nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, july 21, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (6.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) was the network to beat with its combination of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.31 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4), "Rules of Engagement" (5.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5), "Big Brother 13" (6.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) and "The Mentalist" (6.35 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5).

A silver medal then went to ABC (5.48 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) with fresh installments of "Wipeout" (6.49 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), "Expedition Impossible" (4.62 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T5) and "Rookie Blue" (5.32 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Next up was FOX (3.95 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.09 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) alongside a repeat of "Glee" (2.80 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up repeats of "Community" (2.10 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14), "Parks & Recreation" (1.93 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12), "The Office" (2.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T9) and "30 Rock" (2.26 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) plus the departing "Love Bites" (1.75 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.89 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and "Plain Jane" (0.82 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) on The CW (0.86 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Big Brother 13 (8.7%), Wipeout (0.0%), So You Think You Can Dance (0.0%), Expedition Impossible (0.0%), Love Bites (0.0%), Rookie Blue (-14.3%).

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

In In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 0.6/3; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore 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 (7/22/10):

CBS (6.86 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) was the network to beat on Thursday thanks to a new "Big Brother 12" (6.73 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and repeats of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (6.57 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and "The Mentalist" (7.29 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4).

Sharing the adults 18-49 crown was ABC (6.33 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) with fresh installments of "Wipeout" (7.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1), "Rookie Blue" (6.54 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4) and "Boston Med" (4.56 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

Likewise in the young adults hunt was FOX (4.86 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T1) with a repeat of "Glee" (3.92 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and a new "So You Think You Can Dance" (5.81 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3).

Not so lucky was NBC (3.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "Community" (3.03 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), "30 Rock" (2.92 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T12), "The Office" (3.47 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T4), "Parks & Recreation" (2.74 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.06 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.48 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and "Moonlight" (1.23 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.5, #15) on The CW (1.35 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) rounded out the evening.

Source: Nielsen Media Research