBC), Medium (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC, CBS and Fox shared dominance on this second Monday in May, with ABC the most-watched network and Fox and CBS tied for first among adults 18-49 (in rating) -- eight percent above the alphabet network in the demo. Third in both categories was Fox, followed by NBC and the CW.

Padded ABC powerhouse Dancing With the Stars averaged 18.31 million viewers with a 4.1 rating/11 share among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m., building by half hour as follows:

Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 15.79 million (#1), A18-49: 3.4/10 (#2)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 18.22 million (#1), A18-49: 4.1/11 (#2)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 19.37 million (#1), A18-49: 4.5/12 (#1)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 19.87 million (#1), A18-49: 4.6/12 (#1)

I refer to the show as “padded” because the first half-hour was nothing more than a recap of last week. As for who is departing tonight, it has to finally be wooden Ty Murray. At least I hope so.

Dancing With the Stars led into the season (or series) finale of freshman drama Castle at a second-place 10.55 million viewers and a 2.5/ 7 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that put retention out of the last half of Dancing With the Stars of 53 percent in total viewers and 54 percent in the demo. As to whether or not Castle will be returning, my guess is yes. If it comes down to the three recently introduced hours -- Castle, Cupid and The Unusuals -- the familiarity of Castle could work to its advantage.

Over at CBS, laugh-out-loud The Big Bang Theory closed season two with a respectable 9.81 million viewers (#3) and a 3.6/11 among adults 18-49 (#2) at 8 p.m. Keep in mind that The Big Bang Theory has already been picked-up for two more seasons. Next was compatible How I Met Your Mother (Viewers: #3, 8.70 million; A18-49: #3, 3.6/10 at 8:30 p.m.), followed by Two and a Half Men (Viewers: #2, 12.89 million; A18-49: #2, 4.4/11), which always builds significantly, Rules of Engagement (Viewers: #2, 10.12 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/ 9) and CSI; Miami (Viewers: #1, 13.37 million; A18-49: #1, 3.9/11). Fans of Rules of Engagement should mark your calendars for an 8 p.m. edition of the comedy tomorrow, leading into a later edition of The New Adventures of Old Christine.

Next up was Fox with its combination of House (Viewers: #2, 12.33 million; A18-49: #1, 4.6/13), which remains a solid anchor for the evening, and 24 (Viewers: #3, 10.03 million; A18-49: #3, 3.3/ 8), which no longer has the buzz it used to have. NBC’s now anemic Deal or No Deal sunk to a mere 4.22 million viewers (#4) and a last-place 1.0/ 3 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. That led into two episodes of Medium, which was fourth in the 9 p.m. hour with 6.29 million viewers and a 1.9/ 5 among adults 18-49; and third at 10 p.m. with 7.26 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 in the demo. Here is the half-hour break-down for the two-hours of Medium:

Medium (NBC)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.95 million (#4), A18-49: 1.8/ 5 (#4)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.62 million (#4), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#4)
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.11 million (#3), A18-49: 2.2/ 6 (#3)
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.41 million (#3), A18-49: 2.3/ 6 (#2t)

Although NBC has yet to officially confirm a renewal for Medium, chances are it will be back in midseason.

The CW’s Gossip Girl, which featured the proposed “Lily” spin-off, averaged 2.33 million viewers (#5) and a 1.2/ 3 among adults 18-49 (#4). That led into veteran One Tree Hill at an almost identical 2.27 million viewers (#5) and a 1.1/ 3 in the demo (#5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marc Berman,

Enjoy your reprieve while it lasts, Nathan Fillion. You're going DOWN.

I haven't liked Fillion in anything he has done up until Castle. I can't put my finger on it, but he doesn't make me want to punch him through the screen in this.

Those Fox averages seem to be off. Seems like it should be around 11.2 million and a 3.9 for the night. Also 2 1/2 men should be #2 in viewers and DWTS #3 demo at 8 pm (behind BBT and house)

I found both BBT and HIMYM pretty lame last night.

HIMYM is NOTHING without Alyson Hannigan. She's like their rhythm section. But she's temporarily out of the band, apparently because she was practicing the rhythm method. Bah-dum-ching, high five.

So I give up--what was so critical about meeting his former fiance to Ted finding the future mother of his kids?

I'm relieved it wasn't Stella, but other than the pep talk she gave Ted, nothing changed--they way oversold that cliffhanger last week.

Looks like we will see Castle nexts season. I am glad. Last nights episode was good.

Can anyone tell me if the women with all the plastic surgery really looks like that.

quote:

I haven't liked Fillion in anything he has done up until Castle. I can't put my finger on it, but he doesn't make me want to punch him through the screen in this.

Well, he isn't wearing a cowboy vest and talking pseudo-western gobbledygook in outer space. That certainly helps.

But he still better be glad that punching through the screen thingy doesn't work, or he'd be punch drunk by now.

Actually, that would explain his facial expressions.

HIMYM was a real letdown for me. They acted like Ted's chance meeting with Stella on the corner in last weeks episode directly led to meeting the mother. It did absolutely nothing. If it does lead to the mother, it is so indirect that he didn't need to celebrate it like that.

quote:

Looks like we will see Castle nexts season

And wave bu-bye to it forever nexts summer.

Last night's episode of 24 was probably the best of the season. Even with Kim in trouble (again!), it looks like the finale is going to sweet. Can't wait for next week!

And it lost more than a million of BBT's audience. I'm not sure thats ever happened. Yes their demo was the same, so either BBT skews older (or younger...<18)
I thought BBT and especially 2 1/2 men were really on their game last night. Alan's puppet cracked me up.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom98006:
HIMYM was a real letdown for me. They acted like Ted's chance meeting with Stella on the corner in last weeks episode directly led to meeting the mother. It did absolutely nothing. If it does lead to the mother, it is so indirect that he didn't need to celebrate it like that.

BBT firmly established itself this season as the 8:00 anchor to compliment Two and a Half Men's 9:00 anchor. It got the same demo as the 8:30 and 9:30 sitcoms when it is in the lowest rated time slot. The viewer gap between BBT and HIMYM continues to grow every week. What a nice ratings finish for a great year for the show. Its two year renewal is well deserved.

quote:

Originally posted by tvchtw:
And it lost more than a million of BBT's audience. I'm not sure thats ever happened. Yes their demo was the same, so either BBT skews older (or younger...<18)
I thought BBT and especially 2 1/2 men were really on their game last night. Alan's puppet cracked me up.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom98006:
HIMYM was a real letdown for me. They acted like Ted's chance meeting with Stella on the corner in last weeks episode directly led to meeting the mother. It did absolutely nothing. If it does lead to the mother, it is so indirect that he didn't need to celebrate it like that.

It's a shame Medium is on the loser list, because it's not as if Deal Or No Deal is doing it any favors whatsoever.

While Castle has the best shot at returning, ABC would still be dumb to bring it back.

NBC is thinking hard about whether to renew Medium, which had an lead-in of 1.0 in the demo at 9pm, and gave itself a 1.9 lead-in at 10pm, but still came in just a whisker behind Castle--which had a lead-in of 4.6!

Does anybody REALLY think Castle would be doing Fringe #'s if it was after AI? If so, there's this bridge in Brooklyn.....

quote:

Originally posted by TAYLORJNG:
It's a shame Medium is on the loser list, because it's not as if Deal Or No Deal is doing it any favors whatsoever.

I agree,

Marc,

Medium should be taken of the losers list becouse it was the highest rated show for NBC last night.