NBC took center stage on Monday on this third Monday in February as a result of The Voice, with 12.64 million viewers on average in primetime for Feb. 20, according to Nielsen. CBS was the second most-watched network at 11.00 million, followed by ABC (8.61 million), Fox (6.46) and The CW, with a subpar 1.25 million. The pecking order was the same among adults: NBC first with a 4.6 rating/11 share in the demo, followed by CBS (3.5/ 9), ABC (2.4/ 6), Fox (2.1/ 5) and The CW at a 0.5/ 1.
-Winners:
The Voice (NBC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), 2 Broke Girls (CBS), Two and a Half Men (CBS), Mike & Molly (CBS), Hawaii Five-O (CBS)
-Wise to Retire:
House (Fox)
-Losers (excluding repeats):
Gossip Girl (CW), Alcatraz (Fox), Hart of Dixie (CW), Smash (NBC)
Aforementioned The Voice was the top-rated show of the evening at 15.72 million viewers and a 5.8 rating/14 share among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. Compared to the year-ago combination of Chuck (Viewers: 5.48 million; A18-49: 1.7/ 4 on 2/21/11) and short-lived drama The Cape (Viewers: 4.15 million; A18-49: 1.2/ 3), this was an increase of a mammoth 10.91 million viewers and 300 percent in the demo. One week earlier, The Voice averaged 16.28 million viewers and a 6.0 rating/15 share among adults 18-49. Here is the half-hour breakdown:
The Voice (NBC)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 13.92 million (#1), A18-49: 5.1/14 (#1)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 15.24 million (#1), A18-49: 5.6/14 (#1)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 16.81 million (#1), A18-49: 6.2/15 (#1)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 16.91 million (#1), A18-49: 6.3/15 (#1)
As a reminder, any prior rating comparisons are based on the Live Plus Same Day data.
Unfortunately, not all the news on NBC was positive last night. Highly touted musical drama Smash dipped to 6.46 million viewers (#3) and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#2) at 10 p.m. In just two weeks, Smash has dropped by a hefty 4.98 million viewers and 39 percent in the demo. Here is the three-week track:
Smash (NBC)
2/06/12 – Viewers: 11.44 million, A18-49: 3.8/10
2/13/12 – Viewers: 8.06 million, A18-49: 2.8/ 7
2/20/12 – Viewers: 6.46 million, A18-49: 2.3/ 6
Comparably, retention for Smash out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of The Voice was just 38 percent in total viewers and 37 percent in the demo. One year earlier, older-skewing drama Harry’s Law averaged 8.75 million viewers and a 1.7/ 5 among adults 18-49 on 2/21/11. While Smash certainly is ambitious, the sad reality of the show itself were the bloated expectations. It is always better to debut under the radar rather than with the type of hype you just cannot live up to.
Opposite The Voice, CBS’ sitcom block finished second in each of the four half-hours with solid performances from How I Met Your Mother (Viewers: 9.81 million, A18-49: 3.8/10), 2 Broke Girls (Viewers: 11.28 million, A18-49: 4.0/10), Two and a Half Men (Viewers: 13.24 million, A18-49: 4.1/10) and Mike & Molly (Viewers: 11.27 million, A18-49: 3.4/ 8). 2 Broke Girls, which continues to push the envelope at 8:30 p.m., featured a guest appearance by the always outstanding Renee Taylor. Hawaii Five-O capped off the evening for the Eye net first in both total viewers (10.20 million) and adults 18-49 (2.8/ 7) at 10 p.m.
On ABC, ongoing interest in The Bachelor (Viewers: #3, 8.09 million; A18-49: #3, 2.5/ 6 from 8-10 p.m.) proves that three successful shows can co-exist in a time period. But will returning Dancing With the Stars, which announces its spring cast on Good Morning America next Monday, take a hit opposite The Voice? Here is the half-hour breakdown for The Bachelor:
The Bachelor (ABC)
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 8.31 million (#3), A18-49: 2.4/ 6 (#3)
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 7.99 million (#3), A18-49: 2.4/ 6 (#3)
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 7.93 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 6 (#3)
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 8.15 million (#3), A18-49: 2.5/ 6 (#3)
ABC capped off the evening with Castle at 9.65 million viewers (#2) and a third-place 2.1/ 5 in the demo at 10 p.m. Compared to the year-ago evening (Viewers: 8.99 million, A18-49: 2.6/ 7), Castle was up by 660,000 viewers but down by 19 percent in the demo.
With The Voice on NBC now in the competitive mix, Alcatraz continues to dwindle. Week six of the Fox drama dipped to a series-low 5.96 million viewers (#4) with a 1.8/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#4) at 9 p.m. One year earlier, short-lived occupant The Chicago Code was stronger at 7.87 million viewers and a 2.1/ 5 in the demo on 2/21/11. At 8 p.m. on Fox was soon-to-conclude House at a diluted 6.97 million viewers (#4) and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#4).
The CW closed the night with its uneventful combination of Gossip Girl (Viewers: 1.01 million, A18-49: 0.5/ 1) and a freshman drama Hart of Dixie (Viewers: 1.48 million, A18-49: 0.6/ 1), which finished a distant fifth in each of the four half-hours.
I watched 17 minutes of Smash plot just wasn’t my kind of show. I like Katharine McPhee from American Idol good actress msuicals aren’t my kind of shows reason they never do well on TV.