8PM comes alive.
CBS: The network just closed its deal to bring back HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER for a 9th and final season, and after last night, the only part it may be regretting is “final,” as HIMYM (with a highly-promoted “Robin Sparkle” episode) was the highest rated show on any network with 4.0. The unkillable RULES OF ENGAGEMENT returned with a 3.1 to easily win its timeslot. CBS won every hour of the night, but the rest of the line-up didn’t benefit much from the Super Bowl promos on Sunday, as 2 BROKE GIRLS was down a tick to 3.6 and MIKE & MOLLY was down 0.2 to 3.1. HAWAII 5-0 was steady at 2.3.
CW: It’s not clear why the very mediocre THE CARRIE DIARIES is developing a head of steam, but the numbers are what they are, and the show rose again to 0.7, which is a fairly sweet rating in the CW universe. The rise didn’t do anything for its night-mate, as the increasingly ludicrous 90210 could only hold even at 0.4.
FOX: The excitement of THE FOLLOWING‘s arrival dissipated somewhat, as the show fell 0.4 in its third week, down to 2.9. BONES, similarly, was down 0.3 to 2.3.
NBC: THE BIGGEST LOSER faltered to 2.0, down 0.3 for the week. DECEPTION played out its string with a steadily bad 1.2.
ABC: Modest drops for both of the night’s shows: 0.1 for THE BACHELOR (2.4) and 0.2 for CASTLE (1.8).
The curtain rises tonight for the 2-hour return of SMASH on NBC (after a BETTY WHITE 2ND 90TH BIRTHDAY SPECIAL) , which airs against a special edition of The Bachelor on ABC and regular programming on the other networks. One odd scheduling footnote: after its season debut tonight, Smash is preempted entirely next week for the State of the Union Address, returning in 2 weeks–seemingly a strange way to build ratings momentum for a show that needs some.
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