nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, april 18, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (13.77 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #1) pulled in front on Monday thanks to a 90-minute "Dancing With the Stars" (19.61 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) followed by the return of "Cougar Town" (8.49 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) and the special "20/20: William & Catherine: A Modern Fairytale" (7.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10).

FOX (7.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "House" (8.64 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "The Chicago Code" (6.43 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8).

Next up was CBS (8.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with its usual mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (6.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T4), "Mad Love" (5.60 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T8), "Two and a Half Men" (7.34 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #7), "Mike & Molly" (9.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.29 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Chuck" (4.20 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), "The Event" (3.75 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12) and "Law & Order: LA" (4.91 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T12) - all of which either matched or hit new series lows.

And finally, the return of "90210" (1.72 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T14) and "Gossip Girl" (1.47 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T14) on The CW (1.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Mike & Molly (25.00%), 90210 (14.30% vs. 2/28/11), Gossip Girl (14.30% vs. 2/28/11), Hawaii Five-0 (8.30%), The Chicago Code (5.60%), Mad Love (0.00%), Chuck (0.00%), House (0.00%), How I Met Your Mother (-7.40%), The Event (-8.30% vs. 4/4/11), Dancing With the Stars (-9.30%), Cougar Town (-14.80% vs. 2/2/11), Law & Order: LA (-26.70%).

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

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.8/7 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/3 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/19/10):

ABC (15.82 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) was the network to beat on Monday thanks to a new "Dancing With the Stars" (20.81 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1), the launch of "Romantically Challenged" (11.56 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #7) and a new "Castle" (10.48 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #10).

Second place then went to CBS (10.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T2) with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (7.66 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6), "Rules of Engagement" (7.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 3.0, #8), "Two and a Half Men" (11.37 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.7, #4), "The Big Bang Theory" (11.67 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T2) and "CSI: Miami" (11.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5).

Next up was FOX (9.75 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T2) with fresh installments of "House" (10.57 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.0, #T2) and "24" (8.93 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.8, #9).

Meanwhile, repeats of "Chuck" (2.88 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and "Law & Order" (4.32 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) bookended a new "Trauma" (4.59 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11) on NBC (3.93 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4).

And finally, repeats of "One Tree Hill" (1.10 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) and "Gossip Girl" (0.82 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (0.96 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research