Primetime Ratings: ABC Dances To First Place Finish
Comedies and 'CSI: Miami' push CBS to second
By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/24/2009 12:38:51 PM
ABC's hit Dancing With the Stars was the big winner Monday night, with dominant first place finishes in the 8 and 9 p.m. hours, giving the network an easy primetime victory.
Dancing led off the night with a 4.6/13 18-49 rating and 19.4 million viewers at 8 p.m, far ahead of second place CBS, which got a 2.7/7 for How I Met Your Mother (2.9/8) followed by a re-run of the same series (2.6/7) at 8:30. Next was Fox at 2.6/7 with a re-run of House. Chuck on NBC was fourth at 2.1/6. The CW earned a 1.0/3 for Gossip Girl.
Dancing With the Stars hit its peak in the 9 p.m. hour with a 5.2/12 and an average of 20.9 million viewers. The 9 p.m. half-hour earned the night's highest rating mark at 5.2/13 while the 9:30 half-hour drew the most viewers on then night with 21 million tuning in. CBS remained in second place at 9 with a re-run of Two and a Half Men (3.5/9) and Rules of Engagement (3.4/8) pulling a cumulative 3.5/8. Fox stayed in third at 3.4/8 with 24. Heroes on NBC earned a 2.9/7. The CW was fifth with One Tree Hill delivering a 1.1/3.
CBS moved into the top spot in the last hour of primetime. CSI: Miami was the second-highest rated (4.0/10) and most-watched (13.5 million) show on the night. ABC moved down to second at 2.7/7 with Castle. NBC was third with Medium earning a 2.2/6.
Overall ABC took the top spot with ease, earning a 4.2/11 and 16.7 million average total viewers. CBS came in second at 3.4/9. Fox earned a 3.0/8. NBC delivered a 2.4/6. The CW was fifth at 1.1/3.
