TV Ratings: ‘Voice’ slips, ‘Smash’ tumbles, but NBC still wins Monday easily

Fast National ratings for Monday, February 13, 2012.

Despite a steep drop for the second week of “Smash” and a moderate drop for “The Voice,” NBC still comfortably controlled a Monday night in which most programs were actually down week-to-week. Post-Grammys let-down? Pre-Valentine’s Day dating? Who knows?

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 4.9 rating, still far ahead of CBS’ 3.3 key demo rating, though closing the gap from last week. ABC was third in the key demographic with a 2.3 rating, edging out the 2.1 rating for FOX. The CW averaged a 0.6 rating for the night.

Overall, NBC averaged an estimated 13.43 million viewers and a 7.9 rating/12 share for Monday primetime, topping CBS’ 6.5/10 and 10.32 million viewers. ABC’s 5.4/8 and 8.26 million viewers finished third, with FOX’s 4.1/6 and 6.67 million viewers in fourth. The CW averaged 1.38 million viewers and a 0.9/1 for Monday.

[Univision averaged 3.68 million viewers and a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49 for Monday night.]

8 p.m. – “The Voice” started primetime in first with 15.27 million viewers and a 5.4 rating among adults 18-49 for NBC. [The talent show was down, but very close to its 8 p.m. average last week. The bigger drop came in the next hour.] CBS saw declines for “How I Met Your Mother” (9.1 million viewers and a 3.4 key demo) and “2 Broke Girls” (10.46 million viewers and a 3.7 key demo rating). ABC’s “The Bachelor” averaged 7.875 million viewers and a 2.4 key demo rating in third, beating the 7.15 million viewers for FOX’s “House,” which also did a 2.4 rating in the key demo. On The CW, “Gossip Girl” averaged 1.17 million viewers and a 0.5 key demo rating.

9 p.m. – In the 9 p.m. hour, “The Voice” improved to 16.94 million viewers and a 6.4 key demo rating, which was off from last Monday’s 19.3 million and 7.5 key demo for this hour, an entirely reasonable, but not inconsiderable drop. But again, everything was down. CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” (12.35 million and a 3.8 key demo) and “Mike & Molly” (10.98 million and a 3.3 key demo) finished second. ABC’s “The Bachelor” averaged 8.09 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo in third. On FOX, “Alcatraz” slid to 6.19 million viewers and a 1.9 key demo, going from “spring hit” to “really unsteady” in only a couple weeks. The CW’s “Hart of Dixie” averaged nearly 1.6 million viewers and a 0.6 key demo rating.

10 p.m. – CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” won the 10 p.m. hour overall with 9.52 million viewers and finished a close second with a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49. “Castle” averaged 8.88 million viewers for second and a 2.0 key demo rating for third. On NBC, “Smash” went down to 8.09 million viewers and a 2.8 key demo rating. [Final figures for last Monday’s “Smash” premiere were 11.45 million and a 3.8 key demo rating, so that’s a fall-off, especially if you glance at the 10:30 half-hour in which “Smash” was down to 7.34 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo rating that actually tied “Hawaii Five-0.”]