nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, april 25, 2011)

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

ABC (15.40 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the network to beat on Monday with a new "Dancing With the Stars" (21.84 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) followed by a special "Better With You" (11.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) - a series high - and a repeat of "Castle" (7.62 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7).

CBS (6.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (5.26 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T7), "Mad Love" (5.57 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5), "Two and a Half Men" (7.65 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3), "Mike & Molly" (7.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.00 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6).

Next up was FOX (4.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) with encores of "House" (4.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9) and "The Chicago Code" (4.12 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T3) offered up a repeat of "Chuck" (2.85 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) alongside fresh installments of "The Event" (4.43 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10) and "Law & Order: LA" (5.76 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.80 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Gossip Girl" (1.54 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) on The CW (1.67 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.9, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Better With You (62.50% vs. 4/20/11), The Event (18.20%), Law & Order: LA (18.20%), Dancing With the Stars (15.40%), 90210 (12.50%), Gossip Girl (12.50%), Mad Love (5.30%).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 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 (4/26/10):

FOX (9.89 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) claimed the adults 18-49 crown on Monday thanks to new episodes of "House" (10.62 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.1, #2) and "24" (9.16 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #5).

ABC (14.46 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) however was the top viewership draw with its mix of "Dancing With the Stars" (20.18 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1), "Romantically Challenged" (10.03 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #6) and "Castle" (8.10 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

Next up was CBS (7.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) and its nearly all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (4.82 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11), "Rules of Engagement" (6.70 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7), "Two and a Half Men" (9.69 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4), "The Big Bang Theory" (10.57 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) and "CSI: Miami" (7.94 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) offered up a new "Chuck" (5.98 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8), the season finale of "Trauma" (5.28 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T11) and a repeat of "Law & Order" (4.79 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #13).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (2.06 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15) and "Gossip Girl" (2.04 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) on The CW (2.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research