nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, october 20, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (12.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday with its coverage of the "World Series, Game 2" (12.91 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T2).

CBS (12.62 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) then snagged the silver with a new "The Big Bang Theory" (14.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1), the return of "Rules of Engagement" (11.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.7, #T2) and new episodes of "Person of Interest" (12.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5) and "The Mentalist" (12.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #6).

Next up was ABC (7.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "Charlie's Angels" (5.63 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10), "Grey's Anatomy" (9.36 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.5, #4) and "Private Practice" (6.56 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.4, #7).

Meanwhile, The CW (2.48 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) moved up to fourth place with new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.85 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9) and "The Secret Circle" (2.11 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" posted a 1.9 rating while "Circle" delivered a 1.2 rating.

And finally, repeats of "Community" (2.47 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13), "Parks & Recreation" (2.50 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11), "The Office" (3.24 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #8), "Whitney" (2.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T11) and "Prime Suspect" (2.79 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15) on NBC (2.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+12.50% - The Secret Circle
+11.36% - The Big Bang Theory
+2.94% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Person of Interest
0.00% - Private Practice
0.00% - The Mentalist
-7.14% - The Vampire Diaries
-7.69% - Charlie's Angels

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+22.50% - The Big Bang Theory
+19.35% - Rules of Engagement (vs. Bleep My Dad Says)
0.00% - Charlie's Angels (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
-10.00% - The Secret Circle (vs. Nikita)
-10.26% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.79% - The Mentalist
-14.29% - Private Practice
-18.18% - Person of Interest (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-18.75% - The Vampire Diaries

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," 2.2/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.3/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.6/3 with an encore; "Nightline," 1.1/5; 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) trailed CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 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 (10/21/10):

CBS (13.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) held off the competition on Thursday thanks to new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (12.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1), "Bleep My Dad Says" (10.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (14.73 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #4) and "The Mentalist" (14.22 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6).

FOX (9.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then claimed the silver with its coverage of the "NLCS, Game 5" (9.31 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T6).

Next up was ABC (7.66 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) with a repeat of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.36 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #14) followed by new episodes "Grey's Anatomy" (10.79 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) and "Private Practice" (7.82 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.78 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4) offered up fresh installments of "Community" (4.55 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #11), "30 Rock" (5.26 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #10), "The Office" (6.82 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3), "Outsourced" (4.94 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9) and "The Apprentice" (3.57 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.3, #13).

And finally, the return of new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (3.58 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.6, #12) and "Nikita" (2.84 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #15) on The CW (3.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (6.50%), Bleep My Dad Says (0.00%), The Apprentice (0.00%), The Big Bang Theory (-2.40%), Private Practice (-6.70%), Outsourced (-8.00%), The Office (-8.10%), The Mentalist (-12.10%), Grey's Anatomy (-13.30%), Community (-13.60%), 30 Rock (-26.70%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.2/8) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.4/6) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.8/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.7/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.1/4) and "Daly" (0.7/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research