RATINGS RECAP: 10/18/10

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 19.3 million, 18-49 demo: 4.0
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
Viewers: 8.0 million, 18-49 demo: 3.3
8:30 Rules of Engagement
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9
9:00 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 13.5 million, 18-49 demo: 4.4
9:30 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
10:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 10.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.9

NBC
8:00 Chuck 
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 The Event
Viewers: 6.4 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2
10:00 Chase
Viewers: 5.2 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

FOX
8:00 House
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.6
9:00 Lie to Me
Viewers: 5.6 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9

Week 5 kicked off with ABC's winning lineup thanks to Dancing with the Stars. Dancing was just about even with last week and remained the dominating show of the night in total viewers. Castle followed and was up two tenths in viewers but down the same in the demo. ABC should launch a new drama in the spring here after Dancing comes back and let Castle fly on its own somewhere. 

CBS had mixed news with its usual lineup. How I Met Your Mother hit season lows in viewers and the demo but remained a solid lead-off for the night. Rules of Engagement lost only a tenth of Mother's total viewers but dropped below a 3 in the demo for a season low. Maybe CBS will try Mad Love here at midseason? Two and a Half Men remained the standout for the night and was basically even with last week, just down a tenth in the demo. Mike & Molly didn't really rebound from last week's low but it didn't drop any more. Total viewers with up slightly and the demo remained the same. Hawaii Five-0 also saw a slight increase in viewers but fell below a 3 for a season low in the demo. This is nowhere near the smash people thought it would be.

NBC's recently renewed low-rated trio finally stopped the bleeding for now at least. Chuck was down a tenth in viewers but even in the demo and now will run for 24 episodes this year. The Event finally leveled off after weeks of big drops. It was down just a tenth in viewers and was the same in the demo. Is this the set, loyal audience or was it a mirage? We'll see next week. Chase followed and was up slightly in viewers and the demo from last week's series lows. It's unlikely to have turned the corner but it may settle right around these numbers.

FOX also was able to stay just about steady like the other networks. House was even in both viewers and the demo but is still way below numbers it was pulling as recently as last year. Lie to Me was up a hair in viewers and even in the demo. It remains a more solid option on Mondays at 9pm but probably not a long term answer.