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

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/21/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (5.926 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.997 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2), "Mom" (6.384 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3), "Big Brother 16" (6.968 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) and "Elementary" (3.619 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

ABC (4.683 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "The Quest" (2.704 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), "Rookie Blue" (5.202 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and the season finale of "Rookie Blue" (6.144 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4).

Next up was FOX (2.822 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) with repeats of "Bones" (2.447 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12) and another "Bones" (3.198 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.767 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) served up its combination of "Hollywood Game Night" (3.686 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6), "Welcome to Sweden" (2.431 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), another "Welcome to Sweden" (2.082 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and "America's Got Talent" (2.359 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.631 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) and "The Originals" (0.540 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) on The CW (0.585 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Originals" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.8/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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 Seth Meyers" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1 with an encore).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/22/13):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (6.174 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) continued its reign on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.950 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (7.410 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3), "Big Brother 15" (6.834 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) and "Elementary" (4.009 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10).

ABC (4.918 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) then was a distant second with its original lineup of "Wipeout" (4.465 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4), "Motive" (5.027 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6) and "Rookie Blue" (5.262 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T6).

Next up was NBC (3.671 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3) with encores of "America's Got Talent" (3.610 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #9) and "Hollywood Game Night" (3.451 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #8) and followed by a new "Hollywood Game Night" (0.951 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.796 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up repeats of "Glee" (1.928 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), "New Girl" (1.676 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) and "The Mindy Project" (1.650 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #13).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.927 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.820 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T14) on The CW (0.873 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Top Model" a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Big Brother 15
0.00% - Hollywood Game Night
-15.38% - Motive
-18.75% - Wipeout
-21.43% - Rookie Blue

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+8.33% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
+4.55% - Big Brother 15
-8.33% - Rookie Blue
-13.33% - Wipeout
-35.29% - 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," 2.1/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/6; 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," 0.7/3 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4 with an encore.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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" (1.2/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/4 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/2 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research