Ratings: The Originals Returns Down; Gotham, Castle And CBS Dramas Slip

The CW's The Originals opened Season 2 on Monday night with 1.4 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating — down from both its series launch (2.2 mil/1.0, leading out of Vampire Diaries on a Thursday) and its May finale (1.8 mil/0.8, leading off Tuesday), but improving on, say, Star Crossed's most recent numbers in the Mondays-at-8 spot (830K/0.3).

The CW also notes that TO gave the network its best Monday lead-off rating since Jan. 2012 (Gossip Girl).

A highly entertaining Supernatural retrospective led out of that with 1 mil/0.5.

Elsewhere on the night....

CBS | The Big Bang Theory (15.4 mil/4.4) dipped 6 and 8 percent, Scorpion (11.8 mil/2.5) fell 12 and 19 percent and NCIS: LA (8.6 mil/1.6) was down 9 and 16 percent from its maiden Monday voyage.

NBC | The Voice (12.3 mil/3.6) dipped 5 and 10 percent, while The Blacklist (10.1 mil/2.7) ticked down just 4 percent and a tenth.

FOX | Gotham (6.3 mil/2.5) slipped another 16 and 11 percent, yet Sleepy Hollow (4.5 mil/1.7) held steady in the demo.

ABC | Dancing With the Stars (12/2 mil/1.8) was steady – and virtually matched The Voice's audience — while Castle (9.7 mil/1.9) slipped 10 and 14 percent (yet equalled its year-ago demo).

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