RATINGS RECAP: 3/19/12

ABC
8:00 Dancing with the Stars
Viewers: 18.8 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
10:00 Castle
Viewers: 11.5 million, 18-49 demo: 2.3

CBS
8:00 How I Met Your Mother
Viewers: 8.2 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
8:30 2 Broke Girls
Viewers: 9.4 million, 18-49 demo: 3.5
9:00 Two and a Half Men
Viewers: 11.5 million, 18-49 demo: 3.8
9:30 Mike & Molly
Viewers: 9.7 million, 18-49 demo: 3.1
10:00 Hawaii Five-0
Viewers: 9.3 million, 18-49 demo: 2.5

NBC
8:00 The Voice
Viewers: 12.0 million, 18-49 demo: 4.6
10:00 Smash
Viewers: 6.6 million, 18-49 demo: 2.2

FOX
8:00 House
Viewers: 5.9 million, 18-49 demo: 2.1
9:00 Alcatraz
Viewers: 5.0 million, 18-49 demo: 1.6

On Monday night, ABC had the newest edition of Dancing with the Stars. Though it still had nearly 19 million viewers, its demo premiere was only a 3.5 - not bad overall but very low for a premiere of Dancing. The fall premiere, which was down from last year, managed a 4.0 for the premiere. This does not bode well for its continued competition with The Voice and the competition seems to be skewing older and older. At 10pm, Castle benefited from the improved lead-in as it was up 2.4 million viewers and two tenths in the demo, finally climbing out of third place in the demo.

Over on NBC, The Voice was clearly affected by in the increased competition as it was down 2.5 million viewers and six tenths in the demo for season lows. The good news though was it still managed to easily win the demo over Dancing and CBS's comedies. At 10pm, Smash was down four tenths in viewers and two tenths in the demo for a series low. It fell to third in the demo but may be able to crawl back up to second if the Castle bump is temporary.  

CBS had an interesting night. The 8pm hour was hurt, possibly by the ABC/NBC combo and Daylight Savings. How I Met Your Mother was down nine tenths in viewers and a tenth in the demo while 2 Broke Girls was down eight tenths in viewers and three tenths in the demo for a series low. It's odd that Girls did not build on Mother in the demo. The 9pm hour did better though as Two and a Half Men and Mike & Molly were both down four tenths in viewers and up two tenths in the demo. At 10pm, Hawaii Five-0 was down three tenths in viewers and even in the demo.

On a very crowded night on broadcast TV, FOX was not surprisingly the odd one out. At 8pm, House was down 1.2 million viewers and three tenths in the demo for series lows. Like Desperate Housewives, this show isn't exactly sprinting towards its series finale. At 9pm, Alcatraz was down a tenth in viewers for a series low and even in the demo. These recent numbers have probably sealed its fate.