TV Ratings: The Voice Falls to a Season Low While Smash Climbs; Dancing with the Stars Ties a Low
Ratings reported by TV By The Numbers show notable movement among the primetime competition. On Monday night, The Voice declined from the previous week and landed at a season low in the key adults 18-49 demographic, while NBC’s musical drama Smash managed a modest increase. Meanwhile, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars dropped and tied a low for a performance show. Here’s a clear look at what happened and the numbers behind the shifts.
Key Takeaways
- The Voice slipped 9% from last Monday to a 4.1 adults 18-49 rating, marking a season low for the show in that demo.
- Smash rose 5% to a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating, showing some upward movement for the musical series.
- Dancing with the Stars fell 13% to a 2.8 adults 18-49 rating, tying a low for a performance show.
- Castle experienced a small decline, down 4% to a 2.2 adults 18-49 rating.
These shifts are notable because they run against some expectations: The Voice dropping while Smash climbs is the opposite of the trend many anticipated. The evening produced mixed results across broadcast networks, with sports and established series showing strength in certain time slots.
Detailed Monday Night Lineup and Ratings
The following list breaks down the 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. schedule and the adults 18-49 ratings, as reported by TV By The Numbers. Where applicable, the networks and program names are highlighted and the rating/share and audience share numbers follow.
NBC The Voice 8-10p 4.1/11 10.67
ABC Dancing with the Stars 8-10p 2.8/7 16.54
CBS 2 Broke Girls (R) 2.5/8 8.27
FOX Bones 2.5/7 8.19
CW Gossip Girl 0.5/2 1.06
8:30
CBS Two and a Half Men (R) 2.6/7 8.50
9:00
CBS Prelude to a Championship 4.4/11 13.16
FOX House 2.2/6 6.72
CW Hart Of Dixie (R) 0.3/1 0.73
9:30
CBS NCAA Championship: Kansas vs. Kentucky (to 11p) 7.0/17 19.31
10:00
ABC Castle 2.2/5 12.06
NBC Smash 2.2/5 6.09
Context and Analysis
The adults 18-49 demo remains the industry’s primary yardstick for advertiser value, and movements in that group often drive programming decisions. A 9% drop for The Voice into the 4.1 range is meaningful, especially when it represents a season low. At the same time, Smash registering a 5% uptick to reach 2.2 suggests slight momentum that could be important for NBC’s programming lineup.
Dancing with the Stars losing 13% and tying a performance show low indicates viewer softness for that episode specifically, even though the show continues to deliver a larger total audience number. Castle slipping modestly to 2.2 in the demo mirrors the broader pattern of shifting audience attention across the night.
Sports programming and special events also had an impact on Monday’s totals: CBS’s NCAA Championship entry drew strong numbers in the 9:30 slot, producing a 7.0 adults 18-49 rating and a 19.31 audience metric that outpaced many regular series that night.
What to Watch Next
With season lows and tied lows appearing, networks will be monitoring trends closely over the coming weeks. Advertisers and programmers will pay particular attention to how stable or volatile these demo ratings remain. Shows that can sustain or reverse declines—especially in the coveted 18-49 group—are more likely to hold advertiser interest and favorable scheduling positions.
For now, the Monday results paint a mixed picture: a surprise dip for a proven hit, a rebound for a newer musical drama, and signs that performance- and event-driven programming can still reshape typical primetime patterns.