The season premiere of "Dancing With the Stars" handed ABC an overall victory on Monday night, while CBS's "Two Broke Girls" fell to a series low, according to preliminary numbers.
ABC was in first place in the advertiser-sought 18-49 demographic with a 2.8 rating/7 share and in total viewers with 14.9 million. The "Dancing With the Stars" premiere at 8 p.m. posted a 3.1 /8 and took 16.8 million total viewers, earning the show first place in both categories.
But there was good news and bad news for the series: Compared to its last season premiere in September, "Dancing" was up 24 percent among the 18-49 crowd, but down 11 percent from last spring's premiere. It was also the show's lowest-rated spring premiere.
"Castle" at 10 was down slightly from its last original three weeks ago with a 2.2/6, and took 11.2 million total viewers.
CBS grabbed second place in ratings and total viewers with a 2.4/6 and 8 million. At 8, "How I Met Your Mother" was down 12 percent to a 2.9/9, and drew 7.3 million total viewers. "Rules of Engagement" at 8:30 inched up to a 2.2/6 and took 6.6 million total viewers. "2 Broke Girls" at 9 was down 18 percent from its last original three weeks ago, hitting a series low of 2.7/7 and taking 8.3 million total viewers. "Mike & Molly" slid to a season low after three weeks off, posting a 2.4/6. It took 8.2 million total viewers. "Hawaii Five-0" at 10 inched up to a 2.1/6 and took 8.7 million total viewers.
Fox tied NBC for third in ratings with a 2.2/6 and took third outright in total viewers with 7.2 million. "Bones" at 8 dipped to a 2.0/6 and drew 7.3 million total viewers. "The Following" at 9 dropped 11 percent from last week for a 2.4/6 and had 7 million total viewers.
NBC was fourth place in total viewers with 6 million. The network aired the season finale of "The Biggest Loser" at 8, which was up 18 percent from last spring's finale with a 2.6/7 and had 7.3 million total viewers. The seaon finale of "Deception" at 10 was up 18 percent from last week for a 1.3/3 and had 3.5 million total viewers.
At the CW, "The Carrie Diaries" at 8 hit a five-week ratings high, climbing 25 percent to a 0.5/1 and held steady in total viewers with 1 million. A "Hart of Dixie" repeat followed at 9. The network averaged a 0.3/1 and 775,000 total viewers for the night.