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

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/15/14):

CBS (8.994 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) was top draw on Thursday thanks to the season finales of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.291 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.8, #1) and "The Millers" (9.877 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3), followed by a repeat "Two and a Half Men" (7.584 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5), a new "Bad Teacher" (5.533 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7) and the season finale of "Elementary" (7.341 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T7).

FOX (6.657 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with a new "Hell's Kitchen" (4.755 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6) alongside a one-hour "American Idol" (8.559 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4).

Next up was ABC (5.469 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3) with the season finale of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.606 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2), bookended by a repeat of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.575 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13) and a new "Black Box" (4.226 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.470 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up a new "Hollywood Game Night" (3.785 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T9) and "Rosemary's Baby, Part 2" (3.312 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, The CW (1.415 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the night with the season finales of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.571 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12) and "Reign" (1.258 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+29.73% - The Big Bang Theory
+25.00% - American Idol
+22.22% - Hollywood Game Night
+20.00% - The Millers
+14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
+13.33% - Hell's Kitchen
+8.70% - Grey's Anatomy
+7.69% - Bad Teacher
0.00% - Black Box
0.00% - Reign
-6.67% - Elementary
-9.09% - Rosemary's Baby, Part 2 (vs. 5/11/14)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+9.09% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-16.67% - Grey's Anatomy
-20.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-25.00% - The Millers (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-26.32% - Elementary
-33.33% - Bad Teacher (vs. Elementary)
-43.33% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-45.00% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. The Office Retrospective)
-48.72% - American Idol
-56.14% - Rosemary's Baby, Part 2 (vs. The Office/Hannibal)
-65.63% - Black Box (vs. Scandal)

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

·In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,"1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2.

·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 Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). 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 0.7/3 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 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/16/13):

FOX (13.608 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) was still the network to beat on Thursday with part one of the "American Idol" (12.290 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T5) finale and part two of the "American Idol" (14.927 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #2) finale.

CBS (10.353 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) then claimed the silver with the season finale of "The Big Bang Theory" (14.776 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (11.636 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3) and a new "Elementary" (9.107 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10) plus the season finale of "Elementary" (8.747 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #12).

Next up was ABC (7.194 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with a new "Wipeout" (3.815 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) alongside the season closers to "Grey's Anatomy" (8.633 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.0, #T5) and "Scandal" (9.134 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #T3).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.436 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) offered up its one-hour "The Office Retrospective" (4.372 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11) plus part one of "The Office" (5.471 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T7) finale, part two of "The Office" (5.353 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T7), "The Office/Hannibal" (4.574 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9) and "Hannibal" (2.471 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13).

And finally, the season finales of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.198 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "Beauty and the Beast" (1.335 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) closed out the evening on The CW (1.767 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.6 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Beast" a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+31.82% - The Office
+11.11% - The Vampire Diaries
+7.14% - American Idol
+5.56% - Elementary
+3.45% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast
-4.35% - The Big Bang Theory
-9.09% - Hannibal
-16.67% - Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+233.33% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. Perez Hilton All Access: Katy Perry)
+228.57% - The Office/Hannibal (vs. Awake)
+150.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+123.08% - The Office - 9:00 (vs. Community)
+123.08% - The Office - 9:30 (vs. Community)
+116.67% - American Idol - 9:00 (vs. Touch)
+83.33% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+53.85% - The Office Retrospective (vs. Community/30 Rock)
+42.86% - Hannibal (vs. Awake)
+33.33% - Scandal
-16.00% - Elementary - 9:00 (vs. Person of Interest)
-23.08% - Grey's Anatomy
-23.08% - Wipeout (vs. Missing)
-24.00% - Elementary - 10:00 (vs. The Mentalist)
-28.57% - American Idol - 8:00

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," 2.3/6; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/6.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.6/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) tied 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 and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research