Preliminary Ratings: Monday 09/15/14

ABC and FOX share the Monday night leadership, with both networks scoring a 2.0 average in the A18-49 ratings. ABC takes the top spot in the viewership total, with 11.4 million, while FOX is actually the least watched network, of the BIG 4.

Closing out it's successful 2014 summer season, MASTERCHEF collects 5.5 million viewers and a 2.0 rating in Adults 18-49. It is the best numbers for the series in three weeks. The finale is on par with last year's 5.3 million viewers and 2.1 demo rating.

Opening up its 2014 fall season, DANCING WITH THE STARS was the night's #1 program in both viewers (13.4 million) and in the A18-49 ratings (2.4). But, the good news end there. The season opener is down 2.6 million viewers and 23% in the demo, from the 2013 fall premiere. Once the other networks bring their fall shows online, expect record lows for the series, perhaps on a weekly basis.

UNDER THE DOME closes out it's second season, on a slightly positive note. The 7.0 million viewers and 1.6 demo rating is the best numbers it has generated, since the August 4th episode. But, compared to last year's finale, UNDER THE DOME is down over five million viewers and 43% in the A18-49 ratings. I expect the series to get a third season, but it could see significant changes to help rebuild viewership back to season one levels.

NBC has some success with the special episode of AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR, USA vs the World. The three hour program produced the ratings the series had been getting throughout the summer.

Preliminary Network Averages:

ABC - 11.4 million viewers, 2.0 rating in A18-49

CBS - 5.8 million viewers, 1.3 rating in A18-49

CW - 1.0 million viewers, 0.4 rating in A18-49

FOX - 5.5 million viewers, 2.0 rating in A18-49

NBC - 16.5 million viewers, 6.3 rating in A18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Dancing With the Stars	13.40	2.4
10:00	ABC	Castle [R]	7.00	1.1	-48%
8:00	CBS	The Big Bang Theory [R]	6.30	1.2
8:30	CBS	Mom [R]	4.90	1.0	-22%
9:00	CBS	Two and a Half Men [R]	4.60	1.0	-6%
9:30	CBS	The Big Bang Theory [R]	5.40	1.3	17%
10:00	CBS	Under The Dome	7.00	1.6	30%
8:00	CW	Whose Line is It Any Way? [R]	1.10	0.4
8:30	CW	Whose Line is It Any Way? [R]	1.00	0.4	-9%
9:00	CW	ANTM	1.00	0.4	0%
8:00	FOX	Masterchef	5.50	2.0
8:00	NBC	American Ninja Warrior (US v World)	5.20	1.8

* - in millions