nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, may 5, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (15.95 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1) was as usual the network to beat on Thursday with new episodes of "American Idol" (20.81 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) and "Bones" (11.09 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4).

CBS (11.03 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5), "Rules of Engagement" (7.70 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (10.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9) and "The Mentalist" (13.64 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6).

Next up was ABC (7.19 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with new episodes of "Wipeout" (4.80 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T13), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T2) and "Private Practice" (6.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.22 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) dipped to fourth place with its combination of a new "Community" (3.46 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T13), a repeat of "The Office" (2.70 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.1, #16) followed by new episodes of "The Office" (6.76 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.5, #T2), "Parks & Recreation" (5.07 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T6), the season finale of "30 Rock" (4.21 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.1, #11) and a new "Outsourced" (3.15 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12).

And finally, a new "The Vampire Diaries" (2.67 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) led into a new "Nikita" (1.93 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.8, #17) on The CW (2.30 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Nikita (33.30%), Bones (17.90%), Parks & Recreation (13.00%), American Idol (10.90%), 30 Rock (10.50%), Private Practice (4.50%), Grey's Anatomy (0.00%), The Mentalist (0.00%), The Vampire Diaries (0.00%), The Big Bang Theory (-3.10%), Rules of Engagement (-4.30%), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (-4.30%), Community (-6.70%), Outsourced (-11.80% vs. 4/14/11), The Office (-14.60%), Wipeout (-26.30% vs. 4/14/11).

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; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.1/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.8/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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 (5/6/10):

"Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" (12.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) continued to put CBS (13.90 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) in front on Thursday. Leading out of the reality franchise were new episodes of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (14.17 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "The Mentalist" (14.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4).

The silver then went to ABC (7.93 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with its mix of "FlashForward" (4.75 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #14), "Grey's Anatomy" (10.74 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.7, #2) and "Private Practice" (8.29 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6).

Next up was NBC (5.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "Community" (4.49 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11), "Parks & Recreation" (4.11 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.9, #12), "The Office" (6.85 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3), "30 Rock" (5.56 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #7) and "The Marriage Ref" (5.00 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (7.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) offered up new episodes of "Bones" (8.88 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.5, #8) and "Fringe" (5.85 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T9).

Rounding out the evening were the penultimate weeks of "The Vampire Diaries" (3.37 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.6, #13) and "Supernatural" (2.52 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.2, #15) on The CW (2.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5).

Source: Nielsen Media Research