CBS aired repeats Monday, opening things up for rival nets to post some ratings gains. Fox's ''House'' returned from its hiatus a winner, and the net's ''Alcatraz'' held onto most of its premiere audience in its second outing.
According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, ''House'' (3.1 rating/8 share in adults 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall) led the 8 o'clock hour in all categories, rising 19% from its most recent original in late November. It was followed by the second week of ''Alcatraz'' (3.0/7 in 18-49, 9.0 million viewers overall), which looked like a good fit with ''House'' and retained about 90% of its premiere-week audience; it joins Fox's ''Terra Nova'' and ABC's ''Once Upon a Time'' as the season's only dramas this season to have earned a 3 demo rating or higher in their second telecast.
Fox won the night in 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers.
ABC moved up to second in demos as ''The Bachelor'' (2.7/7 in 18-49, 8.2 million viewers overall) grew 13% week to week for a season high. At 10 p.m., drama ''Castle'' (2.1/5 in 18-49, 10.1 million viewers overall) was down a tick week to week in 18-49 and grew some in total viewers, leading the broadcast pack in both categories.
CBS was competitive with repeats of comedies ''How I Met Your Mother'' (2.3/6 in 18-49, 7.0 million viewers overall), ''2 Broke Girls'' (2.6/6 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall), ''Two and a Half Men'' (2.9/7 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall) and ''Mike and Molly'' (2.4/6 in 18-49, 8.3 million viewers overall), followed by an encore ''Hawaii Five-0'' (1.6/4 in 18-49, 6.8 million viewers overall).
NBC saw gameshow ''Who's Still Standing'' edge up to its best Monday demo score to date (1.7/4) while drawing its largest overall audience for any night (6.4 million). And from 9 to 11, a Republican candidates debate airing on ''Rock Center with Brian Williams'' averaged a 1.6/4 in 18-49 and 7.1 million viewers overall, ranking third or fourth among the broadcasters in most categories from 9 to 11 but up from its regular 10 p.m. telecast of last week.
CW's ''Gossip Girl'' (0.7/2 in 18-49, 1.6 million viewers overall) and ''Hart of Dixie'' (0.7/2 in 18-49, 1.6 million viewers overall) posted identical averages, with the former up and the latter down a tick vs. their most recent original episodes. (Due to a preemption in Chicago for Bulls basketball, the net's numbers are subject to revision in the nationals.)
Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 3.0/8; ABC, 2.5/6; CBS, 2.2/6; NBC, 1.7/4; Univision, 1.6/4; CW, 0.7/2.
In total viewers: ABC and Fox, 8.8 million; CBS, 7.7 million; NBC, 6.9 million; Univision, 3.7 million; CW, 1.6 million.
Contact Rick Kissell at
rick.kissell@variety.com