LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - With May sweeps well under way, the broadcast networks improved from last week.
With no NBA playoff games airing, U.S. network ABC topped the night with the "Dancing With Stars" two-hour semifinals (21.4 million total viewers, 4.5 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic) dominating its competitors by a comfortable margin.
The third season finale of "Castle" (13.2 million, 3.3), which ended with a shocking cliffhanger, won the 10 p.m. hour -- and was the most-watched scripted series on Monday.
Fox placed second with the top-rated scripted program of the night "House" (8.8 million, 3.5), up double digits in the demo, and the second to last episode of the police drama "The Chicago Code" (4 million, 1.9), which rose 12 percent. ("Code" was recently canceled.)
CBS was third on the night led by its comedy block, with veteran series "How I Met Your Mother" (7.1 million, 3.0), whose season finale improved in the key demo. Even so, "HIMYM's" season ender was the lowest-rated since the Season 2 finale.
Just-axed CBS rom-com "Mad Love" (5.8 million, 2.1), "Mike & Molly" (8.6 million, 2.5) and "Hawaii Five-0" (9.8 million, 2.5) also rose. For the season, "Mike & Molly" fell 38 percent compared with last year's time slot occupant "The Big Bang Theory" in the demo.
NBC followed with the "Chuck" (4.5 million, 1.5) season finale and canceled drama "The Event" (4 million, 1.3) both up a tad. Axed procedural "Law & Order: LA" (4.3 million, 1.1) was the exception to the rule, dipping in the ad-favored demo.
The season finales of "90210" (1.7 million, 0.8) and "Gossip Girl" (1.3 million, 0.7) -- both renewed -- improved slightly.