TV Ratings: 'Bachelor' Premiere Down 17 Percent, CBS Wins Against Bowl Competition

ABC/RICK ROWELL

The winter hiatus (mostly) came to an end Monday night, with original offerings from NBC, the launch of ABC's midseason Monday, featuring The Bachelor and Celebrity Wife Swap, and a victorious return for the CBS line-up, which won the night in adults 18-49 and viewers.

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The Bachelor, now in its 16th season, returned to exceptionally low ratings for the franchise. The two-hour premiere averaged 7.7 million viewers and a 2.4 rating among adults 18-49 -- a 17 percent drop from last January's midseason premiere featuring the return of Brad Womack. Celebrity Wife Swap fared much better, averaging a 2.4 in adults 18-49 (higher than two recent Castle episodes) and solidifying the network's a second place finish for the night.

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CBS, which boasted the night's only block of scripted originals, won the night with a 3.7 average in 18-49-ers and 11.9 million viewers. How I Met Your Mother (3.9 in the key demo), Two and a Half Men (4.4), Mike & Molly (3.8) were all down from previous episodes, with 2 Broke Girls and Hawaii Five-0 both up a tenth for respective 4.3 and 2.9 ratings.

Who's Still Standing? held on to last Monday's 1.5 rating among adults 18-49, followed by Fear Factor's barely noticeable drop to a 2.4. Rock Center with Brian Williams matched its demo best, a 1.2 rating, to give NBC third place standing for the night.

Back-to-back repeats of House and Secret Circle aired on Fox and the CW, respectively, giving the nets an average 1.2 and 0.3 rating among adults 18-49 for the night.

Monday, Jan. 2, Overnight Ratings:

8 p.m.
CBS: How I Met Your Mother (10.2 million viewers, 3.9 rating in adults 18-49)
ABC: The Bachelor (7.6, 2.3)
NBC: Who's Still Standing? (5.6 million, 1.5)
Fox: House (R) (3.7 million, 1.2)
The CW: The Secret Circle (R) (992,000, 0.3)

8:30 p.m.
CBS: 2 Broke Girls (12.0 million, 4.3)

9 p.m.
CBS: Two and a Half Men (13.8 million, 4.4)
ABC: The Bachelor (7.9 million, 2.5)
NBC: Fear Factor (5.9 million, 2.4)
Fox: House (R) (3.8 million, 1.2)
The CW: The Secret Circle (R) (790,000, 0.3)

9:30 p.m.
CBS: Mike & Molly (11.9 million, 3.8)

10 p.m.
CBS: Hawaii Five-0 (11.7 million, 2.9)
ABC: Celebrity Wife Swap (6.2 million, 2.4)
NBC: Rock Center With Brian Williams (3.8 million, 1.2)