Let’s just say that from 9-10PM on Monday there were a helluva lot of people watching TV. Monday nights have quietly become a night full of great television. Starting at 8PM, you’ve got How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Prison Break, Deal or No Deal, Heroes, 24, CSI: Miami, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Kind of a ridiculous night Monday has turned out to be. The two power houses of the night were presumed to be 24 and Heroes. The 24 vs. Heroes subplot was born two days ago and, in their first head to head bout, Heroes eked out a slight victory over the veteran Jack Bauer Hour of 24. Heroes clocked in with 14.9 million viewers; 24 had 14.5 million. However, the most interesting part of the night was this: Heroes wasn’t the highest rated show in its time slot.
“Whaaaa?” you might proclaim in a cartoon-ish manner. I know I was relatively shocked. The number one TV show on Monday night was Two and a Half Men, starring the man, the myth, the legend that is Charlie Sheen. Two and a Half Men, in the 9-9:30 time slot, received 15.9 million viewers and, yes, that is directly against the two big dogs: Heroes and 24. Two and a Half Men is a family sitcom and, with the extreme violence found in both Heroes and 24, Two and a Half Men is the best option for families (or people who hate exciting television). The big worry for both Heroes and 24 going into the night was that each show would steal viewers from the other, impacting ratings for both shows. Weirdly, this didn’t happen. The shows’ ratings were pretty much what had been the norm in the past when they hadn’t competed against each other. While the battle between 24 and Heroes will be fun, I’m sorry to say that it is largely inconsequential outside of bragging rights. Both programs are and will continue to be successful, especially 24 as a result of their consistently massive DVD sales. It’s only Wednesday, but I find myself eagerly anticipating Monday and the TV it brings. It’s gaining on Thursday as my favorite TV night, although it doesn’t yet have the firepower to overtake it. For a full rundown of Monday night’s TV ratings, check out this comprehensive article from E Online: Heroes Big, Charlie Sheen Bigger -Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer