nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, november 23, 2011)

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

ABC (8.62 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) took home the top pre-holiday honors with new episodes of "The Middle" (9.09 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3), "Suburgatory" (8.32 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3), "Modern Family" (12.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "Happy Endings" (7.22 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and "Revenge" (7.24 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6).

FOX (6.60 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then got bumped to second place with a new "The X Factor" (8.51 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T3) and the return of "Mobbed" (4.70 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Next up was CBS (7.78 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with a new "Survivor: South Pacific" (7.85 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (8.23 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (7.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.68 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "Up All Night" (4.33 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), a repeat of "Up All Night" (2.99 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #13) and the second annual "The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?" (3.69 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) special.

And finally, an encore of "America's Next Top Model" (0.86 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) led into a new "America's Next Top Model" (0.99 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #14) on The CW (0.93 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" posted a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-10.71% - Suburgatory
-13.79% - The Middle
-15.63% - Happy Endings
-18.18% - Modern Family
-19.23% - Revenge
-21.05% - Up All Night
-30.56% - The X Factor
-42.42% - Survivor: South Pacific
-50.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+78.57% - The X Factor (vs. Human Target)
+33.33% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Hellcats (Repeat))
+31.58% - Suburgatory (vs. Better With You)
+21.62% - Modern Family
+19.05% - The Middle
+16.67% - Revenge (vs. Primetime: Celebrity Plastic Surgery Gone Too Far?)
+8.00% - Happy Endings (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - Up All Night (vs. Merry Madagascar (Repeat))
-5.00% - Survivor: South Pacific
-27.27% - Mobbed (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-29.41% - The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?

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

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/24/10):

ABC (7.36 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) was the network to beat on Thanksgiving Eve with its mix of "The Middle" (8.18 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #4), "Better With You" (6.78 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6), "Modern Family" (10.53 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1), "Cougar Town" (6.72 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) and "Primetime: Celebrity Plastic Surgery Gone Too Far?" (5.97 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8).

Taking home the silver then was FOX (5.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) with new episodes of "Human Target" (5.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12) and "Hell's Kitchen" (5.05 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 2.2, #3).

Next up was CBS (8.19 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with a new "Survivor: Nicaragua" (8.03 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5) followed by repeats of "Criminal Minds" (9.18 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T6) and "The Defenders" (7.35 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T12).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.21 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up its combination of "Merry Madagascar" (5.92 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), "Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special" (5.92 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) and "The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?" (9.72 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

And finally, a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.86 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) led into a repeat of "Hellcats" (1.03 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (1.44 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Hell's Kitchen (-15.38%), Cougar Town (-16.67%), Better With You (-17.39%), Modern Family (-21.28%), Human Target (-22.22%), The Middle (-25.00%), America's Next Top Model (-27.27%), Survivor: Nicaragua (-42.86%).

Source: Nielsen Media Research