Primetime Ratings, Monday, 2/24/14

The Blacklist

One night removed from the end of the Winter Olympics, NBC still managed to pull out the victory. Curse you, resilient peacock!

'The Voice' (a.k.a. the reason NBC won the night) returned to a very good 4.7, down just slightly from last Spring's 4.8 premiere rating. With its old lead-in back in the saddle, 'The Blacklist' shot up six tenths from its last new episode, posting a healthy 3.1.

CBS' comedy line-up returned down overall, although not to a horrific extent. 'How I Met Your Mother' fell two tenths to a 3.6, still easily claiming the title of highest rated scripted program of the night. '2 Broke Girls' dropped half a point to a 2.5.

To be fair, the 3.0 it drew last time out was abnormally high when compared to its season average. 'Mike & Molly' shed six tenths, posting a 2.1. The first hit of the night went to 'Mom,' which plunged back down to its old series low of 1.9. 'Intelligence' matched last week's 1.2.

Over on ABC, 'The Bachelor' recovered a bit from last week's all-time low, rising three tenths to a 2.5. Unfortunately, 'Castle' didn't follow suit, matching its own previous series low of 1.7. The CW's already terribly rated 'Star Crossed' did even worse in week two, falling to a pathetic 0.3. Stick a fork in this show, it's already done.

Finally, FOX's duo of 'Almost Human' and 'The Following' again earned matching ratings, this time due to both dramas dipping to 1.6. Despite their equal ratings, I still stand by my prediction that 'Human' will be canceled. 'The Following' is still too early to call, although it edges closer to cancellation with every one tenth drop.

Key: Broadcast Network - Show Name - 18-49 Rating - 18-49 Share - Total Viewers In Millions

8PM

NBC - The Voice (Season Premiere) - 4.7 - 13 - 15.86

CBS - How I Met Your Mother (N) - 3.6 - 11 - 9.28

ABC - The Bachelor (N) - 2.5 - 7 - 8.17

FOX - Almost Human (N) - 1.6 - 4 - 5.27

CW - Star Crossed (N) - 0.3 - 1 - 1.14

8:30PM

CBS - 2 Broke Girls (N) - 2.5 - 7 - 7.96

9PM

CBS - Mike & Molly (N) - 2.1 - 5 - 8.16

FOX - The Following (N) - 1.6 - 4 - 4.61

CW - Beauty and the Beast (R) - 0.2 - 0 - 0.59

9:30PM

CBS - Mom (N) - 1.9 - 5 - 7.25

10PM

NBC - The Blacklist (N) - 3.1 - 9 - 11.18

ABC - Castle (N) - 1.7 - 5 - 8.69

CBS - Intelligence (N) - 1.2 - 3 - 5.41

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Hi, everyone. This is usually where these posts end, isn't it? Well, not anymore, at least for now. Why? Well, the longer I've spent tracking the ratings trends for TVRage, the more I think I've got a decent handle on which shows are likely to get canceled or renewed.

With that said, I'm about to put that theory to the test. Presented below are my "official" predictions for what will happen to Monday's top scripted series. Reality programs are excluded.

PRIMETIME PROGNOSTICATION

Note: The five main factors I consider when making a prediction are thus:

1. Does the show win its timeslot, and how often? (CW shows are exempt from this criteria.)

2. How do the show's ratings compare to similar programs on the same network? (Self explanatory.)

3. How long has the show been on the air? (Veteran series are always more likely to get renewed.)

4. Does the show have any high-profile leads? (Never discount star power.)

5. How much does the show cost to make? (Approximately, exact TV budgets are hard to come by.)