Most popular 'Bachelor' finale in years

   He's just not that into you

ABC's highly anticipated "The Bachelor" finale dominated Monday night with the most-watched conclusion to the reality hit in years.

Even with key spoilers leaking online more than a week before the finale, the two-hour "Bachelor" was seen by 15.5 million and received a 5.4 preliminary adults 18-49 rating and 13 share. It's the show's biggest total viewer tally since 2005, and its highest adult demo rating since 2003.

Just like last season, the "After the Final Rose" special at 10 p.m. (17.5 million, 6.7/16) actually outperformed the finale itself, drawing a rating that very few series this year can match. "Rose" had the best numbers ever for the special (and let's not forget ABC will air another special tonight).

The finale and postshow enthralled fans (clips below). Bachelor Jason Mesnick proposed to one contestant, then changed his mind several weeks later and made out with a runner-up contestant instead. Coming after last year's infamous decision by Brad Womack to not pick any of the women on the show, "Bachelor" creator Mike Fleiss has found a new twist for generating record-setting "Bachelor" ratings: Instead of fulfilling the show's "happily ever after" fantasy, subvert it with an indecisive man the show's fans find infuriatingly all-too-familiar.

UPDATE: "Bachelor" creator responds to controversy

ABC's performance put pressure on competitors, with several rival programs dipping lower than recent airings.

CBS was second for the evening with "The Big Bang Theory" (10.9 million, 3.9/10), "How I Met Your Mother" (11.1 million, 4.2/10) and "Two and a Half Men" (15.4 million, 4.9/11).

At 9:30, CBS aired the season premiere of "Rules of Engagement" (11.9 million, 3.9/9), which was about on par with its average in the spot last year. "Rules" did much better than "Worst Week" in the time period (though didn't show as much "Men" retention as "Big Bang" recently demonstrated). At 10 p.m., CBS aired "CSI: Miami" (13.3 million, 3.8/9), taking a hit this week. 

In third, Fox aired a two hour "24" (11.1 million, 3.3/8) that dipped from last week.

NBC's "Chuck" (6.6 million, 2.4/6) was up a tick this week, while "Heroes" (7 million, 3.2/7) hit, you guessed it, another series low.

The CW? Repeats.

The "Bachelor" proposal ...

And then later  ...

Comments

[Frodo]

TBBT rules!!!

[Rosemary]

This is the worst thing anbody good do to another person.I think the network & the producers of this how should't have a job that they could hurt someone & humilated anybody like that on TV> Iwill never watch this show again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[r]

I really think Jason has a mental problem and needs therapy.
He gave out many clues to that end.

[me.yahoo.com/a/fWB0XYERqNf7BV7o..zV3XqCAMZj]

Are you NUTS what is Jason up to I,m tried of his crying, what about the woman and I turn my back on him in a heart beat.
JASON get it together.

[Kat]

Ha! Jason is a total loser and that whole After the Rose thing seemed insanely fake.

Did y'all see Jason on Jimmy Kimmel? He seemed really flippant about the whole thing if you ask me: http://squareeyes.blinkx.com/?p=403

[Scott E.]

This dude is a real head-case. The desperate lengths to keep his fifteen minutes of rolling...And then whoring our his child. This guys needs 24 hour help for a few years, as do the producers of this trash. ABC should be ashamed of themselves. It's a new low.

[Irene]

Everybody deserves to be happy. I am glad for Jason and Molly. He made a mistake, it was too short a time for him to know the girls, and now he is righting a wrong. It's just a shame that the whole world has to see the hurt that goes with dating, broken hearts and love. That is what makes the Bachelor and Bachelorette show so popular.

[coffee]

they didn't need to fix the Bachelor finale; they only needed to let Jason act out on his instincts, which are that of a tool

[P.J.]

I am sick of the preening going on at ABC. If we had actually known what was coming, I don't think the ratings would have been so high, and if this is the goal of the show...hurt people to get great ratings, we should all stop watching. If the ratings for the Bachelor/Bachelorette depended on me next year they could save themselves a ton of money and cancel the whole show now.