nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for friday, november 2, 2012)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

ABC (7.04 million viewers, #T; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) was the network to beat with the premieres of "Last Man Standing" (7.84 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) and "Malibu Country" (8.90 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) followed by the relocated "Shark Tank" (7.32 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) - a new series high - and "20/20" (5.42 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5).

CBS (9.61 million viewers, #T; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) then was the most-watched network with the return of "Undercover Boss" (7.95 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) alongside originals from "CSI: NY" (9.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) and "Blue Bloods" (10.91 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #9).

Next up was NBC (5.25 million viewers, #T; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) with its special "Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together" (6.26 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T5) followed by new episodes of "Grimm" (5.67 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) and "Dateline NBC" (3.83 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.77 million viewers, #T; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up new episodes of "Kitchen Nightmares" (2.93 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Fringe" (2.61 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11).

And finally, The CW (1.21 million viewers, #T; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening with new episodes of "America's Next Top Model" (1.25 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13) and "Nikita" (1.17 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Nikita" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Nikita
+27.78% - Shark Tank
+11.11% - Kitchen Nightmares
+11.11% - Fringe
+7.14% - CSI: NY
+7.14% - 20/20
0.00% - America's Next Top Model
-5.26% - Grimm
-7.14% - Blue Bloods
-26.67% - Dateline NBC

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+87.50% - Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together (vs. Chuck)
+83.33% - Malibu Country (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+64.29% - Shark Tank (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+58.33% - Last Man Standing (vs. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition)
+36.36% - 20/20
+25.00% - Undercover Boss (vs. A Gifted Man)
0.00% - Grimm
-6.25% - CSI: NY
-8.33% - Dateline NBC
-23.08% - Fringe
-33.33% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Nikita)
-33.33% - Kitchen Nightmares
-38.10% - Blue Bloods
-42.86% - Nikita (vs. Supernatural)

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; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.0/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4 with an encore.

* At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) beat "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/4/11):

CBS (10.17 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) reclaimed the top spot on Friday with new episodes of "A Gifted Man" (8.39 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), "CSI: NY" (9.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) and, with a season high, "Blue Bloods" (12.56 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1).

FOX (3.49 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then took home the silver with fresh installments of "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.70 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) and "Fringe" (3.28 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6).

Next up was NBC (4.38 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with week two of its lineup of "Chuck" (3.08 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11), "Grimm" (5.92 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) and "Dateline NBC" (4.14 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7).

Meanwhile, ABC (5.04 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up originals of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (4.86 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), another "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (5.40 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5) and "20/20" (4.87 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, new episodes of "Nikita" (1.80 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.72 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12) on The CW (1.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00
+23.53% - Blue Bloods (vs. 10/21/11)
+20.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00
+8.33% - Fringe (vs. 10/14/11)
+7.14% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. 10/21/11)
0.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. 10/21/11)
0.00% - Nikita
0.00% - Supernatural
-7.69% - Dateline NBC
-8.33% - 20/20
-11.11% - CSI: NY (vs. 10/21/11)
-14.29% - Grimm
-20.00% - Chuck

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+62.50% - Fringe (vs. The Good Guys)
+50.00% - Kitchen Nightmares (vs. House (Repeat))
+38.46% - Grimm (vs. Dateline NBC)
+33.33% - Chuck (vs. School Pride)
+23.53% - Blue Bloods
0.00% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 8:00 (vs. Supernanny)
-7.69% - Dateline NBC
-17.65% - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - 9:00 (vs. Primetime: What Would You Do?)
-20.00% - CSI: NY
-20.00% - A Gifted Man (vs. Medium)
-31.25% - 20/20
-36.36% - Supernatural
-45.45% - 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," 2.8/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 3.0/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.8/6; 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; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.5/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research