'Under the Dome' return ratings: Down, yet tops

As expected, CBS’ Under the Dome returned for its second-season premiere to weaker numbers in the ratings. After last year’s surprisingly high-flying debut and subsequent drop-off during its run, nobody expected Dome to return at the same level as its series opener. So the question shifts to: Did Dome still perform well?

Answer: Yes. Dome had 9.4 million viewers and a 2.2 rating among adults 18-49, which was enough to win the night despite a 33-percent decline from last year. It also marks the summer’s highest-rated scripted-program debut of the summer (and be sure to read our interview with the actor whose Dome character exited the show last night).

Compare Dome‘s 2.2 rating to the show’s Monday competition: Fox’s 24: Live Another Day (1.5 in the demo), MasterChef (1.9), NBC’s American Ninja Warrior (1.4), ABC’s The Bachelorette (1.5) and Mistresses (1.1).