Primetime Ratings: Britney Spears Boosts CBS' How I Met Your Mother

Two and a Half Men Is CBS’ Top-Rated Show on Monday Night

By John Eggerton & Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/25/2008 5:36:00 PM

A guest appearance by Britney Spears gave CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother its highest demo ratings in series history Monday night and its highest overall ratings this season.

How I Met Your Mother drew 10.67 million overall viewers, the most this season, including a 3.6 rating/11 share in the 18-34 demo and a 5.4 rating/14 share in the 25-54 demo, both series highs.

Despite the Britney boost, How I Met Your Mother finished behind Dancing with the Stars on ABC and did not draw as many viewers as fellow CBS comedy Two and a Half Men or drama CSI: Miami.

ABC failed to repeat as primetime ratings winner in the 19-49 demo Monday night, its second straight night with an all-reality lineup.

While ABC scored with Dancing with the Stars (5 rating/13 share) from 8 p.m.-10 p.m., The Bachelor dropped precipitously to a 2.5/7 for third place from 10 p.m.-11 p.m., allowing CBS to take the night with a 4.4/11 on the strength of its Monday-night sitcom lineup. ABC averaged a 4.2/11 for second place.

CBS' top show was Two and a Half Men, the night's top-rated show at a 5.1/13 in the Nielsen Media Research overnights for the 18-49 demo, although ABC's Dancing outrated it for that 9 p.m.-9:30 p.m. half-hour with a 5.2/13.

NBC and Fox tied for third at a 2.4/6. NBC's top show was Medium from 10 p.m.-11 p.m. with a 3/8. Irrespective of whose father knows or is best, NBC's My Dad Is Better than Your Dad isn't doing well. It averaged a 1.2/3 from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. for a distant fourth place.

Fox's new drama, New Amsterdam, averaged a 2.1/5 from 9 p.m.-10 p.m., while a repeat of its old and reliable drama, House, performed much better at a 2.7/8 from 8 p.m.-9 p.m.

The CW was fifth with a 0.6/2 led by Pussycat Dolls with a 0.8/2.