The three-hour finale of lovelorn reality staple The Bachelor powered ABC to a win on Monday night averaging a 4.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 13.8 million viewers overall. But it is a statement on the broadcast competition that The Bachelor put ABC in lead despite posting its lowest finale ratings in almost three years and falling 15% compared to last spring’s season ender.
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Fox finished second for the night with House (3.5, 10.2 million) down 8% week-to-week while The Chicago Code (1.9, 7.2 million) was down 5%.
CBS was third with a rerun heavy lineup save for new sitcom Mad Love (2.1, 6.5 million), which fell 13% week-to-week without a new episode of How I Met Your Mother as a lead-in.
Univision was fourth averaging a 1.6 rating with 4.1 million viewers with telenovelas Eva Luna and Triunfo del Amor.
And NBC’s Monday night lineup continues to sputter along with Chuck (1.6, 4.9 million, The Event (1.2, 4.1 million) and Harry’s Law (1.7, 10.0 million) all down week-to-week. Chuck hit a new series low. Harry’s Law tied its series low. And prospects for a second season of The Event are looking ever more dim – the drama was down 14% compared to last week’s two-hour spring premiere for a new series low.
