Update: Besting last week’s number for now-cancelled “We Are Men” and its own performance at 9PM, “2 Broke Girls” delivered a 2.5 adults 18-49 rating with 7.9 million viewers in its return to the 8:30 timeslot.
Earlier in the night, “How I Met Your Mother” posted a 3.0 with 8.0 million viewers.
9PM continues to be weak for CBS, however. A re-run of “The Big Bang Theory” mustered a 2.2 with 8.5 million viewers, while new series “Mom” could only manage a 1.9 with 7.3 million.
=========
If the goal of CBS’ recent Monday shakeup, which included cancelling “We Are Men” and moving “2 Broke Girls” to 8:30PM, was to improve its performance in that timeslot, it succeeded this week.
If the goal were to begin rejuvenating the night and reclaim even a hint of its former dominance, it failed.
Granted, everyone knows the goal was far closer to the former than the latter, but should it have been? CBS used to own Monday nights, and with “How I Met Your Mother” wrapping this season and the night still sorely without a 9PM anchor, should its eyes only be on the prize of modest timeslot improvements?
According to TV Media Insights, “2BG”‘s return to its original timeslot posted a 5.2 overnight metered market rating. Up considerably from the 3.9 for last week’s “We Are Men,” it also represented slight growth over the 5.1 for last week’s airing in the 9PM slot.
All that proves, however, is what CBS already knew: that “Girls” is more compatible with “How I Met Your Mother” than “Men” was. It did not, however, serve as the rising tide to lift all boats: “Mother” was actually down slightly to a 5.5.
And though a re-run of “The Big Bang Theory” delivered a solid 5.6 overnight rating, “Mom” could only match last week’s 4.9. The synergy between “Big Bang” and “Mom,” two shows created by Chuck Lorre, is arguably weaker than that between “Broke Girls” and “Mom” (since last week’s “Mom” posted the same 4.9 out of a lower-rated “2GB” telecast).
The end result, to be revealed by the adults 18-49 numbers, might confirm slightly better numbers at 8:30PM, 9PM and 9:30PM, but it certainly will not reflect a block of comedy monsters. And it certainly will not thrust CBS into close competition with NBC.
And insofar as “Mike & Molly” is unlikely to perform any stronger than the “Big Bang Theory” encore when it takes over the 9PM timeslot in November, CBS’ Monday forecast continues to be one of mediocrity.