nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, may 20, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (3.67 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on the final Friday of the May sweeps period with the season finale of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.84 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) followed by an encore of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.49 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

ABC (4.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then took home the silver with a repeat of "Shark Tank" (4.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) followed by the season finale of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (3.94 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) and a new "20/20" (5.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2).

Next up was NBC (4.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with fresh installments of "Friday Night Lights" (3.31 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) and "Dateline NBC" (5.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

Meanwhile, CBS (6.32 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up a new "Flashpoint" (6.68 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) followed by a repeat of "CSI: NY" (7.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and a special "48 Hours Mystery" (5.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8).

And finally, a new "Supernatural" (2.06 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) led into the season finale of "Supernatural" (2.21 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T11) on The CW (2.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Friday Night Lights (28.60%), 20/20 (25.00%), Primetime: What Would You Do? (8.30%), Kitchen Nightmares (6.70%), Supernatural (-11.10%), Dateline NBC (-14.30%), Flashpoint (-30.80%).

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," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.1/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.6/2; "Nightline," 1.1/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 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 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/21/10):

CBS (6.68 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) squeezed out a victory on Friday thanks to the season finales of "Ghost Whisperer" (6.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and "Medium" (6.82 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) followed by a new "Miami Medical" (6.56 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7).

The silver then went to ABC (4.43 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) with is mix of "Wife Swap" (3.66 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (5.10 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and "20/20" (4.54 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

Next up was NBC (5.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with its combination of "Friday Night Lights" (3.96 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) and "Dateline NBC" (6.24 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.17 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up a repeat of "House" (2.92 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10) and the season finale of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.41 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

And finally, a full night of "America's Next Top Model" (1.20 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) repeats on The CW (1.20 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research