News from the CW today is that they’ve decided to hedge their bets  – by  ordering 12 episodes of One Tree Hill and 12 of Life UneXpected.

One Tree Hill is still one of the CW’s strongest performers – its season-to-date average is a 1.1 (18-49) rating and over 2 million viewers.

Life UneXpected has outperformed the likes of 90210 so far this season – averaging a solid 0.9 (18-49) rating and just over 1.8 million viewers.

Are you happy? Or would you prefer 22 episodes of one show?

The CW has given full season pick ups to network staples Supernatural, Gossip Girl, ANTM and 90210 with an addition note for its highest rated show, Vampire Diaries.

The net has yet to announce the fate of Smallville, One Tree Hill (both of which are reliant on which actors want to return) and new show, Life UneXpected, which is in the same situation as Privileged was last season.

A fan of Melrose? Don’t hold your breath…

On a night with no new House but the return of 24 to Monday nights, it was How I Met Your Mother that took advantage – hitting season highs in the process.

CBS had a solid Monday night (as usual) with How I Met Your Mother (4.0, 10.5 million) and Accidentally on Purpose (3.5, 9.6 million) hitting season and series highs in their respective timeslots. At 9, Two and a Half Men (5.3, 16.2 million) beat The Big Bang Theory (5.2, 15 million) for the first time in quite a while. CSI: Miami was steady with last week with a 3.6 (18-49) rating and 13.2 million viewers.

ABC came second with two episodes of The Bachelor, posting an average 3.8 and 10.6 million viewers – down slightly vs. last weeks premiere. At 10, Castle continued to improve, posting a 2.8 (18-49) rating and 9.4 million viewers.

24 had its timeslot premiere last night, posting a 3.5 (18-49) rating between 8-10 – good enough for third place for FOX.

NBC went with a brand new Chuck at 8, posting a 2.5 rating and 6.7 million viewers – down .2 in the key demos and over half a million viewers from last week. At 9, Heroes continued with their rapid decline, posting just a 1.8 (18-49) rating and just 3.9 million viewers. At 10 – in what’s rumoured to be one of the very last – Jay Leno Show posted just a 1.3 rating and 4.6 million viewers.

The CW was back in originals last night, with One Tree Hill posting a 1.1 (18-49) rating and 2.2 million viewers leading into the premiere of Life UneXpected, which posted a solid 1.2 (18-49) rating and 2.7 million viewers in its first outing.

Full Breakdown:

8:00 – CBS – How I Met Your Mother – 4.0 (18-49) rating - 10.5 million viewers
ABC – The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love – 3.6 - 10.1 million
FOX – 24 – 3.3 - 10.6 million
NBC – Chuck – 2.5 - 6.7 million
CW – One Tree Hill – 1.1 - 2.2 million

8:30 – CBS – Accidentally on Purpose – 3.5 (18-49) rating - 9.6 million

9:00 – CBS – Two and a Half Men – 5.3 (18-49) rating - 16.2 million viewers
ABC – The Bachelor: On The Wings of Love – 4.1 - 11.1 million
FOX – 24 – 3.6 - 11.5 million
NBC – Heroes – 1.8 - 3.9 million
CW – Life Unexpected – 1.2 - 2.7 million

9:30 – CBS – The Big Bang Theory – 5.2 (18-49) rating - 15.0 million viewers

10:00 – CBS – CSI: Miami – 3.6 (18-49) rating - 13.2 million viewers
ABC – Castle – 2.8 - 9.4 million
NBC - The Jay Leno Show – 1.3 - 4.6 million

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

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

Eliza Dushku’s real life BF, Rick Fox, has booked himself a cameo on Dollhouse.

The Basketball star-turned-actor will appear as an Active who has been given his personality back and release into the wild in the January 8 episode of the canceled FOX drama.

You may remember Fox as Dante, the shady game fixer in One Tree Hill or as Wilhemina’s (Vanessa Williams) love interest in Ugly Betty. You may, of course, remember him as a Small Forward in the NBA for the Celtics or Lakers…

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

Joe Manganiello has landed what’s rumored to be True Blood’s most important new role: Sookie’s werewolf crush, Alcide Herveaux.

Alcide was previously described as “Good-looking, rough-around-the-edges, articulate, heroic, and decent, but not what he seems”. He apparently gets along very well with Sookie and there’s even a spark between the two. However, there is still one spot to be filled - Alcide’s psycho sometimes girlfriend, Debbie Pelt.

Mnnganiello isn’t exactly the actor I picked for this role, but having seen him in both One Tree Hill and How I Met Your Mother I can see how he fits the bill.

Last night saw stellar performances from The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, leading to a CBS victory.

At 8, CBS won the hour with a solid performance from How I Met Your Mother (3.5 rating) and Accidentally on Purpose (2.9). Two and a Half Men then almost doubled its lead in with a season high 5.1 demo rating and over 15 million viewers. The Big Bang Theory then improved on its lead in to hit series highs in the key demo (5.7 rating) and viewers (14.7 million) CSI: Miami wasn’t helped much though, pulling a 3.8 rating, a slight improvement over last week.

FOX was second for the night with Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special which managed an average 2.4 rating and 8.6 million viewers, which is well down from what House and Lie To Me normally do on Mondays.

Third was ABC, which went with a Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town rerun at 8, pulling a 2.7 rating and 8 million viewers. Find My Family continued dropping this week pulling just a 1.8 rating and under 6 million viewers at 9pm. Castle was impacted by the low lead in, drawing just a 2.3 rating and 8.4 million viewers, its lowest in a while.

NBC went with two Law & Order SVU’s last night in place of Heroes and Trauma. They averaged a 1.6 rating and 6.2 million viewers, which is still pretty solid for reruns. At 10, Leno fell to a 1.3 rating and just 4.7 million viewers.

The CW was last (as usual) with One Tree Hill (1.2, 2.6 million) and Gossip Girl (1.2, 2.2 million) both having a solid evening.

Full Breakdown:

8:00 – CBS – How I Met Your Mother – 3.5 (18-49 rating) - 9.2 million viewers
ABC – Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (R) - 2.7 - 8 million
FOX – Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special – 2.4 - 8.9 million
NBC – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R) - 1.5 - 6.6 million
CW One Tree Hill 1.2/3 2.59

8:30 – CBS – Accidentally on Purpose – 2.9 (18-49 rating) - 8.3 million viewers

9:00 – CBS – Two and a Half Men – 5.1 (18-49 rating) - 15.2 million
FOX – Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special – 2.3 - 8.2 million
ABC – Find My Family – 1.8 – 5.9 million
NBC – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R) – 1.6 - 5.8 million
CW – Gossip Girl – 1.2 - 2.2 million

9:30 – CBS – The Big Bang Theory – 5.7 (18-49 rating) - 14.7 million viewers

10:00 – CBS – CSI: Miami – 3.8 (18-49 rating) - 12.9 million viewers
ABC – Castle – 2.3 - 8.4 million
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.3 - 4.7 million

On a night where CBS and ABC were mostly in reruns, it was FOX that won the night with original airings of House and Lie To Me.

At 8, House won the hour with a 4.8 rating and just over 13 million viewers, up vs last week. How The Grinch Stole Christmas was second for ABC, posting a solid 2.9 rating and just over 9.5 million viewers. ABC showed a Shrek The Halls rerun at 8.30, which posted a 3.2 rating and just over 10 million viewers. Heroes bounced back from last weeks series low with a 2.5 A18-49 rating (vs. 2.2). How I Met Your Mother was in reruns last night and posted a 2.1 rating whereas Accidentally on Purpose posted a 1.7. A new One Tree Hill was last for the CW, posting a 1.1 rating and just under 2.4 million viewers.

At 9, reruns of Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory won the hour with a 3.2 rating and just over 10.5 million viewers. Lie to Me was second at 9pm with a 2.7 rating and just over 7.5 million viewers. Find My Family lost over 25% in the demo vs. its premiere last week, dropping to a 2.3 rating and just under 8 million viewers. Trauma was up a tick vs. last week for NBC, pulling a 1.8 rating and just under 6 million viewers – good enough for fourth place. Gossip Girl was last for the CW with a 1.1 rating and 2.3 million viewers.

At 10, reruns of CSI: Miami on CBS (2.5 18-49 rating) and Castle on ABC (1.9 18-49 rating) beat out a new episode of The Jay Leno Show (1.3 rating).

Full Ratings Breakdown:

8:00 – FOX – House – 4.8 A18-49 rating - 13.2 million viewers
ABC – How The Grinch Stole Christmas (R) - 2.9 - 9.6 million
NBC – Heroes 2.5 – 5.9 million
CBS – How I Met Your Mother (R) – 2.1 - 6.25 million
CW – One Tree Hill 1.1 - 2.37 million

8:30 - ABC – Shrek The Halls (R) - 3.2 A18-49 rating - 10 million viewers
CBS – Accidentally on Purpose (R) - 1.7 – 5.4 million

9:00 – CBS – Two and a Half Men (R) – 3.1 A18-49 rating - 11.3 million viewers
FOX – Lie To Me – 2.7 - 7.6 million viewers
ABC – Find My Family - 2.3 - 7.9 million
NBC – Trauma – 1.8 - 5.9 million
CW – Gossip Girl – 1.1 – 2.3 million

10:00 – CBS – CSI: Miami (R) - 2.5 A18-49 rating - 9.4 million viewers
ABC – Castle (R) – 1.9 - 6.8 million
NBC – The Jay Leno Show – 1.3 - 5.3 million