Preliminary Ratings: Monday 04/21/14

NBC cruised to an easy Monday night victory in the A18-49 ratings, while ABC edged NBC out in total viewers, preventing a sweep by the Peacock network.

NBC 's dominate showing was led not by THE VOICE, but the freshman drama THE BLACKLIST. For the first time this season, THE BLACKLIST drew more viewers than it's lead in and was just one tenth of a ratings point from equaling THE VOICE in the demo numbers. The VOICE was down nearly 1.3 million viewers and a half a ratings point in the demographic. Not a good outing for the singing competition series.

ABC was helped with the first original episode of CASTLE in four weeks, which helped it push by NBC in the nightly averages. However, CASTLE demo ratings (1.8) rated closer to to the off-night repeat of NCIS (1.0) than it did with THE BLACKLIST (2.8). This series once ruled the time period and is now an after thought, with good numbers, not great numbers.

THE CW saw a spike in it's Monday night ratings. My guess is that there was a sports preemption in one of the larger markets, perhaps Chicago's WGN. But if it does hold, it is a nice rebound by STAR CROSSED and could help it secure a spot in next season's schedule.

CBS' comedy block, without HIMYM, is mediocre, at best. 2 BROKE GIRLS was not strong enough to be the 9pm anchor of the night, in the fall, and it is definitely not strong enough to lead off the night, at 8 p.m. CBS's Monday night schedule, for the fall of 2014, will be very interesting to see when they present their upfront plans, in May.
 

Preliminary Network Averages:

ABC - 12.2 million viewers, 2.0 rating in Adults 18-49

CBS - 5.9 million viewers, 1.6 rating in Adults 18-49

CW - 1.1 million viewers, 0.3 rating in Adults 18-49

FOX - 5.2 million viewers, 1.4 rating in Adults 18-49

NBC - 11.1 million viewers, 2.9 rating in Adults 18-49

Time	Net	Program	Viewers*	A18-49	+/-
8:00	ABC	Dancing With The Stars	13.50	2.1
10:00	ABC	Castle	9.60	1.8	-29%
8:00	CBS	2 Broke Girls	7.00	2.1
8:30	CBS	Friends With Better Lives	5.40	1.7	-23%
9:00	CBS	Mike & Molly	7.30	1.9	35%
9:30	CBS	The Big Bang Theory [R]	6.80	1.8	-7%
10:00	CBS	NCIS [R]	4.50	1.0	-34%
8:00	CW	Star Crossed	1.20	0.3
9:00	CW	The Tomorrow People	1.10	0.3	-8%
8:00	FOX	Bones	5.90	1.4
9:00	FOX	The Following	4.50	1.4	-24%
8:00	NBC	The Voice	11.00	2.9
10:00	NBC	The Blacklist	11.20	2.8	2%

* - in millions