Midseason Matchups 2011, Monday

8/7c

Winter: The Bachelor (ABC, 1/3) vs. How I Met Your Mother/Rules of Engagement (CBS) vs. Chuck (NBC) vs. House (Fox) vs. 90210 (CW)

Spring: Dancing with the Stars (ABC, 3/21) vs. How I Met Your Mother/MAD LOVE (CBS, 2/21) vs. Chuck (NBC) vs. House (Fox) vs. 90210 (CW)

Cable: Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family, 1/3)

Notes: This is one of primetime's most stable hours, but keep an eye on 90210. Not that it's had a particularly strong ratings season anyway (0.95 A18-49, 1.85 W18-34 averages to date), but in the winter it gets hit with the women 18-34 double-whammie of The Bachelor and Pretty Little Liars (which, by the second half of its initial run, was usually doing slightly better than 90210 has this season). Could get even uglier.

9/8c

Winter: The Bachelor (ABC, 1/3) vs. Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly (CBS) vs. THE CAPE (NBC, 1/17) vs. Lie to Me and THE CHICAGO CODE (Fox, 2/7) vs. Gossip Girl (CW)

Spring: Dancing with the Stars (ABC, 3/21) vs. Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly (CBS) vs. The Event (NBC, 2/28) vs. THE CHICAGO CODE (Fox, 2/7) vs. Gossip Girl (CW)

Cable: Greek (ABC Family, 1/3), American Pickers (History), Being Human (Syfy, 1/17), WWE Raw (USA)

Notes: It's hard to feel optimistic about anything coming out of NBC drama development, though The Cape at least gets a three-week head start on its Fox drama newbie competition. However, Code has a much bigger lead-in and premieres the day after the Super Bowl, during which it should get some heavily-viewed promotion.

10/9c

Winter: Castle (ABC) vs. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) vs. HARRY'S LAW (NBC, 1/17)

Spring: Castle (ABC) vs. Hawaii Five-0 (CBS) vs. Parenthood (NBC, 3/7)

Cable: Pawn Stars (History), SKINS (MTV, 1/17) 

Notes: I'm an unapologetic David E. Kelley fan, so I'm hoping for good things from Harry's Law. I also like Parenthood. But it's a tough hill to climb just to manage anything better than 3rd place against Five-0 (3.12 A18-49 average to date) and big lead-in-infused Castle (2.58 A18-49 average to date).

Bold indicates timeslot changes; ALL CAPS indicate this midseason's series premieres

All my other Midseason Matchups posts: Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Sunday