THE SKED’S MONDAY NETWORK SCORECARD – 4/16/12

SMASHWatch is glad it’s on NBC.

NBC:  Last night SMASH slipped for the first time below the Mason-Dixon line of network TV ratings, to a 1.9 (and in each of last 3 weeks, the show has declined further when final numbers for the night were released).  This made it the lowest-rated original show on any non-CW network last night, and only 0.3 above a Hawaii 5-0 rerun–but since Smash has already been renewed and a 1.9, pathetically, isn’t that bad for NBC these days, the show is at no risk.  Creatively, there were moments last night, when the team of the show-within-the-show had to cope with the less-than-brilliantly-talented movie star played by Uma Thurman, that Smash almost seemed like a half-decent hour of television.  Plus Ellis got some comeuppance, and who doesn’t like to see that?  But those were more than balanced by scenes with Julia’s petulant son, Tom’s contemplation of God, and fantasy sequences with Derek imagining Karen-as-Marilyn singing 1960s pop songs (Karen makes a terrible Marilyn Monroe, right?  Unless Derek gets turned on by fantasizing awful performances).  Earlier in the evening, THE VOICE set a new Monday low with 3.6.  For some reason–the same thing happened last season–Voice runs steadily out of steam as it goes, and it’s declined every single week of its past 6.  Despite all this, the Peacock took the night.

CBS:  Things weren’t lollipops and butterflies over at CBS, either.  HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (down a troubling 0.5 from last week to 3.0) and 2 BROKE GIRLS set new lows, MIKE & MOLLY was down from last week, and even though 2 1/2 MEN was up, that was only by 0.1 from last week’s season low.  HAWAII 5-0 was in line with recent repeats.

ABC:  DANCING WITH THE STARS hit a new Monday low of 2.8.  CASTLE, aided by the repeat on CBS, was up a bit to 2.2.

FOX:  BONES was down again to a season low 2.1, while, HOUSE climbed 0.1 from last week’s series low to a 2.0.

CW:  GOSSIP GIRL and HART OF DIXIE were both up 0.1 from last week to 0.6.

Tonight ABC moves PRIVATE PRACTICE to the Tuesday 10PM slot, away from its friendly post-Grey’s Anatomy home on Thursdays.  The launch is made a little easier by CBS repeats in the 9PM and 10PM hours.  We’re also reaching season finale time on the networks, and tonight there are 2 of them:  the already-renewed RAISING HOPE on FOX, and the not-at-all-renewed RINGER on CW.