TV Ratings: 'Bachelor' finale woos Monday viewers

Jason Mesnick's 'Bachelor' farewell tops '24,' 'Heroes,' 'CSI: Miami' and other Monday competition

By Daniel Fienberg Tuesday, Mar 3, 2009 11:39 AM

Jason Mesnick of 'The Bachelor'

Credit: ABC

Fast National ratings for Monday, March 2, 2009.

CBS aired a full slate of new episodes. FOX aired a berserk two-hour "24." But it was the finale of ABC's "The Bachelor" that dew the biggest audience on Monday night.

It wasn't even close.

Among adults 18-49, ABC's three hours of "The Bachelor" drew a 5.8 rating, beating CBS' 4.1 rating in the key demographic. FOX was third with a 3.3 rating and NBC's 2.7 rating took fourth. The CW was last with a 0.5 rating.

Overall, Jason Mesnick's "Bachelor" farewell averaged an estimated 16.13 million viewers for ABC, plus a 10.6 rating/16 share. CBS' 7.8/12 and FOX's 6.5/9 followed. NBC's 4.4/7 was good enough for fourth, topping the 0.8/1 for The CW.

In the 8 p.m. hour, ABC's "The Bachelor" took the hour with a 9.4/14. CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" and "How I Met Your Mother" averaged a 6.7/10 for second. The first hour of "24" on FOX had a 6.1/9 for third. "Chuck" had a 4.0/6 for NBC. Fifth place went to a "Gossip Girl" repeat on The CW.

ABC stayed in the lead at 9 p.m. with "The Bachelor" improving to a 10.8/16. CBS' "Two and a Half Men" (9.3/13) and the season premiere of "Rules of Engagement" (7.3/11) were second. FOX's "24" took third, improving slightly in its second hour. NBC's "Heroes" had a 4.5/6 for fourth, while a "One Tree Hill" repeat on The CW was fifth.

"The Bachelor: After the Final Rose" had an 11.6/18 for ABC in the 10 p.m. hour. CBS' "CSI: Miami" was down to an 8.5/14, while NBC's "Medium also struggled against Mesnick and company.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.