nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, october 21, 2011)

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

CBS (10.04 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1) was Friday's most-watched network thanks to new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (8.65 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6), "CSI: NY" (10.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) and "Blue Bloods" (10.78 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3).

Sharing the adults 18-49 crown was ABC (6.25 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T1) with the Friday premiere of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.09 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7), a second hour of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (6.05 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) and a new "20/20" (7.61 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1), which hit a season high.

Next up was NBC (3.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T3) with encores of "The Office" (2.11 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and "Parks & Recreation" (1.67 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) plus a two-hour "Dateline NBC" (4.03 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.59 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T3) offered up a new "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.46 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5) and a repeat of "Fringe" (1.73 million viewers, #T11; adults 18-49: 0.5, #13).

And finally, The CW (1.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) served up new episodes of "Nikita" (1.73 million viewers, #T11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and "Supernatural" (1.82 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+75.00% - 20/20
5.88% - CSI: NY
0.00% - Kitchen Nightmares
0.00% - Nikita
0.00% - Supernatural
0.00% - Blue Bloods
-7.69% - A Gifted Man
-33.33% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat))
+40.00% - 20/20
+30.77% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
+22.22% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. No Ordinary Family (Repeat))
-5.26% - CSI: NY
-5.56% - Blue Bloods
-9.09% - Dateline NBC
-14.29% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-36.36% - Supernatural
-40.00% - Nikita (vs. Smallville)

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," 2.6/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/4 with an encore.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4 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" (1.4/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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

[NOTE: Today's numbers are courtesy of TVMediaInsights.com due to delays from our usual sources.]

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/22/10):

CBS (9.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) posted across-the-board gains on Friday with its lineup of "Medium" (6.52 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4), "CSI: NY" (10.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) and "Blue Bloods" (11.07 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2).

Second place then went to ABC (4.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) with a repeat of "No Ordinary Family" (3.66 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9) followed by a best of "Primetime: What Would You Do?" (4.04 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #5) special and a new "20/20" (5.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3).

Next up was The CW (2.48 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with new episodes of "Smallville" (2.48 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8) and "Supernatural" (2.48 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up week two of its combination of "School Pride" (2.76 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) and "Dateline NBC" (4.47 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6).

And finally, a repeat of "House" (2.58 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10) led into a new "The Good Guys" (2.33 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on FOX (2.45 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Medium (16.70%), 20/20 (15.40%), CSI: NY (11.80%), Blue Bloods (5.90%), Dateline NBC (-8.30%), Supernatural (-8.30%), School Pride (-22.20%), Smallville (-23.10%), The Good Guys (-25.00%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (2.8/6) and NBC's "Leno" (2.8/7) split top honors over CBS's "Letterman" (2.5/6). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.3/4) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.3/4) and "Daly" (0.8/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research