nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, may 23, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (4.277 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) opened the summer as the top demo draw with the return of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.478 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) and the debut of "Does Someone Have to Go?" (3.076 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4).

CBS (6.630 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2) then claimed the silver despite an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.838 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (7.624 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3), "Person of Interest" (6.838 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5) and "Elementary" (4.821 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10).

Next up was ABC (5.346 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with new episodes of "Wipeout" (4.120 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5) and "Motive" (5.941 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5) followed by the season opener to "Rookie Blue" (5.978 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T5).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.615 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up the premiere of "Save Me" (3.208 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), a second "Save Me" (3.001 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) plus repeats of "The Office" (2.123 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), "Parks & Recreation" (1.877 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) and a new "Hannibal" (2.740 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.864 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) and "Beauty and the Beast" (0.735 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.2, #16) closed out the evening over on The CW (0.799 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+23.53% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. 5/13/13)
+20.00% - Wipeout
0.00% - Hannibal
-14.29% - Motive (vs. 5/20/13)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+11.11% - Hannibal (vs. Awake)
0.00% - Save Me - 8:00 (vs. The Office (Repeat))
0.00% - Save Me - 8:30 (vs. The Office (Repeat))
-12.50% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)
-14.29% - Rookie Blue
-29.41% - Wipeout (vs. Duets)
-29.41% - Motive (vs. Duets)
-45.83% - Does Someone Have to Go? (vs. So You Think You Can Dance)

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

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/24/12):

FOX (6.23 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) opened the summer season on top thanks to the return of "So You Think You Can Dance" (6.23 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1).

CBS (7.64 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) then claimed the silver with its all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.27 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (6.26 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3), "Person of Interest" (7.83 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "The Mentalist" (7.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.46 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) with the two-hour premiere of "Duets" (6.69 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T3) followed by the return of "Rookie Blue" (5.99 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.94 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up repeats of "The Office" (2.42 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), another "The Office" (2.00 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T10), "America's Got Talent" (3.77 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8) and the season finale of "Awake" (2.85 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9).

And finally, the special "Perez Hilton All Access: Lady Gaga" (0.87 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and a repeat of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.56 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) on The CW (0.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Perez Hilton" posted a 0.5 rating while "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+28.57% - Awake
0.00% - Perez Hilton All Access

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+55.56% - Rookie Blue (vs. Rookie Blue (Repeat))
+47.83% - Duets (vs. Wipeout (Repeat)/Rookie Blue (Repeat))
-5.26% - Awake (vs. 30 Rock (Repeat)/The Office (Repeat))
-25.00% - So You Think You Can Dance
-25.00% - Perez Hilton All Access: Lady Gaga (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))

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

TBA

Source: Nielsen Media Research