"How I Met Your Mother" smoked the competition Monday while NBC’s "Sing-Off" failed to hit any high notes.
Viewers, meanwhile, told Jennifer Hudson that they were not going… to watch her ABC holiday special.
Some quick Nielsen highlights, based on fast national data:
–The reality competition NBC promoted as a cross between "Glee" and "American Idol" didn’t come close to attracting the audience of either. The two-hour premiere averaged a 2.3/6 from 8 to 10 p.m.
While "Sing" did a tiny bit better than normal NBC programming, it lost audience in its second hour — not a great sign.
–"HIMYM" upticked to a 3.9/11, easily kicking the butt(s) of everything else on network TV in the 8 p.m. hour. (If you couldn’t tell by now by all the lame puns, the episode had a cigarettes theme.) Numbers might be a bit higher than usual since at least one major CBS affiliate aired "Monday Night Football" in the slot.
Overall, CBS’ Monday comedies all improved or stayed flat from their great performances last week.
–Hudson’s holiday hour "I’ll Be Home for Christmas" was a surprisingly weak performer, averaging a 1.2/3 in adults 18-49. That’s about half what Fox’s Carrie Underwood special notched last Monday in the slot.
Variety hours overall haven’t had much luck this year. Maybe it’s time to bring back Nick and Jessica.
Meanwhile, ABC’s "Find My Family" (1.4/3) slipped to its lowest number yet, making it unlikely this show will be back for a second season (at least on ABC).
–Fox’s "Lie to Me," with a repeat "House" as a lead-in, earned a 2.2/6.
