nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, september 26, 2011)

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

CBS (13.05 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) dominated adults 18-49 once again on Monday with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.56 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.4, #4), "2 Broke Girls" (11.58 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.5, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (20.03 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 7.2, #1), "Mike & Molly" (13.98 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.9, #2) and "Hawaii Five-0" (11.06 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T5).

ABC (14.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (16.02 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #T5) and "Castle" (11.90 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #9).

Next up was FOX (9.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) with the premiere of "Terra Nova" (9.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.0, #8) followed by a second hour of "Terra Nova" (8.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.1, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up fresh installments of "The Sing-Off" (4.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and "The Playboy Club" (3.91 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11).

And finally, the return of "Gossip Girl" (1.41 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12) lead into the debut of "Hart of Dixie" (1.78 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T12) on The CW (1.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.7 rating while "Dixie" posted a 1.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-2.94% - Hawaii Five-0
-6.38% - How I Met Your Mother
-10.53% - The Sing-Off
-12.12% - Castle
-15.38% - Dancing With the Stars
-18.75% - The Playboy Club
-30.10% - Two and a Half Men
-35.71% - 2 Broke Girls

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+138.46% - Terra Nova - 9:00 (vs. Lone Star)
+50.00% - Two and a Half Men
+40.63% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+32.43% - Mike & Molly
+15.79% - How I Met Your Mother
-5.71% - Hawaii Five-0
-9.38% - Castle
-18.92% - Terra Nova - 8:00 (vs. House)
-20.00% - Hart of Dixie (vs. Gossip Girl)
-27.27% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210)
-30.61% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Event)
-31.25% - Dancing With the Stars
-38.10% - The Playboy Club (vs. Chase)

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/27/10):

ABC (18.50 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1) was once again the network to beat with new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (21.57 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #T1) and "Castle" (12.36 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T7).

The silver then went to CBS (11.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2) with week two of "How I Met Your Mother" (8.97 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3), "Rules of Engagement" (8.14 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T7), "Two and a Half Men" (13.87 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.8, #T1), "Mike & Molly" (11.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (12.34 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.5, #6).

Next up was NBC (6.92 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with fresh installments of "Chuck" (5.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11), "The Event" (8.98 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #9) and "Chase" (6.36 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10).

Meanwhile, FOX (6.89 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) offered up new episodes of "House" (10.06 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T4)and "Lone Star" (3.79 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (1.97 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (1.79 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #14) on The CW (1.88 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Castle (14.30%), 90210 (10.00%), How I Met Your Mother (5.60%), Rules of Engagement (3.20%), Two and a Half Men (0.00%), Lone Star (0.00%), Dancing With the Stars (-2.00%), Chuck (-4.80%), Mike & Molly (-5.10%), Hawaii Five-0 (-7.90%), Gossip Girl (-9.10%), House (-11.90%), Chase (-16.00%), The Event (-21.60%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.5/8) took top honors ahead of CBS's "Letterman" (2.6/6) and NBC's "Leno" (2.7/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.8/6) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.2/4) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research