On a night with competition all over the place, Chuck returned to Monday nights with very strong overnight numbers…

Lets take a look a CBS first: HIMYM posted its best numbers since last spring with a 3.9 A18-49 rating and 9.8 million viewers – a solid start to the night against House. Accidentally on Purpose was once again the weak link, pulling just a 3.2 (18-49) rating and 8.5 million viewers – which is why it’s moving to Wednesday nights. 9pm saw Two and a Half Men post its highest viewership for a while and a very good 5.4 (18-49) rating leading into a new Big Bang – which was again better in the key demos posting a 5.7 (18-49) rating. At 10, CSI Miami was level with its season average with a 3.7 (18-49) rating.

FOX took second for the night with a sold ep of House (4.6 rating, 12.2 million viewers) and an old new episode of Fringe (those who saw it know what i’m talking about), which posted a 2.8 rating and 7.8 million viewers – much better than how it’s performing on Thursdays.

ABC went with new episodes of the Bachelor between 8-10pm, averaging a sold 3.7 (18-49) rating and 10.5 million viewers. Castle was also good (by Castles standards) with a 2.6 (18-49) rating and 9.5 million viewers.

The biggest story of the night was Chuck returning to its 8pm timeslot where it outperformed Heroes’ season-to-date average by almost 20% and even its own average from last year by almost 15%. The show was also against a very solid 100th episode of HIMYM and grew .2 in its second half hour. It was again a bad night for Heroes though, with it dropping to a 2.1 rating in its old timeslot, good enough for fourth place. Leno posted his best Monday numbers in a while at 10pm, averaging a 1.6 rating and just under 4.8 million viewers.

The CW was in repeats — and who cares?

Full Breakdown: 

8:00 – FOX – House – 4.6 (18-49) rating - 12.2 million viewers
CBS – How I Met Your Mother – 3.9 - 9.8 million viewers
ABC – The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love – 3.3 - 9.8 million
NBC – Chuck – 2.6 - 7.3 million
CW – One Tree Hill (R) – 0.4 - 1.2 million

8:30 – CBS – Accidentally on Purpose 3.2 - 8.5 million

9:00 – CBS – Two and a Half Men – 5.4 (18-49) rating - 17.3 million viewers
ABC – The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love - 4.0 - 11.2 million
FOX – Fringe – 2.8 - 7.8 million
NBC – Heroes – 2.1 - 4.7 million
CW – Gossip Girl (R) – 0.3 - 0.74

9:30 – CBS – The Big Bang Theory – 5.7 - 15.8 million

10:00 – CBS – CSI: Miami – 3.7 (18-49) rating - 13.7 million viewers
ABC – Castle – 2.6 - 9.45 million
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.6 - 4.79

FOX again won Saturday night with their usual mix of COPS and America’s Most Wanted.

8:00 – FOX – Cops (R) – 1.7 (18-49) rating – 4.9 million viewers
ABC – Shrek 2 (R, 8-10pm) – 1.5 - 4.3 million
NBC – Mercy (R) - 0.5 - 2.5 million
CBS – Medium (R) – 0.6 - 2.4 million

9:00 – FOX – America’s Most Wanted – 1.8 (18-49) rating - 4.8 million viewers
CBS – 48 Hours Mystery (R) – 0.9 - 4 million
NBC – Law & Order (R) – 0.8 - 3.8 million

10:00 – CBS – 48 Hours Mystery – 1.3 (18-49) rating - 5.4 million viewers
NBC – Law & Order SVU (R) – 1.2 - 4.6 million
ABC – Castle (R) – 0.9 - 3.5 million

Merry Christmas! And apparently you were watching Captain Jack in Curse of the Black Pearl last night….

Full Breakdown:

8:00 – ABC – Pirates of the Carribean (8-11pm) - 1.4 (18-49) rating - 4 million viewers
NBC – SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (R) 1.4 - 4.7 million
CBS – Ghost Whisperer (R) - 1.0 - 3.8 million
FOX – Til Death – 0.7 - 2.5 million
CW – Smallville (R) – 0.4 - 1.1 million

9:00 - NBC - SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas (R) – 1.3 (18-49) rating - 4.6 million viewers
CBS – Medium (R) – 1.0 - 4.5 million
FOX – Til Death – 0.8 - 2.5 million
CW – Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (R) – 0.3 - 0.8 million

10:00 – NBC – The Jay Leno Show (R) – 1.1 (18-49) rating - 3.6 million viewers
CBS – Numb3rs (R) – 1.0 - 5.3 million

It’s a Wonderful Life won the night (which should explain how dull these numbers are…!)

via Mediaweek:

8:00 p.m – ABC – Disney’s Prep & Landing (R)

Viewers: 3.33 million (#4), A18-49: 0.9 rating/4 share (#3t)

CBS – CSI: NY (R)

Viewers: 4.98 million (#1), A18-49: 1.0/ 4 (#2)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 4.25 (#2) million (#4), A18-49: 1.1/ 5 (#1)

Fox – Bones (R)

Viewers: 3.44 million (#3), A18-49: 0.9/ 4 (#3t)

CW – The Vampire Diaries (R)

Viewers: 1.03 million (#5), A18-49: 0.4/ 1 (#5)

—————

8:30 p.m.

ABC – The Middle (R)

Viewers: 2.72 million (#4), A18-49: 0.8/ 3 (#4)

CBS – CSI: NY (R)

Viewers: 5.37 million (#1), A18-49: 0.9/ 4 (#3)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 4.67 million (#2), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#1)

Fox – Bones (R)

Viewers: 3.69 million (#3), A18-49: 1.0/ 4 (#2)

CW – The Vampire Diaries (R)

Viewers: 884,000 (#5), A18-49: 0.3/ 1 (#5)

—————

9:00 p.m.

ABC – Modern Family (R)

Viewers: 3.36 million (#3), A18-49: 0.8/ 3 (#3)

CBS – CSI (R)

Viewers: 6.92 million (#1), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#2)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 5.38 million (#2), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#1)

Fox – Fringe (R)

Viewers: 2.51 million (#4), A18-49: 0.7/ 3 (#4)

CW – Supernatural (R)

Viewers: 982,000 (#5), A18-49: 0.3/ 1 (#5)

—————

9:30 p.m.

ABC – Cougar Town (R)

Viewers: 2.67 million (#3), A18-49: 0.8/ 3 (#3)

CBS – CSI (R)

Viewers: 7.41 million (#1), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#2)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 5.28 million (#2), A18-49: 1.6/ 6 (#1)

Fox – Fringe (R)

Viewers: 2.36 million (#4), A18-49: 0.7/ 2 (#4)

CW – Supernatural (R)

Viewers: 909,000 (#5), A18-49: 0.3/ 1 (#5)

—————

10:00 p.m.

ABC – Grey’s Anatomy (R)

Viewers: 2.11 million (#3), A18-49: 0.7/ 2 (#3)

CBS – The Mentalist (R)

Viewers: 7.96 million (#1), A18-49: 1.6/ 6 (#2)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 5.82 million (#2), A18-49: 1.8/ 7 (#1)

—————

10:30 p.m.

ABC – Grey’s Anatomy (R)

Viewers: 2.25 million (#3), A18-49: 0.7/ 2 (#3)

CBS – The Mentalist (R)

Viewers: 8.40 million (#1), A18-49: 1.7/ 6 (#2)

NBC – Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (R)

Viewers: 6.46 million (#2), A18-49: 2.1/ 7 (31)

It’s the holidays, peeps. What else did you expect?

The two leading shows for the night were ABC’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas and CBS’ CSI: NY. Criminal Minds was a close third, just ahead of Modern Family and The Middle reruns on ABC.

As always, the nights losers were One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl and The Jay Leno Show (which was an original).
Full Breakdown:

8:00 – ABC – How The Grinch Stole Christmas (R) – 2.1 (18-49) rating - 6.8 million
FOX – Glee (R) - 1.2 - 3.6 million
CBS – A Home For The Holidays With Faith Hill – 1.1 - 6.4 million
NBC – Mercy (R) – 0.8 - 3.7 million
CW – One Tree Hill (R) – 0.3 - 0.9 million

8:30 – ABC – The Middle (R) – 1.8 - 5.5 million viewers

9:00 – CBS – Criminal Minds (R) – 2.0 (18-49) rating - 10.2 million viewers
ABC – Modern Family (R) - 1.9 - 5.6 million
FOX – Glee (R) – 1.4 - 3.9 million
NBC – Mercy (R) – 0.7 - 2.7 million
CW – Gossip Girl (R) – 0.2 - 0.5 million

9:30 – ABC – The Middle (R) – 1.5 - 4.3 million viewers

10:00 – CBS – CSI: NY (R) – 2.1 (18-49) rating - 10.2 million viewers
ABC – Cougar Town - 1.2 - 3.6 million
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.1 - 4.6 million

On a slow christmas stacked with repeats it was CBS’ NCIS combination that won the night.

It was a very slow night last night with the two NCIS‘ combining to pull CBS to victory averaging a 2.4 (18-49) rating and just over 12 million viewers for the win.

The only original material out there was a new Scrubs (1.3) and Better Off Ted (1.0), both of which hit series lows and are now a cert to end their respective runs this season.

Full Breakdown

8:00 – CBS – NCIS (repeat) – 2.9 (18-49) rating – 15.4 million viewers
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) – 1.4 - 5.6 million
NBC - The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now? (repeat) – 1.3 - 4.1 million
FOX – Carrie Underwood: Holiday Special (repeat) – 1.1 -  3.8 million
CW – 90210 (repeat) – 0.5 - 1.1 million

9:00 – CBS – NCIS:Los Angeles (repeat) – 2.5 (18-49) rating - 12.3 million viewers
NBC – The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now? (repeat) – 1.6 - 4.4 million
ABC – Scrubs – 1.3 - 3.5 million
FOX – Carrie Underwood: Holiday Special (repeat) – 1.2 - 4.3 million
CW – Melrose Place (repeat) - 0.3 - 0.7 million

9:30 – ABC – Better Off Ted – 1.0 (18-49) rating - 2.9 million viewers

10:00 – CBS – The Good Wife (repeat) – 1.7 (18-49) rating - 9 million viewers
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.5 - 5.2 million
ABC – Christimas At The White House: Oprah Special (repeat) - 0.9 – 3.3 million

On a night with most networks in reruns, it was CBS which took the ratings crown. My best guess is that all of the broadcast networks were beaten out by the Giants/Redskins game on ESPN last night.

CBS won the night with reruns of How I Met Your Mother (1.8), Accidentally on Purpose (1.7), Two and a Half Men (3.1) and the nights highest rated show, The Big Bang Theory (3.3). CSI: Miami was 10pm’s #1 show with a 2.4 (18-49) rating, beating an original of The Jay Leno Show.

NBC was second for the night with 2 hours of The Sing Off, which averaged a solid 2.3 (18-49) rating. At 10, Leno was beaten by a rerun of CSI: Miami – posting just a 1.6 (18-49) rating.

FOX took third place with reruns of House (1.6) and Lie To Me (1.3) beating out ABC, which went with a rerun of I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown (1.8), a new Find My Family (1.2, season lows) and a Castle rerun (1.0).

The CW was last with reruns of One Tree Hill (0.3) and Gossip Girl (0.3).

Full Breakdown:

8:00 – NBC – The Sing Off – 2.2 (18-49) rating - 7.1 million viewers 
CBS – How I Met Your Mother (R) – 1.8 - 5.7 million
ABC – I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown (R) – 1.8 - 5.9 million
FOX – House (R) - 1.6 - 4.9 million
CW – One Tree Hill (R) - 0.3 - 0.9 million

8:30 – CBS – Accidentally on Purpose (R) – 1.7 - 5.4 million

9:00 – CBS – Two and a Half Men (R) – 3.1 (18-49) rating - 10.7 million viewers
NBC – The Sing Off – 2.3 - 7.4 million
FOX – Lie to Me (R) – 1.3 - 4.1 million
ABC – Find My Family – 1.2 - 4.8 million
CW – Gossip Girl (R) – 0.3 – 0.7 million

9:30 - CBS – The Big Bang Theory (R) – 3.3 (18-49) rating - 10 million viewers

10:00 – CBS – CSI: Miami (R) – 2.4 (18-49) rating - 8.6 million viewers
NBC – The Jay Leno Show 1.6 - 5.8 million
ABC – Castle (R) – 1.0 - 4.4 million

On a night where all networks other than ABC were strong, it was NBC’s Sunday Night Football that took the win.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football saw the Carolina Panthers in an unlikely victory over my Minnesota Vikings, which averaged a solid 5.6 (18-49) rating between 8.30 and 11pm to lead NBC to victory. A NFL overrun on FOX helped them to second place, averaging a 4.4 rating even though they were in repeats from 8-10pm.

The Survivor: Samoa finale posted solid numbers for CBS, averaging a 4.2 (18-49) rating between 8-11pm. At 7, 60 minutes posted a 2.4 rating and 13.1 million viewers.

ABC had a dismal night with America’s Funniest Home Videos (1.7), Movie: Santa Clause 3 (2.0) and Desperate Housewives (1.3)

Winners:
Sunday Night Football (NBC)
NFL Overrun (FOX)
Survivor: Samoa (CBS)
FOX animation reruns

Losers:
ABC reruns
60 Minutes (CBS)

Full Breakdown:  

7:00 – FOX – NFL overrun – 7.1 (18-49) rating - 19.6 million
CBS – 60 Minutes – 2.4 - 13.1 million
NBC – Football Night In America - 2.1 – 6.3 million
ABC – America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) – 1.7 - 6.9 million

8:00 - NBC – Football Night In America - 4.2 (18-49) rating – 12.5 million viewers
CBS – Survivor: Samoa (finale) - 4.2 - 14 million
FOX - The Simpsons (repeat) – 3.8 - 8.2 million
ABC – Santa Clause 3 (movie) – 1.8 – 6.7 million

8:30 – NBC – Sunday Night Football (8.30 – 11pm) - 5.6 (18-49) rating – 15.8 million viewers
FOX The Cleveland Show (repeat) 2.8 7 5.917

9:00 – CBS – Survivor: Samoa (finale) - 4.5 (18-49) rating – 14.3 million viewers
FOX – Family Guy (repeat) - 3.1 - 6.3 million
ABC – Santa Clause 3 (movie) – 2.1 - 7.3 million

9:30 – FOX – American Dad (repeat) – 2.5 - 5.1 million

10:00 – CBS – Survivor: Samoa (special) - 3.9 (18-49) rating – 13.3 million viewers
ABC - Desperate Housewives (repeat) – 1.3 - 4 million

Twas a slow Saturday night, with America’s Most Wanted leading to a FOX win.

Winners:
America’s Most Wanted (FOX)
COPS (FOX)
48 Hours Mystery (CBS)

Losers:
WWE: Tribute to the Troops
ABC/NBC reruns

8:00 – FOX – Cops (R) – 1.4 (18-49) rating - 4.7 million viewers
ABC – Movie: The Santa Clause (R, 8-10pm) - 1.2 - 4.7 million
CBS – Movie: Elf (R, 8-10pm) - 1.1 – 3.7 million
NBC – Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (R) – 0.6 - 2.3 million

9:00 – FOX – America’s Most Wanted – 1.6 (18-49) rating - 5.1 million viewers
NBC – WWE Tribute to the Troops – 0.8 - 2.4 million

10:00 – CBS – 48 Hours Mystery – 1.3 (18-49) rating - 4.8 million viewers
NBC – Law & Order: SVU (R) – 1.1 – 4 million
ABC – Castle (R) - 1.0 - 3.8 million

On a slow night, Frosty The Snowman was the highest rated as Dollhouse hit series lows.

In Brief:

A Double 20/20 helped ABC to victory, although it only averaged a 1.6 (18-49) rating.

Dollhouse hit lows in the key demo with a 0.7 (18-49) rating and just 2.1 million viewers.

Frosty The Snowman and Frosty Returns helped CBS to second, averaging a 2.0 rating between them.

Winners:
Frosty The Snowman (CBS)
Frosty Returns (CBS)
20/20 (ABC)

Losers:
Supernanny (ABC)
The Jay Leno Show (NBC)

8:00 – CBS – Frosty The Snowman (R) - 2.1 (18-49) rating – 7 million viewers
NBC – Law & Order (R) - 1.2 - 6.2 million
ABC – Supernanny – 1.1 - 4.1 million
FOX – Dollhouse (8-10pm) – 0.7 - 2.1 million
CW – Vampire Diaries (R) (8-10pm) – 0.6 - 1.5 million

8:30 – CBS – Frosty Returns (R) – 1.9 - 6.5 million

9:00 - NBC – Dateline – 1.4 (18-49) rating - 6 million viewers
ABC – 20/20 – 1.4 - 5.4 million
CBS – Medium (R) – 1.2 - 4.5 million

10:00 – ABC – 20/20 – 1.8 (18-49) rating - 6.7 million viewers
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.4 - 5.6 million
CBS – Numb3rs (R) – 1.2 - 5.4 million