The Sked: MONDAY EARLY RATINGS

In the metered market overnights Monday, NBC won every half hour with the time period premiere of The Voice and the debut of Smash.  

The Voice started at 8:00 with a 14 household share (How I Met Your Mother was second with a 10 share) and built to a 15 share at 8:30 (2 Broke Girls was next with an 11), a monstrous 17 share at 9:00 (Two and a Half Men with a 12) and a 16 share at 9:30 (Mike & Molly was next with a 10).  Extremely impressive.

At 10 pm, Smash dropped to a still very good 13 share from 10:00-10:30 and a 12 share from 10:30-11:00.  (Hawaii Five-O was next with an 11 share and Castle pulled a 10.)

Smash dropped a little over one full household rating point at the halfway point, indicating the 18-49 rating (available soon) will drop about half a rating point, about the fall-off we forecast.  However, the actual 18-49 rating levels will be significantly higher than forecast for Smash.  It's off to a good start, but the real question is can it sustain the level in the coming weeks.  Either way, The Voice is the real deal, and American Idol definitely hears footsteps behind it.