nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, may 21, 2012)

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

NBC (7.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) took home top demo honors on a competitive Monday thanks to a new "America's Got Talent" (9.53 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #1) and a two-hour "American Ninja Warrior" (6.08 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T4).

ABC (10.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then claimed the silver with the penultimate "Dancing With the Stars" (16.45 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3) and a two-hour "The Bachelorette" (7.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #T4).

Next up was FOX (7.42 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with its "House Retrospective" (6.15 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6) followed by the series finale of "House" (8.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up repeats of "How I Met Your Mother" (4.08 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #11), "2 Broke Girls" (4.65 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9), "Two and a Half Men" (7.18 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6) and "Mike & Molly" (6.38 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #8) plus the special "Clash of the Commercials: USA vs the World" (5.98 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #10).

And finally, encores of "One Tree Hill" (0.60 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and a second "One Tree Hill" (0.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.56 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Hill" delivered a 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+31.82% - House
+9.38% - Dancing With the Stars
-5.14% - The Bachelorette
-14.48% - America's Got Talent

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+106.67% - America's Got Talent (vs. Minute to Win It)
+65.52% - American Ninja Warrior (vs. The Event/Law & Order: LA)
+45.00% - House (vs. The Chicago Code)
-14.29% - The Bachelorette
-30.00% - Clash of the Commercials: USA vs the World
-39.13% - Dancing With the Stars
-39.39% - House Retrospective (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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 0.9/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). 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 0.9/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 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 (5/23/11):

ABC (13.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was the network to beat on Monday with a new "Dancing With the Stars" (22.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) followed by the return of "The Bachelorette" (9.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3).

FOX (7.97 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed the silver with the season finales of "House" (8.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) and "The Chicago Code" (7.03 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5).

Next up was CBS (6.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with repeats of "How I Met Your Mother" (4.64 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), another "How I Met Your Mother" (4.14 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), "Two and a Half Men" (8.04 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4), "Mike & Molly" (7.21 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) and the new special "Clash of the Commercials: USA vs the World" (6.96 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.94 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up a new "Minute to Win It" (4.30 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8), the season finale of "The Event" (4.57 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and a new "Law & Order: LA" (5.95 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12).

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.67 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.52 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Law & Order: LA (27.30%), The Event (15.40%), The Chicago Code (5.30%), Dancing With the Stars (4.50%), House (-5.70%).

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," 3.0/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 1.0/4; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research