nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for sunday, may 22, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (7.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the adults 18-49 champ on Sunday with the season finale of "America's Funniest Home Videos" (6.15 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) followed by "The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" (7.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2).

FOX (4.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then took home the silver with a repeat of "The Simpsons" (2.66 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) followed by the season finales of "American Dad" (3.55 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6), "The Simpsons" (5.29 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #4), "Bob's Burgers" (4.26 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5) and a one-hour "Family Guy" (5.83 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1).

Next up was NBC (6.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "Dateline NBC" (5.02 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10), "Minute to Win It" (4.16 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the season finale of "The Apprentice" (8.35 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T2).

And finally, CBS (12.14 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) closed out the evening with its mix of "60 Minutes" (10.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), another "60 Minutes" (10.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6) and the original movie "Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost" (13.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T10).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): The Apprentice (20.80%), Minute to Win It (20.00%), Dateline NBC (18.20%), The Simpsons (0.00%), Bob's Burgers (-4.50%), American Dad (-5.90%), Family Guy (-9.10%), 60 Minutes (-11.80%), America's Funniest Home Videos (-16.70%).

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/23/10):

ABC (11.44 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) was the network to beat on Sunday with the 150-minute series finale of "Lost" (13.49 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1). Leading off the night was a two-hour "Lost: The Final Journey" (9.84 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) recap special.

A distant silver then went to NBC (7.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) with new episodes of "Dateline NBC" (5.18 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12), "Minute to Win It" (5.64 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9) and the season finale of "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3).

Next up was FOX (4.70 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3) and its mix of "'Til Death" (2.17 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) and "The Simpsons" (2.85 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #11) followed by the season finales of "The Simpsons" (5.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6), "The Cleveland Show" (4.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.3, #7), "Family Guy" (6.12 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.0, #5) and a second "Family Guy" (6.38 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #4).

And finally, CBS (9.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) closed out the evening with its combination of "60 Minutes" (9.36 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13), "Brooks & Dunn: The Last Rodeo" (10.08 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and a repeat of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.75 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

Source: Nielsen Media Research