Ratings Review: ABC Mondays Nights - First 4 Weeks

The ABC Monday Night Schedule is a full month in and, although ABC may be disappointed, the ratings are falling about where they were expected to be.

ABC is the #2 network on the night, in total viewers and battles CBS for the #3 spot in the A18-49 ratings. As CBS shores up its Monday night schedule, ABC should regularly be the #4 network in the young demo ratings, going forward.

DANCING WITH THE STARS is not the series it use to be. This is now the third edition of the series to have those deflated ratings, especially in the A18-49 numbers. It is still popular with an older crowd, but the luster as worn thin by those 18-49 years old.

The competition series as found its spot at 13 million viewers and a low 2.0 demo rating. It should ride that number out until the final week, or two, of the competition when it should start to see a rise as a new champion is crowned.

CASTLE has become a very solid program for the network. It is the most watch program on the network, besting even GREY'S ANATOMY and the new hot drama SCANDAL. Its downfall is the A18-49 ratings. Although solid, it is an older skewing audience. But that is not bad for the time slot. So far this season, only SCANDAL and THE BLACKLIST have regularly scored a demo rating of 3.0 or better, at 10 p.m., by any network.

ABC should move CASTLE to another night and provide as a lead in to a new drama at 10 p.m. CBS is having great success with with this type of programming and appears to be more network friendly when considering time shifted viewing.

Live+SD Ratings

Series	Category	09/16	09/23	09/30	10/07	10/14	AVG
Dancing With The Stars	Viewers*	16.04	13.57	13.10	13.00	12.99	13.74
	A18-49	3.1	2.3	2.0	2.0	2.1	2.3
Castle	Viewers*		11.46	10.88	10.51	11.11	10.99
	A18-49		2.2	2.2	1.9	2.2	2.1

* - in millions