Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/29/20):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live events.]

ABC (8.966 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) pulled into the top spot on Tuesday thanks to its specials "Trump vs. Biden: The Main Event - A Special Edition of 20/20" (6.344 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5) and "The First Presidential Debate - Your Voice Your Vote 2020" (10.277 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1).

NBC (7.054 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) took home the silver with the launch of "Weakest Link" (6.067 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) and its coverage of "NBC News: Presidential Debate #1" (7.547 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2).

Next up was FOX (3.471 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its duo of "Cosmos: Possible Worlds" (2.027 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #8) and "Democracy 2020: First Presidential Debate" (4.434 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3).

Meanwhile, CBS (4.309 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up a new "Love Island" (2.836 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #7) plus "CBS News: The First Presidential Debate" (5.045 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #6).

And finally, repeats of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.003 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9) and another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.933 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T9) led into "Tell Me a Story" (0.318 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #11) on The CW (0.643 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Love Island
+25.00% - Cosmos: Possible Worlds
0.00% - Tell Me a Story

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Trump vs. Biden: The Main Event - A Special Edition of 20/20 (vs. The Conners/Bless This Mess)
0.00% - Tell Me a Story (vs. Pandora)
-12.75% - The First Presidential Debate - Your Voice Your Vote 2020 (vs. 9/26/16)
-13.33% - Weakest Link (vs. The Voice)
-28.57% - Cosmos: Possible Worlds (vs. The Resident)
-40.91% - Democracy 2020: First Presidential Debate (vs. 9/26/16)
-53.85% - Love Island (vs. NCIS)
-57.69% - CBS News: The First Presidential Debate (vs. 9/26/16)
-58.25% - NBC News: Presidential Debate #1 (vs. 9/26/16)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/1/19):

NBC (7.219 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was still the demo champ on Tuesday with its trio of "The Voice" (8.905 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2), "This Is Us" (7.433 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) and "New Amsterdam" (5.321 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6).

CBS (9.519 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) likewise remained the most-watched network with its mix of "NCIS" (12.158 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3), "FBI" (9.439 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and "NCIS: New Orleans" (6.959 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

Next up was ABC (3.854 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) and its lineup of "The Conners" (5.500 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4), "Bless This Mess" (3.772 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), "Mixed-ish" (3.542 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), "Black-ish" (3.155 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and "Emergence" (3.577 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.391 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) offered up fresh installments of "The Resident" (3.806 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and "Empire" (2.976 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6).

And finally, The CW (0.461 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed out the evening with a new "Pandora" (0.559 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T14) and the season finale of "Pandora" (0.364 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T14).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+11.11% - FBI
0.00% - The Voice
0.00% - NCIS
0.00% - NCIS: New Orleans
0.00% - Pandora
-5.56% - This Is Us
-10.00% - Empire
-12.50% - The Resident
-12.50% - Bless This Mess
-12.50% - Black-ish
-15.38% - The Conners
-18.18% - New Amsterdam
-22.22% - Mixed-ish
-25.00% - Emergence

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - The Conners (vs. Dancing with the Stars)
+20.00% - Emergence (vs. A Million Little Things (Repeat))
+12.50% - Empire (vs. Lethal Weapon)
0.00% - Pandora (vs. The Flash (Repeat))
0.00% - The Resident (vs. The Gifted)
0.00% - Pandora - 9:00 (vs. The Outpost)
-7.14% - NCIS
-12.50% - Bless This Mess (vs. Dancing with the Stars)
-12.50% - Black-ish (vs. Dancing with the Stars)
-12.50% - Mixed-ish (vs. Dancing with the Stars)
-16.67% - FBI
-16.67% - The Voice
-29.17% - This Is Us
-30.00% - NCIS: New Orleans
-43.75% - New Amsterdam

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.5/4; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 3.2/9; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.4/3; "Late Show," 0.4/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline," averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.0/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 1.3/5. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2.

Source: Nielsen Media Research