Though Valentine’s Day drove most network television shows down a bit Monday, the opening performance of “Mad Love,” sandwiched between two heavy-hitters on CBS, was particularly disappointing.
Benefiting from the “How I Met Your Mother” lead-in (3.7 adults 18-49 rating with 9.60 million viewers) and leading into veteran “Two and a Half Men” (4.2 rating with 14.52 million), “Mad Love” could still only muster a 3.0 with 8.84 million viewers at 8:30PM. Despite theoretically receiving sampling benefit as a premiere, “Mad Love” was actually slightly weaker than “Rules of Engagement” in the slot. And “Rules,” which soon shifts to Thursdays, has never been celebrated as more than a reliable utility player.
“Hawaii 5-0” closed CBS’ evening with a 2.8 and 10.59 million viewers.
Over on FOX, “The Chicago Code” showed second-week weakness, with the ship seemingly having sailed on the new cop show emerging as a hit. Albeit with a weaker lead-in from “House” (down sharply to a 3.4 with 9.91 million), “Code” was disappointing with a mere 2.0 and 7.29 million viewers. Even if “Code” held in the slot from this point forward, it would not necessarily mark an improvement over “Lie to Me.”
