nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, october 17, 2011)

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

CBS (11.54 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) was the top demo draw on Monday with its usual mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (9.77 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 4.1, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (11.29 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (14.85 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.2, #1), "Mike & Molly" (11.59 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.87 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T6).

ABC (15.48 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #2) then was the most-watched network with new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (17.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5) and "Castle" (11.50 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #9).

Next up was FOX (8.17 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3) with fresh installments of "Terra Nova" (7.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8) and "House" (8.37 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.79 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) continued to struggle with a new "The Sing-Off" (4.32 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) and a repeat of "Prime Suspect" (2.74 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "Gossip Girl" (1.31 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Hart of Dixie" (1.75 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.53 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.1 rating while "Dixie" posted a 1.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+34.78% - House
+19.23% - Hawaii Five-0
+16.67% - Hart of Dixie
+14.29% - The Sing-Off
+8.33% - Castle
+5.13% - How I Met Your Mother
+3.85% - Terra Nova
+3.23% - Dancing With the Stars
+2.38% - 2 Broke Girls
0.00% - Gossip Girl
-2.50% - Mike & Molly
-10.34% - Two and a Half Men

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - Hart of Dixie (vs. Gossip Girl (Repeat))
+55.00% - House (vs. Lie to Me)
+48.28% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+28.13% - How I Met Your Mother
+20.93% - Two and a Half Men
+20.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210 (Repeat))
+14.71% - Mike & Molly
+6.90% - Hawaii Five-0
-3.70% - Castle
-20.00% - Dancing With the Stars
-21.95% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Event)
-25.00% - Terra Nova (vs. House)

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 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.3/2 in 18-49 with an encore) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/18/10):

ABC (16.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1) rose to the top on Monday thanks to new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (19.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) and "Castle" (11.63 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #8).

Second place then went to CBS (10.24 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) with new episodes of "How I Met Your Mother" (8.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.2, #5), "Rules of Engagement" (7.89 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6), "Two and a Half Men" (13.39 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1), "Mike & Molly" (10.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.59 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6).

Next up was FOX (7.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) with fresh installments of "House" (9.50 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.6, #3) and "Lie to Me" (5.71 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4) offered up new episodes of "Chuck" (5.27 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "The Event" (6.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9) and "Chase" (5.17 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (1.22 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.88 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (1.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Chase (6.70%), Lie to Me (5.30%), Two and a Half Men (0.00%), House (0.00%), The Event (0.00%), Chuck (0.00%), Mike & Molly (-2.90%), Rules of Engagement (-3.30%), Dancing With the Stars (-3.70%), How I Met Your Mother (-5.90%), Hawaii Five-0 (-6.50%), Castle (-15.60%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.4/8) took top honors ahead of CBS's "Letterman" (2.5/6) and NBC's "Leno" (2.5/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.7/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.1/4) and "Daly" (0.8/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research