Smash takes a ratings crash in second episode

Feb 14, 2012 5:25 PM by David Radcliff

Posted in Entertainment / Television

Smash No Longer
A Smash?

The second episode of musical drama Smash didn't exactly bring down the house last night. Will it continue to draw a crowd?

Tune in

Smash airs

Mondays at 10/9c
on NBC

Smash, the freshman NBC series starring Oscar winner Anjelica Huston, Emmy winner Debra Messing, and American Idol alum Katharine McPhee, played to a much smaller house this week.

How Smash's Katharine McPhee stays in shape >>

The hour-long drama about Broadway up-and-comers pulled 8.1 million viewers for last night's episode — dropping more than 30 percent from the 11.5 million who had tuned in for the show's heavily promoted Super Bowl night debut.

Review: Smash >>

The second installment of the series found starry-eyed Midwesterner Karen (McPhee) squared off against sultry blonde Ivy (Megan Hilty of Broadway's Wicked) for the role of a lifetime: Marilyn Monroe. And though the pilot showed us that Karen wouldn't compromise her ethics for any role, this week Ivy proved herself willing to do whatever (or whomever) necessary in an attempt to secure stardom! By episode's end, the coveted role of Marilyn had been cast, and audiences didn't have to wait until season's end to learn the result of the Karen-Ivy Monroe showdown.

Smash's Katharine McPhee: Her best hair looks >>

Despite Smash's second week ratings dip, the NBC upstart managed to hold onto the hearts of its key demographic, earning a 2.8 rating to lead the 10 p.m. time slot among viewers under 50. NBC won Monday night overall, thanks to a two-hour episode of The Voice that drew 16.1 million pairs of ears and dominated all key categories.

But despite a big network push and some show-stopping tunes, Smash still finished third in its time slot behind CBS's Hawaii 5-O and ABC's Castle -- neither of which featured a reimagining of Blondie's "Call Me." Did the Westminster Kennel Show, airing opposite Smash and drawing strong numbers for USA, help throw this musical's ratings to the dogs?

It's a cutthroat world in this business of show. Time will tell whether Smash (and its plucky heroines) have what it takes!

Smash airs on Monday nights at 10/9c on NBC.

Photo courtesy of NBC

Tags: anjelica huston katharine mcphee smash

Comments

Comments on "Smash takes a ratings crash in second episode"

The Facts behind NBC Smash Crash Smash will be canceled by end of year Just saw the half hour ratings for NBC Smash “As with last week, the show declined for its second half-hour (this time to a 2.5), indicating that the core audience actually enjoying the show is even lower than the overall rating suggests. “ WOW 3.1 for the first half hour and a 2.5 for the second half hour, what a huge drop. NBC Smash cannot even hold their own viewers. NBC Smash, the more people see it, the more they hate it. Wow Smash dropped 26% from last week’s premiere, still has a strong lead in with the hit NBC The Voice but NBC Smash lost half its viewers from NBC The Voice. And NBC Smash gets beat in total viewers by both CBS Hawaii Five-0 and ABC Castle. tvbythenumbers 10:00PM NBC Smash 2.8 7 8.09 CBS Hawaii Five-0 2.6 7 9.52 ABC Castle 2.0 5 8.88 I read where media critics are saying NBC Smash looks like another The Event. And will be canceled by seasons end. At a cost of 3.5 million dollars episode (75% more costs than other shows) NBC needs much better ratings from Smash to be profitable. A lot of media experts are saying NBC should put another show in its place to take advantage of NBC The Voice ratings. The NBC Smash Crash has started. Their ratings will plummet down from here. As tvfreak said “I’m sick of calling steep ratings drops the Event Effect, Smash Crash is much better.” Reasons for the NBC Smash Crash. 1. The only reason it started off well was that it followed NBC The Voice (which is a hit with monster ratings), and NBC heavily promoted Smash during the Super bowl, during The Voice, and on all their other shows. 2. NBC Smash is an insider show like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, the critics like these shows but the viewers do not. 3. NBC Smash is up against CBS Hawaii Five-0 and ABC Castle (two superior shows) 4. NBC repeatedly showing repeats of NBC Smash (and NBC does this multiple times during the week of their original airings) will hurt their original airings 5. NBC Smash needs to go away for our Loved shows to survive and thrive. 6. NBC Smash is poorly written and acted. 7. NBC Smash is a rip-off of Fox Glee and an insult to Glee fans 8. NBC Smash is meant to appeal to people over 50, 9. Fox Glee is designed to appeal to the under 49 years old demographic and NBC Smash is designed to appeal to a much older demographic over 50 years old. As NBC said Smash was a Fox Glee for adults. NBC Smash every week is about a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe died in 1962; she was 36 years old at the time of her death. Since she has been dead over 50 years she would be most relevant to old people over 50 years old. 10. With a cost of 3.5 million dollars an episode NBC Smash will need very high 18 – 49 ratings to be profitable, therefore it will canceled by the end of the year (even on NBC). 11. NBC Smash, the more people see it, the more they hate it.