Monday Night TV Ratings: Dancing with the Stars Gains, The Sing-Off Struggles
Last night’s primetime ratings, compiled from TVByTheNumbers, show a notable swing for ABC and a continued decline for NBC’s singing competition. The two-hour edition of Dancing with the Stars posted a solid improvement week-to-week, while The Sing-Off remained near the bottom of the key 18–49 demographic.
Overall summary: ABC’s two-hour Dancing with the Stars increased by about 18% compared with the prior week’s 90-minute low, finishing the night with a strong showing in the adults 18–49 demo. In contrast, NBC’s The Sing-Off continues to underperform, registering modest numbers that kept it well behind the other major broadcast offerings in the demo most valued by advertisers.
Key takeaways
- Dancing with the Stars benefited from its extended two-hour timeslot, improving its 18–49 rating and total viewers versus last week’s shorter episode.
- The Sing-Off remained low in the demo, with ratings that suggest the series is still struggling to regain momentum.
- CBS maintained strong comedy performances in the 8:00–9:30 hour, with several series delivering consistent demo ratings and solid total audience numbers.
- Fox’s scripted series showed moderate results, and NBC’s newsmagazine program later in the night did not make significant gains against network competitors.
Detailed ratings by timeslot
8:00 PM
CBS How I Met Your Mother — 4.4/12, 10.36 million viewers
ABC Dancing with the Stars — 3.3/8, 17.69 million viewers
FOX Terra Nova — 2.6/6, 7.67 million viewers
NBC The Sing-Off — 1.5/4, 4.45 million viewers
CW Gossip Girl — 0.6/1, 1.27 million viewers
8:30 PM
CBS 2 Broke Girls — 4.5/11, 11.34 million viewers
9:00 PM
CBS Two and a Half Men — 5.1/12, 14.52 million viewers
ABC Dancing with the Stars — 3.4/8, 18.36 million viewers (second hour)
FOX House — 2.7/6, 7.54 million viewers
NBC The Sing-Off — 1.4/3, 3.95 million viewers (second hour)
CW Hart of Dixie — 0.6/1, 1.39 million viewers
9:30 PM
CBS Mike & Molly — 4.2/10, 11.99 million viewers
10:00 PM
CBS Hawaii Five-0 — 3.0/8, 9.95 million viewers
ABC Castle — 2.5/6, 11.27 million viewers
NBC Rock Center with Brian Williams — 1.0/3, 3.51 million viewers
What the numbers mean
The adults 18–49 rating is the primary measure advertisers watch, because it represents the demographic most commonly targeted for ad sales. Higher ratings in that demo typically translate to greater advertising value for networks. Dancing with the Stars’ jump of roughly 18% is significant because it indicates the show regained audience interest after a weaker, shorter episode the previous week. The total viewer numbers shown alongside demo ratings demonstrate that the program continues to draw a large overall audience.
NBC’s The Sing-Off, by contrast, recorded low demo ratings across both hours. Those figures suggest the series is having difficulty attracting the advertiser-coveted audience in sufficient numbers, and the modest total viewers reflect that struggle. For networks, sustained low demos can lead to scheduling changes or increased promotion, especially when a show underperforms relative to its timeslot competitors.
Network performance and trends
CBS remains steady in its comedy block, with sitcoms delivering strong 18–49 ratings and healthy total audiences. Fox’s dramas delivered moderate ratings that keep the network competitive, while ABC’s variety and drama blocks showed that live-event programming and established procedural drama can both be influential in drawing viewers. NBC’s late-evening newsmagazine did not post competitive demo numbers in this window, and CW’s scripted offerings continued to register lower demo and total viewer figures compared with the larger broadcast networks.
In short, Monday’s ratings highlight ABC’s rebound with a full two-hour Dancing with the Stars and underscore ongoing challenges for The Sing-Off. The broader landscape shows CBS as a steady performer in comedy, with other networks varying by genre and timeslot.