Dancing with the Stars returned for its spring cycle -- and its 16th season -- with a 3.1 rating among adults 18-49 and 16.8 million viewers. That's a 15 percent dip from the comparable opener last March (a 3.5 adults rating) but up a promising six tenths of a point (24 percent) from the fall. At 10 p.m., Castle (2.2 adults) was off by a tenth of a point from its last original. Fast National returns give ABC a Monday win with adults 18-49 (2.8 rating) and total viewers (14.9 million).
PHOTOS: 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 16: Cast and Partner Portraits
Back from two weeks off, How I Met Your Mother (2.9 adults) was down four tenths of a point from its last original on CBS. Rules of Engagement (2.2 adults) was up a tenth of a point with the boosted lead, while 2 Broke Girls (2.7 adults) lost a half of a point in the demo for a series low. Mike & Molly (2.4 adults), down three tenths of a point, was at a season low. Hawaii Five-0 (2.1 adults) proved the night's only grower on the Eye, moving up a tenth of a point. CBS averaged a 2.4 rating with 18-49-ers and 8 million viewers.
Bones (2.0 adults) dropped two tenths of a point from its last original two weeks ago, while The Following (2.4 adults) dropped three tenths of a point against increased competition. Fox averaged a 2.2 rating with adults 18-49 and 7.2 million viewers.
The Biggest Loser (2.6 adults) topped its year-ago finale by 18 percent. The demo showing also marked a six tenths of a point bump from last week's episode. At 10 p.m., the season finale of Deception (1.3 adults) grew by two tenths of a point for its highest rating since January. NBC averaged a 2.2 rating with adults 18-49 and 6.1 million viewers.
The Carrie Diaries (0.5 adults) was up by a tenth of a point on the CW, giving the network an average 0.3 rating with adults 18-49 and 775,000 viewers.
Univision averaged a 1.5 rating with adults 18-49 and 3.5 million viewers.
