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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Mon., March 15-18) -- Dancing tips scales in total viewers while Biggest Loser gains with 18-to-49-year-olds

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom
NBC’s The Biggest Loser crowned its latest champ Monday night while ABC’s Dancing with the Stars stepped up to its 16th season.

Competing head to head from 7 to 9 p.m., each “reality competition” heavyweight won one, lost one. Dancing prevailed in total D-FW viewers with 351,094, making it the night’s overall biggest draw. But Loser won with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, luring 130,765 in handily beating Dancing (95,682).

Meanwhile, Fox’s The Following fell to 172,105 total viewers in the 8 p.m. hour. Among the Big Four broadcast networks, it beat only CBS’ competing 2 Broke Girls (151,452). And The Following was a distant fourth in its time slot with 18-to-49-year-olds. But Fox already has renewed its chilling killing field for next season, so fans have no immediate worries on that score.

Monday’s 9 p.m. hour was dominated in both total viewers and 18-to-49-year-olds by ABC’s Castle (330,442 and 124,387 respectively). Over on TNT, the first post-Larry Hagman episode of Dallas drew 158,337 total viewers in the 8 p.m. hour.

On Sunday night, CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of The Mentalist led non-cable programming in total viewers with 268,484 while NBC’s All-Star Celebrity Apprentice drew more 18-to-49-year-olds -- 86,114 -- than any other Big Four broadcast network program. ABC’s new Red Widow had a particularly dismal showing in the 18-to-49 food group, with just 12,758 tuning in. Compare that to the 194,553 viewers in the 18-to-49 range who turned out for AMC’s 8 p.m. hour of The Walking Dead.

CBS’ one hour, 5 p.m. “March Madness” selection show attracted surprisingly little interest with 68,842 total viewers and only 19,136 in the 18-to-49 motherlode. Not quite bracket mania yet.

Friday’s prime-time Nielsen parade as usual was led by CBS’ Blue Bloods, with 282,252 total viewers in the 9 p.m. slot. ABC’s 20/20 drew the most 18-to-49-year-olds (60,599).

Here are the weekday local news derby results:

Monday -- WFAA8 rolled to comfortable twin wins at 10 p.m. in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. The ABC station also swept the 5 p.m. competitions.

Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and added a 6 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m.

Friday -- WFAA8 ran first in both ratings measurements at 10 p.m. while also pulling off its first 6 a.m. sweep of the year by twice edging the usual kingpin, Fox4.

CBS11 took both of the 6 p.m. golds, another rarity. NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m., but WFAA8 and CBS11 shared the lead in the 25-to-54 demographic. Fox4 and NBC5 were both just a hair behind.