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[12/13/13 - 08:26 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: "Big Bang Theory" Pushes CBS Back on Top
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/12/13):

CBS (11.319 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its usual mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (18.552 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1), "The Millers" (12.040 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3), "The Crazy Ones" (8.916 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5), "Two and a Half Men" (9.353 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T5) and "Elementary" (9.526 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #7).

ABC (7.093 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its fall finales from "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (3.454 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13), "Grey's Anatomy" (8.498 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) and "Scandal" (9.329 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2).

Next up was NBC (3.901 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with night three of "The Sing-Off" (4.528 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #8) alongside new episodes of "Sean Saves the World" (3.433 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11), "The Michael J. Fox Show" (3.047 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and "Parenthood" (3.937 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.681 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up a new "The X Factor" (4.889 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T9) and a repeat "Glee" (2.473 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15).

And finally, The CW (2.134 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night with its fall finales from "The Vampire Diaries" (2.410 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Reign" (1.859 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.6, #16). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.00% - The Millers
+15.22% - The Big Bang Theory
+12.50% - Grey's Anatomy
+11.11% - Sean Saves the World (vs. 11/21/13)
+3.23% - Scandal
0.00% - The Crazy Ones
0.00% - Elementary
0.00% - Parenthood (vs. 11/21/13)
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - The Michael J. Fox Show (vs. 11/21/13)
0.00% - Reign
-7.69% - The X Factor
-8.70% - Two and a Half Men
-10.00% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+40.00% - The Sing-Off (vs. Up All Night/Up All Night)
+33.33% - Parenthood (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+18.52% - Scandal
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-1.85% - The Big Bang Theory
-12.90% - Grey's Anatomy
-16.67% - Sean Saves the World (vs. Take It All)
-16.67% - The Vampire Diaries
-21.74% - Elementary
-25.00% - The Michael J. Fox Show (vs. Take It All)
-25.00% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (vs. Last Resort)
-30.00% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest)
-30.00% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-30.95% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-50.00% - The X Factor

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," 2.9/8; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.4/6.

· 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; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 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" (1.3/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/13/12):

CBS (10.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) inched out a victory among adults 18-49 on Wednesday with its mix of "Survivor: Philippines" (10.21 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "Criminal Minds" (11.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.52 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) - its series low.

A competitive second place then went to FOX (7.70 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) with originals from "The X Factor" (7.63 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #5) and a second "The X Factor" (7.78 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4).

Next up was ABC (7.79 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with fresh installments of "The Middle" (7.47 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T6) - a season low, "The Neighbors" (5.47 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9) - its series low - and "Modern Family" (10.83 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) - tied its season low - plus "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012" (7.66 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.81 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up its mix of "Whitney" (3.77 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10), a repeat of "Guys With Kids" (2.72 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13), night three of "Take It All" (3.39 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #12) and a new "Chicago Fire" (4.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T10) - tied as its series low.

And finally, the fall finale of "Arrow" (3.13 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) - tied as its series low - and a rebroadcast of "The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (1.62 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.7, #15) on The CW (2.38 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.8 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Victoria's" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+7.69% - Whitney
+3.33% - Criminal Minds
-3.45% - Survivor: Philippines
-4.35% - The Middle
-6.90% - The X Factor - 9:00
-7.14% - The X Factor - 8:00
-9.09% - Arrow
-10.64% - Modern Family (vs. 11/28/12)
-15.38% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. 11/28/12)
-15.79% - The Neighbors
-26.32% - Chicago Fire

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+150.00% - Arrow (vs. America's Next Top Model (Repeat))
+82.61% - Modern Family (vs. Modern Family (Repeat))
+37.50% - Take It All (vs. Harry's Law (Repeat))
+29.41% - The Middle (vs. The Middle (Repeat))
+16.67% - Whitney (vs. Up All Night (Repeat))
+16.67% - Chicago Fire (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+1.89% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. The X Factor/I Hate My Teenage Daughter)
-5.88% - The Neighbors (vs. Suburgatory (Repeat))
-8.70% - Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012
-8.82% - Criminal Minds
-9.68% - Survivor: Philippines
-23.53% - The X Factor - 8:00
-26.67% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

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," 2.5/6; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; "Nightline," 1.1/5; 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" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 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 and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research





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