Overnights
Strong return for Fox's 'House' drama
By Toni Fitzgerald
Apr 29, 2008 - 12:01:11 PM

Fox’s “House” became the final mega-hit show to return from the writers’ strike last night, and it performed quite well in its new timeslot, lifting the network to victory on a night where it hasn’t been all that competitive the last few weeks.

“House” averaged a 5.7 adults 18-49 rating at 9 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, finishing 33 percent ahead of second-place CBS with the comedies “Two and a Half Men” and “Rules of Engagement.”

The medical drama was the night’s highest-rated show in 18-49s, though it finished behind ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” in total viewers, and it helped give lead-in “Bones” a boost. That show was up 23 percent week to week, from a 2.6 to a 3.2.

“House” will remain on Monday for the remainder of the season, with “Hell’s Kitchen” occupying the fourth-year drama’s usual Tuesday timeslot after “American Idol.”

Fox finished first for the night among viewers 18-49 with a 4.4 average overnight rating and an 11 share. CBS was second at 3.9/10, ABC third at 3.7/9, NBC fourth at 2.9/7, Univision fifth at 1.9/5 and CW sixth at 1.2/3.
 
ABC was first during the 8 p.m. hour with a 4.2 for the first hour of “Stars,” followed by CBS with a 3.4 for “The Big Bang Theory” (3.0) and “How I Met Your Mother” (3.8). Fox was third with a 3.2 for “Bones,” NBC fourth with a 2.5 for “Deal or No Deal,” Univision fifth with a 1.9 for “Al Diablo con los Guapos” and CW sixth with a 1.3 for “Gossip Girl.”
 
Fox took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 5.7 for “House,” with CBS second with a 4.3 average for “Men” (4.7) and “Rules” (3.9). ABC was third with a 4.1 for the last half hour of “Stars,” which ran till 9:38 p.m., and “Samantha Who?” (3.6), with NBC fourth with a 3.2 for another hour of “Deal,” Univision fifth with a 2.2 for the premiere of “Fuego en la Sangre” and CW sixth with a 1.2 for “One Tree Hill.”

The CW did score its second-best Monday ever among its target 18-34s at 1.8, behind only last week’s “Gossip”-“Hill” combo debut. And it scored a best-ever Monday among teens 12-17 with a 2.1.

Meanwhile, NBC’s two-hour “Star Wars”-themed “Deal” averaged a 2.9 18-49 rating from 8 to 10, matching the network’s best showing in the timeslot since Feb. 25.
 
At 10 p.m. CBS took over first place with a 3.9 for “CSI: Miami,” while NBC moved to second with a 3.1 for “Medium.” ABC was third with a 2.6 for ‘The Bachelor” and Univision fourth with a 1.6 for “Cristina.”
 
Among households, ABC led the night with a 9.1 average overnight rating and a 14 share. Fox was second at 7.4/11, CBS third at 7.2/11, NBC fourth at 6.1/9, Univision fifth at 2.2/3 and CW sixth at 1.7/3.