RATINGS RECAP: 4/11/11

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 20.9 million, 18-49 demo: 4.5
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 12.3 million, 18-49 demo: 3.0

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
Viewers: 6.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.7
8:30 Mad Love
Viewers: 5.5 million, 18-49 demo: 1.9
9:00 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 7.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5
9:30 Two and a Half Men (Repeat)
Viewers: 7.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
10:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

NBC
8:00 Chuck
Viewers: 4.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.3
9:00 Law & Order: LA
Viewers: 6.1 million, 18-49 demo: 1.5

FOX
8:00 House
Viewers: 8.9 million, 18-49 demo: 3.2
9:00 The Chicago Code
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 1.8

ABC was all new on Monday night starting with the powerful Dancing with the Stars, which was down nine tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for season lows. If it follows its usual pattern, it may drop a bit for awhile before gaining strength towards the finale. It was followed by Castle which was up eight tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo from last week, posting better retention. Of course it also wasn't against the NCAA Basketball Championship which helped too. Would ABC dare to try Castle on another night? Does it have a big enough built-in audience? 


CBS was mostly new on Monday night except for - of course - Two and a Half Men and it continued to suffer without its flagship show and stronger competition. At 8pm, How I Met Your Mother was down 1.1 million viewers and three tenths in the demo from its last new episode for season lows. This is troubling as repeats of this show were getting better total viewer numbers in January. The weak lead-in did not help struggling new comedy Mad Love which was even in viewers but down two tenths in the demo despite a better lead-in. Even with CBS's shaky comedy status, this show is probably a goner. CBS tried new comedy Mike & Molly in the 9pm slot to see if it could be an anchor and the results were not encouraging as it fell a big 1.8 million viewers from its last new episode at 9:30pm. It was down just a tenth in the demo from its last new episode but that meant series lows in both categories. If this had to be the anchor next season, it would not be great news for CBS. Following a Two and a Half Men repeat at a special time, Hawaii Five-0 was down half a million viewers and four tenths in the demo for series lows in both categories. CBS may not need Charlie Sheen but it certainly needs a potent Two and a Half Men as the night is falling apart without it.

NBC was all new on Monday night without much good news to report. At 8pm, Chuck was down two tenths in viewers and the demo for more series lows. This show just should be cancelled already even given NBC's troublesome lineup as it keeps plunging further and further. It was followed by the heavily promoted Law & Order: LA return but the numbers weren't very good. Though it built throughout the two hour return, it was a disappointment considering how much work NBC put in to relaunching it and its name brand. It will be interesting to see how it does at just 10pm next week.

FOX was also all new and, like most other networks, down from the last new evening. At 8pm, House was down six tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo from its last airing three weeks ago for season lows. Is this daylight savings or people getting back into viewing habits after lots of repeats in recent weeks? Hard to tell. At 9pm, The Chicago Code was down three tenths in viewers for a series low but even in the demo from the last new episode, posting better retention. This show remains firmly on the bubble but its probably looking at a midseason renewal at best.