nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for wednesday, may 22, 2013)

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

CBS (8.982 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) was the most-watched network on the final night of the May sweeps period with its mix of "Two and a Half Men" (5.310 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #14) and "Mike & Molly" (5.378 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13) repeats followed by a new "Criminal Minds" (10.570 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) and the season finale of "Criminal Minds" (11.034 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2).

ABC (6.922 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) then shared the demo crown with its lineup of the "The Middle" (7.533 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6) season finale, a repeat of "Modern Family" (5.622 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10), the season finale of "Modern Family" (9.922 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1), a new "How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" (6.324 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4) and the season closer to "Nashville" (6.065 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #8).

Next up was FOX (5.242 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with the return of "MasterChef" (5.092 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T6) alongside a second hour of "MasterChef" (5.392 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.344 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) offered up a new "Dateline NBC" (6.186 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #12) plus the respective season finales of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.680 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T10) and "Chicago Fire" (6.167 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

And finally, the feature "Love Happens" (1.118 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (1.118 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the film delivered a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.00% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
+7.69% - Dateline NBC
+6.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+5.56% - Nashville
+5.26% - The Middle
+4.00% - Criminal Minds
+2.86% - Modern Family
-10.53% - Chicago Fire

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+81.25% - Criminal Minds - 10:00 (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
+77.78% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+62.50% - Criminal Minds - 9:00 (vs. Criminal Minds (Repeat))
0.00% - The Middle
-6.67% - Dateline NBC (vs. Betty White's Off Their Rockers/Betty White's Off Their Rockers (Repeat))
-10.00% - Modern Family
-10.53% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
-12.00% - How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) (vs. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23)
-20.83% - Nashville (vs. Revenge)
-63.93% - MasterChef - 9:00 (vs. American Idol)
-67.21% - MasterChef - 8:00 (vs. American Idol)

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," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5.

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

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/4 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/23/12):

The two-hour season finale of "American Idol" (20.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) not surprisingly put FOX (20.71 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 6.1, #1) on top for the final night of the 2011-12 season. Said broadcast however was down 31.46% from last year's finale among adults 18-49.

ABC (7.30 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed a distant second place with the season finale of "The Middle" (6.51 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5), a repeat of "Modern Family" (6.03 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T5) and the respective finales of "Modern Family" (9.99 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2), "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (5.74 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Revenge" (7.76 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4).

Next up was CBS (5.87 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (5.59 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), "Two and a Half Men" (4.41 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13), "Criminal Minds" (6.38 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8) and a second "Criminal Minds" (6.25 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.38 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up the season finale of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.47 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10), repeats of "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (5.33 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.77 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14) plus the season finale of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7).

And finally, a repeat of "America's Next Top Model" (0.86 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) and a new "America's Next Top Model" (0.92 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) on The CW (0.89 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. Women 18-34 numbers will be available later today.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+45.24% - American Idol (vs. 5/17/12)
+25.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
+20.00% - Revenge
+11.76% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
+7.14% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers
+5.26% - The Middle
+2.56% - Modern Family
-20.00% - America's Next Top Model

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Betty White's Off Their Rockers (vs. Minute to Win It (Repeat))
+35.71% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. Law & Order: Los Angeles)
+29.73% - Revenge (vs. Cougar Town/Happy Endings (10:30))
+25.00% - Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (vs. Cougar Town)
0.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
-2.44% - Modern Family
-9.09% - The Middle
-31.46% - American Idol

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," 2.4/6; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.2/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

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" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

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