nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for thursday, july 25, 2013)

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

FOX (5.428 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) won the demo race on Thurdsay with part one of the "Hell's Kitchen" (5.200 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) season finale followed by part two of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.656 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2).

CBS (6.283 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then took home the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.944 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4), "Two and a Half Men" (6.732 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5), "Big Brother 15" (6.826 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) and "Elementary" (4.685 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8).

Next up was ABC (4.686 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) and its all-original lineup of "Wipeout" (3.818 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T8), "Motive" (4.655 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #11) and "Rookie Blue" (5.584 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.521 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up a repeat of "The Winner Is" (2.929 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) plus new episodes of "The Winner Is" (3.782 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #10) and "Hollywood Game Night" (3.852 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.848 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (0.695 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) closed out the evening over on The CW (0.772 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #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):
+15.00% - Hell's Kitchen
+8.33% - Hollywood Game Night
+4.35% - Big Brother 15
0.00% - Rookie Blue
0.00% - The Winner Is
0.00% - Motive
-9.09% - Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+283.33% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. Glee (Repeat))
+62.50% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+50.00% - The Winner Is (vs. Saving Hope)
+9.09% - Big Brother 15
-26.67% - Rookie Blue
-54.55% - Wipeout
-63.64% - Motive (vs. Wipeout)

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," 2.4/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5 with an encore.

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

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied 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 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 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 (7/26/12):

ABC (6.41 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) pulled in front on Thursday with a special two-hour "Wipeout" (6.74 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) and a new "Rookie Blue" (5.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.5, #5).

CBS (5.23 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then claimed the silver with repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.85 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) and "Two and a Half Men" (6.77 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) alongside a new "Big Brother 14" (6.00 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T1) and the debut of "3" (2.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Next up was FOX (2.27 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with the season finale of "Take Me Out" (2.86 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6) alongside a repeat of "Glee" (1.68 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.91 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up second runs of "The Office" (2.55 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9) and "Parks & Recreation" (1.69 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) plus originals from "Saving Hope" (2.86 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (3.73 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.00 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13) and "The L.A. Complex" (0.54 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) The CW (0.77 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.5 rating while "Complex" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Wipeout
+20.00% - Saving Hope
+14.29% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+7.14% - Rookie Blue
0.00% - Big Brother 14
0.00% - Take Me Out

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.71% - Wipeout (vs. Wipeout/Expedition Impossible)
+15.38% - Rookie Blue
-11.11% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
-15.38% - Big Brother 14
-29.41% - Saving Hope (vs. The Office (Repeat)/30 Rock (Repeat))
-29.41% - Take Me Out (vs. So You Think You Can Dance 8)
-33.33% - 3 (vs. The Mentalist (Repeat))

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," 2.5/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.7/4; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; 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," 0.7/3; "Late Show," 0.5/2; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3). 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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research