ALCATRAZ Gives Fox Best Drama Debut in Three Years

Fox's new dramatic series ALCATRAZ premiered last night, giving the Fox network it's best drama debut in three years. The series is from executive producer J.J. Abrams (FRINGE, "Lost," "Star Trek," "Super 8" and the upcoming "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol") and writer Elizabeth Sarnoff ("Lost," "Deadwood") and revolves around America's most infamous prison, the one-time home to the nation's worst murderers, rapists, kidnappers, thieves and arsonists. The series stars Sarah Jones, Jeffrey Pierce, Robert Forster, Jorge Garcia and Jonny Coyne.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (11.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) lead the ratings charge on Monday with new episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.12 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.4, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (11.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 4.5, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (12.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Mike & Molly" (11.17 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7).

A silver medal then went to FOX (9.97 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) with the debut of "Alcatraz" (10.05 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) followed by a second "Alcatraz" (9.88 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.3, #6). Collectively, said demo numbers marked FOX's highest-rated drama debut in three years (since "Lie to Me" on 1/21/09).

Next up was ABC (8.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "The Bachelor" (7.36 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.4, #10) and "Castle" (9.40 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (10.82 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) offered up its "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl" (13.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8) special, a preview of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (12.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (5.57 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12).

And finally, the return of "Gossip Girl" (1.30 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) led into a repeat of "Hart of Dixie" (0.79 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.6 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+62.50% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+12.82% - How I Met Your Mother (vs. 1/2/11)
+9.09% - The Bachelor
+4.65% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. 1/2/11)
+4.55% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 1/2/11)
0.00% - Mike & Molly (vs. 1/2/11)
0.00% - Castle
0.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 12/5/12)
-3.45% - Hawaii Five-0 (vs. 1/2/11)
Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+83.33% - Alcatraz - 9:00 (vs. Lie to Me)
+64.29% - Castle (vs. Castle (Repeat))
+50.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210 (Repeat))
+44.44% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. The Cape)
+40.63% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+39.90% - Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl (vs. Chuck/The Cape)
+12.82% - How I Met Your Mother
0.00% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - Mike & Molly
-3.45% - Hawaii Five-0
-8.33% - Alcatraz - 8:00 (vs. House)
-11.11% - The Bachelor
-38.10% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Harry's Law)
In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):
In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.5/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/17/11):

CBS (11.70 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) held off the competition on Monday thanks to new episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.51 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (9.85 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (15.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1), "Mike & Molly" (13.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.62 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6).

FOX (8.26 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then claimed the silver with the return of "House" (10.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) followed by a new "Lie to Me" (5.94 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10).

Next up was ABC (7.72 million viewers, #T2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with week three of "The Bachelor" (8.75 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7) alongside a repeat of "Castle" (5.66 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (7.72 million viewers, #T2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up the return of "Chuck" (5.92 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) plus the time period debut of "The Cape" (6.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T10) and the launch of "Harry's Law" (11.04 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (1.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.71 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (0.86 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Lie to Me (12.50%), House (5.90% vs. 11/22/10), Mike & Molly (2.70% vs. 1/3/11), Chuck (0.00% vs. 11/29/10), How I Met Your Mother (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), Two and a Half Men (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), Hawaii Five-0 (0.00% vs. 1/3/11), The Bachelor (-3.60%), Rules of Engagement (-5.90% vs. 1/3/11).

In late-night metered market ratings (adults 18-49):
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" 3.0/8 (0.9)
"Nightline" 2.9/7 (1.0)
"Late Show with David Letterman" 2.9/7 (0.9)
"Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" 1.5/4 (0.5)
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" 1.4/5 (0.5)
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" 1.2/4 (0.4)
"Last Call with Carson Daly" 0.8/3 (0.3)