Monday TV Ratings: How I Met Your Mother, House, Chuck hit lows

Network television continues to limp towards its season finale, as a slew of once popular shows in their later seasons hit or tied series lows.

“Chuck” drew a 1.3 in the demo and just over 4 million viewers. It’s renewal prospects are up in the air given the new management at NBC, and the shocking fact that most of their shows are non-competitive. The fate of “The Event” (1.1 demo, 3.7 million) is more certain, as is “Law and Order: LA” (1.2 demo, 5 million viewers), as in certain to be canceled in the coming weeks.

CBS has seen its fortunes dwindle on Monday also since the departure of Charlie Sheen, making you wonder if they’ll demand his return. A “Two and a Half Men” repeat scored a 1.7 in the demo, and 6.3 million viewers overall. New eps weren’t good either for the eye net, “How I Met Your Mother” hit a low with a 2.5 in the demo and 6.3 million viewers, while “Mad Love” was dismal with a 1.8 in the demo and just over 5 million viewers. Once mighty freshman hit “Mike and Molly” suffered (2.2 demo, 7.5 million viewer) and the network that paid more than $2 million for the right to syndicate “Hawaii 5-0” might want its money back (2.2 demo, 9 million viewers).

ABC rode “Dancing with the Stars” to a nightly victory. “Stars” averaged a 4.1 in the demo over two hours, and gave a bump to “Castle,” which led the 10 pm hour with a 3.1 and 12.6 million viewers.

Over at Fox, just-renewed-“House” hit lows as well, drawing a 2.9 in the demo, and 7.7 million viewers. It