But “Game” has managed to do one thing, and that’s find a loyal and growing audience among teenage viewers. In fact, the show now regularly outdraws its lead-in among kids 12-17, despite lagging behind early in the season and continuing to trail in other demographics.

Last week, the week ended Feb. 11, “Game” averaged a 1.2 teen rating at 9:30 p.m., 20 percent better than “Girlfriends” averaged at 9 p.m. on Monday.

It was the fifth time in its last six original outings that the show has equaled or bettered “Girlfriends’” lead-in. While “Game” trailed “Girlfriends” by 0.1 during the first two months of the season, averaging a 1.3 to the latter’s 1.4,“Game” has now moved ahead.

Over the past two months, new episodes of “The Game” have averaged a 1.4 while “Girlfriends” has fallen to a 1.2.

That still may not be enough to guarantee a second season for “The Game,” a spinoff of “Girlfriends” that follows a group of professional football players' girlfriends and wives. It’s one of the CW’s lowest-rated shows as well as one of the lowest-rated programs on broadcast, and it regularly places last in its timeslot, as do the network’s other Monday urban comedies.

But showing new growth out of a lead-in midway through the year is always an encouraging sign to network schedulers. The challenge is to figure out why the show is rising and help it continue to do so.

For “Game,” the reasons appear to be myriad. First, the show stars Tia Mowry, one half of the twin duo on the late ‘90s sitcom “Sister, Sister.” That now reruns on Disney Channel, where new fans who discover it may be drawn to check out Mowry’s new show.

“The Game’s” surge began at the end of November sweeps, when Mowry’s Melanie threatened to move out on her boyfriend. Though they’re still together, the boyfriend is getting involved in a flirtation with a famous singer, and their unstable relationship may have kept viewers interested.

Finally, has been rerunning episodes of “The Game” on Sunday evenings with the other Monday sitcoms through a program it calls "EZ View," giving it more exposure. This strategy helped build an audience for “Gilmore Girls” years ago. 

Meanwhile, in other younger viewer ratings for the week ending Feb. 11:

Among teens 12-17: Fox reclaimed No. 1 from CBS with a 3.7 rating, followed by CBS at 2.0, ABC at 1.8, CW at 1.6, Univision at 1.4, NBC at 1.2, Telefutura and Telemundo at 0.2, and Azteca at 0.1.

Among kids 2-11: Fox led with a 2.4, followed by ABC at 1.5, CBS and Univision at 1.4, NBC and the CW at 0.9, Telemundo and Telefutura at 0.2, and Azteca at 0.0.

The top five shows among kids 2-5: 1. “American Idol” (Fox, Tuesday 8 p.m.); 2. “SpongeBob SquarePants” (Nickelodeon, Saturday 10:30 a.m.); 3. “Micky Mouse Clubhouse” (Disney, Saturday 9 a.m.); 4. “Dora the Explorer” (Nickelodeon, Monday noon); 5. “Wonder Pets” (Nickelodeon, Thursday 11 a.m.)

The top five shows among kids 6-11: 1. “American Idol” (Fox, Tuesday 8 p.m.); 2. “Hannah Montana” (Disney, Friday 8 p.m.); 3. “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” (Disney, Monday 7:30 p.m.); 4. “American Idol” (Fox, Wednesday 9 p.m.); 5. “SpongeBob SquarePants” (Nickelodeon, Saturday 9:30 a.m.)

The top five shows among 9-14: 1. “American Idol” (Fox, Tuesday 8 p.m.); 2. “American Idol” (Fox, Wednesday 9 p.m.); 3. “Jump In!” (Disney, Monday 8 p.m.); 4. “House” (Fox, Tuesday 9 p.m.); 5. “Hannah Montana” (Disney, Friday 8 p.m.)