'The Voice' Takes Monday Night Crown; 'Hawaii Five-0' Takes Down 'Smash'

OK, so we're clearly not getting the definitive showodown of the prime-time talent searches because a certain "American Idol" producer is allergic to money and ratings.

The good people behind the "The Voice" will probably accept ruling over Monday nights as one fine consolation prize.

NBC's up-and-coming search for America's next great recording star sucked in 15.8 million viewers and earned a 5.8 rating among adults age 18-49, making it last night's highest-rated program and continuing a hot streak through its blind-audition rounds following its post-Super Bowl premiere.

If only the news had been as good for the network's freshman musical drama "Smash." The highly touted Katherine McPhee drama saw its rating drop 18 percent to a 2.3 despite 6.5 million viewers and fell during its hour to CBS' "Hawaii Five-0." The tropical procedural was watched by 10.2 million viewers, and garnered a 2.8 rating. The 10 PM ET slot's usual winner, ABC's "Castle," came in third with 9.7 million viewers and a 2.1 mark. ABC rounded out its night with "The Bachelor" holding steady at a 2.5 rating.

Over on FOX, "Alcatraz" continued looking unimpressive, watched by 6 million viewers and dipping one-tenth of a point to a 1.8 rating. Lead-in "House" meanwhile had 7 million viewers and garnered a 2.5 rating.

Rounding out the night, CBS bounced back from a curiously bad previous week when its lineup posted across-the-board lows. "How I Met Your Mother" followed up last week's shocking twist ending by posting a 3.8 rating, "2 Broke Girls" did better still with a 4.0, "Two and a Half Men" proved determined to show up Charlie Sheen's smart-ass comments by posting a 4.1 and "Mike & Molly" stayed the course with a 3.4 rating.

Finally, over on The CW, "Gossip Girl" (0.5) and "Hart of Dixie" (0.6) remained low, but at least steady.