TV Ratings: 'House' helps FOX win slow Monday

Daylight Savings Time leads to low 8 p.m. hour ratings across the board

Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 10:32 AM

Daniel Fienberg

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TV Ratings: 'House' helps FOX win slow Monday

Hugh Laurie of 'House'

Credit: FOX

Fast National ratings for Monday, March 15, 2010.

With TV ratings experiencing their traditional post-Spring Forward sluggishness (coupled with repeats on CBS), FOX was able to claim victory on a very slow Monday night.

Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 3.4 rating, beating the 2.8 rating for CBS in the key demographic. ABC's 2.1 rating and the 1.7 rating for NBC followed. The CW's 1.0 rating was fifth for the night.

Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 10.11 million viewers to go with a 6.0 rating/10 share. CBS was a close second with a 5.9/10 and an estimated 9.32 million viewers. ABC's 5.2/8 was a solid third. NBC was fourth with a 3.8/6. That left The CW in fifth with a 1.3/2.

FOX started the night in first with a far-lower-than-average 6. 7/11 for a new "House," which also averaged a 4.0 rating in the key demo. ABC's "20/20" special on "The Bachelor" was second with a 5.2/9, beating CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" repeat and a new "Rules of Engagement." NBC's "Chuck" also was on the low side with a 3.5/6 and a 1.9 demo rating. The CW's "Life Unexpected" had a 1.3/2 for fifth.

[And no, we can't explain why the shift to Daylight Savings Time impacted all new programming except for "Life Unexpected," which was actually up from last week.]

CBS moved into first at 9 p.m. with a 7.4/12 for repeats of "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory," which averaged a 3.8 demo rating. ABC's "20/20" special was up in its second hour. FOX's "24" did a 5.4/9, oddly up in total viewers, but down in the key demo. NBC's "Trauma" had a 3.3/5, also up from last week. The CW's "Gossip Girl" was fifth with a 1.2/2.

CBS' "CSI: Miami" won the 10 p.m. hour with a 5.9/10. A new "Law & Order" on NBC and a "Castle" repeat on ABC both did a 4.5/8 for the hour.

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