Turner networks dominated the race for key adult demos last week, scoring first-place finishes with adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 in primetime and total day, as well as adults 25-54 in total day. Demonstrating the power of Turner networks in drawing young adult viewers, TNT, Adult Swim and TBS ranked as basic cable's Top 3 networks in primetime among adults 18-34.

TNT

TNT rode strong NBA and movie performances to the top as basic cable's #1 network among adults 18-34 and adults 18-49 in primetime. TNT also ranked #1 among adults 25-54 in total day.

TNT's Sunday night presentation of the mega-blockbuster The Dark Knight drew more than 2.1 million viewers. Building anticipation for the release of Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight Rises this summer, The Dark Knight on TNT ranked as basic cable's #1 movie for the week among key adult demos, with adults 18-34 (762,000); adults 18-49 (1.3 million); and adults 25-54 (1.2 million).

With the NBA Playoffs set to begin on TNT this weekend (one week later than last year), fans are turning up the heat. Thursday-night NBA on TNT coverage of the Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat brought in more than 3.4 million viewers and scored a 2.2 U.S. household rating. The game was the #1 show on all television for the night among men 18-34 and the #2 show (behind American Idol) with men 18-49. It was also basic cable's top sporting event for the week among adults 18-34 and ranked among the Top 10 programs for the week among adults 18-49. Overall, Thursday night's double-header scored a 1.8 U.S. household rating.

Through 41 games, TNT's NBA coverage is on pace to deliver its most-viewed regular season. The NBA on TNT is averaging a 1.7 U.S. household rating (+6% vs. 1.6 last year); 1,977,000 households (+10% vs. 1,797,000); and 2,594,000 total viewers (+8% vs. 2,397,000). The top five NBA regular-season games on cable have all aired on TNT.

Source: Nielsen Media Research. Based on Live+SD. NBA Regular Season on TNT STD; 41 games vs.32 games. (12/25/2011-4/19/2012) vs. (12/30/2010-4/12/2011).

NBA TV

Through 93 games, NBA TV's 2011-12 regular-season continues to deliver double-digit successes with an average of 335,000 total viewers (+32%) and 264,000 households (+33%) compared to the corresponding time of last year's regular season.

Adult Swim

Adult Swim ranked as basic cable's #1 network last week for Total Day Delivery of young adult and young men demos - adults 18-34, 18-49 & 18-24, as well as men 18-34, 18-49 & 18-24. The network also ranked #2 for the week (behind TNT) in Prime Time for delivery of targeted adults 18-34. Among its highlights, Adult Swim's Prime Time (9-11 p.m.) average delivery of adults 18-34 (442,000) grew by 5% and adults 18-24 (226,000) by 8%, while average Total Day delivery among adults 18-34 (533,000) also grew by 5% and adults 18-24 (301,000) by 11%.

Thursday night's new episode of the Adult Swim original series Eagleheart (12 a.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among adults 18-34, 18-49 & 18-24, and among men 18-24. Compared to the same time period last year, average delivery of adults 18-34 (802,000) increased by 38%, adults 18-49 (1,043,000) by 21% and adults 18-24 (562,000) by 89%.

On Sunday night, original series Loiter Squad (11:30 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among adults 18-34, 18-24 and men 18-34, 18-24. Average adults 18-24 delivery (463,000) grew by 30% and men 18-24 (273,000) by 14%, vs. last year's time period.

Adult Swim programming - including Family Guy, Eagleheart, Loiter Squad, Robot Chicken, The Boondocks and American Dad - accounted for 23 of the top 50 telecasts for the week on basic cable among adults 18-34 (more than any other network), and 24 of the top 50 among men 18-34, also more than any other network.

TBS

The Big Bang Theory on TBS once again dominated basic cable's weekly sitcom rankers, delivering basic cable's Top 10 most-watched sitcom telecasts for the week. Four episodes climbed to more than 3 million viewers.

TBS's late-night series CONAN brought in more than 1 million viewers in Live + Same Day delivery last week, a hefty +14% boost over the prior week. The show also averaged 334,000 adults 18-34 and 616,000 adults 18-49, the latter rising 6% over the previous week. Meanwhile in time-shifted viewing for the week of April 2, CONAN grew to 1.1 million viewers in Live + 7 delivery, with 382,000 adults 18-34 and 743,000 adults 18-49.

TBS's Saturday afternoon telecast of Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself delivered more than 2.1 million viewers and ranked as one of basic cable's Top 5 movies of the week with adults 18-49.

Cartoon Network

While once again (every week in April) claiming television's #1 network for weekly delivery of boys 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14, Cartoon Network also scored as the #2 network last week for early prime (7-9 p.m.) delivery of kids 6-11 & 9-14. This new early prime claim was achieved by significant double-digit delivery growth among all kids demos vs. the same time period last year - average kids 6-11 delivery (664,000) grew by 29%, kids 9-14 (546,000) by 45% and kids 2-11 (897,000) by 11%.

For the fourth week this month, Cartoon Network was television's #1 network in early prime on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for all boys 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14, while also the #1 network for boys 6-11 on Sunday night. Each weeknight grew by mostly double digits across key kids and boys demos vs. the same time period last year.

Among its key programming highlights, Regular Show (Monday, 8 p.m.) scored as the #1 telecast of the week among all boys, and #1 in its time period among all kids 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14. Preceding this, a premiere episode of Adventure Time (Monday, 7:30 p.m.) was #1 in its time period among kids 6-11, 9-14 and all boy demos, earning double and triple-digit delivery gains across the board. Monday night's MAD (8:30 p.m.) also ranked #1 in its time period among all boys. Trend-wise, Cartoon Network nearly "owned" the 8 p.m. timeslot among boys on weeknights, as Level Up (Tuesday, 8 p.m.), Ninjago (Wednesday, 8 p.m.) and Cartoon Planet (Friday, 8 p.m.) each scored as the #1 program in their time periods among all boys.

truTV

truTV's breakout hit Hardcore Pawn continued to shine, delivering more than 2 million viewers on Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m. The show ranked among basic cable's Top 5 programs in the timeslot with viewers, adults 18-49, men 18-34 and men 18-49. It also helped truTV rank among basic cable's Top 10 networks for the night among men 18-49.

Impractical Jokers drew more than 1.7 million fans Thursday night at 10 p.m. The show ranked among basic cable's Top 5 programs in its timeslot for adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, beating out such competitors as History, Comedy and Discovery. The episode also landed among basic cable's Top 5 programs in the timeslot with M18-49. Impractical Jokers led truTV to rank among basic cable's Top 10 networks for the night with adults 18-49 and men 18-49. The show also drew a median age of only 33.