TV Ratings: ‘House’ Returns on Top, ‘Alcatraz’ Has Solid Week 2

House returned after a two-month break and finished as Monday’s top-rated program.

Fox’s medical drama ranked as the No. 1 telecast in primetime with less competition, as CBS aired a full night of repeats of its lineup. House (8.7 million total viewers, 3.1) was up 19 percent from the last original telecast that aired in late November and lured its biggest audience since the October season premiere.

Notably, rookie drama Alcatraz (9 million, 3.0) maintained good numbers its second week on the air, down just 9 percent among adults 18-49 from the two-hour debut. Fox notes that Alcatraz is the third freshman drama series this season to post a rating of at least a 3.0 in week 2, joining Terra Nova and ABC’s Once Upon a Time. On the solid showings by House and Alcatraz, Fox easily won the night with a 3.0 average and narrowly beat ABC in total viewers in primetimet (8.84 million vs. 8.83 million). Both shows topped their respective time periods.

ABC’s The Bachelor (8.3 million, 2.7) jumped 13 percent from its last outing for second place in the 8-10 p.m. hours. Castle (10.1 million, 2.1) dipped 5 percent but won the 10 p.m. period opposite a Hawaii Five-0 rerun and Rock Center With Brian Williams‘ Republican debate coverage. ABC followed Fox on the night with a 2.5 average.

NBC’s airing of Who’s Still Standing? (6.4 million, 1.7) rose 6 percent at 8 p.m. Following was the two-hour Republican debate (7.1 million, 1.7) from 9-11 p.m.

The return of the CW’s Hart of Dixie (1.6 million, 0.7) after more than a month off the air dropped slightly. But the second episode of the year for Gossip Girl (1.6 million, 0.7) improved 23 percent in viewers and 17 percent in the demo.

CBS aired repeats.

8 p.m.
Fox: House (8.7 million total viewers, 3.1 rating in adults 18-49)
ABC: The Bachelor (8.3 million, 2.7)
CBS: How I Met Your Mother (R) (7 million, 2.3)
NBC: Who’s Still Standing? (6.4 million, 1.7)
The CW: Gossip Girl (1.6 million, 0.7)

8:30 p.m.
CBS: 2 Broke Girls (R) (7.8 million, 2.6)

9 p.m.
Fox: Alcatraz (9 million, 3.0)
CBS: Two and a Half Men (R) (9.8 million, 2.6)
NBC: Rock Center With Brian Williams (S) (7.1 million, 1.7)
The CW: Hart of Dixie (1.6, 0.7)

9:30 p.m.
CBS: Mike & Molly (R) (8.3 million, 2.4)

10 p.m.
ABC: Castle (10.1 million, 2.1)
CBS: Hawaii Five-0 (R) (6.8 million, 1.6)