nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, december 22, 2010)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (5.28 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) took home top adults 18-49 honors on Wednesday thanks to new episodes of "Human Target" (5.80 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7) and "Million Dollar Money Drop" (4.76 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3).

NBC (5.27 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) and ABC (4.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T2) then split the silver as the former served up the return of "Undercovers" (4.22 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) followed by repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8) and a second "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2).

The Alphabet then offered up its all-repeat lineup of "The Middle" (6.13 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4), "Better With You" (5.09 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4), "Modern Family" (5.96 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) and "CMA Country Christmas" (4.25 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

Next up was CBS (5.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) with "The 12th Annual A Home for the Holidays" (3.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) alongside repeats of "Criminal Minds" (6.94 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4) and "The Defenders" (5.60 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

And finally, repeats of "Hellcats" (1.45 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and a second "Hellcats" (1.21 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.33 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Human Target (-6.70%), Undercovers (-15.40% vs. 12/1/10).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.3/8) took top honors over ABC's "Nightline" (3.2/7) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.8/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/4) on ABC, "Ferguson" (1.4/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.6/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/23/09):

CBS (8.95 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) snagged the top spot on Wednesday thanks to "The 11th Annual Home for the Holidays" (6.39 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and repeats of "Criminal Minds" (10.23 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) and "CSI: NY" (10.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T1).

The silver then went to ABC (4.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #2) with its mix of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (6.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T1), "The Middle" (5.46 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5), "Modern Family" (5.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4), another "The Middle" (4.34 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6) and a full hour of "Cougar Town" (3.56 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was FOX (3.72 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with repeats of "Glee" (3.58 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and another "Glee" (3.86 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "Mercy" (3.66 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12), another "Mercy" (2.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) and a new "The Jay Leno Show" (4.58 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (0.91 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Gossip Girl" (0.51 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.74 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research