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 (9/17/14):

NBC (11.463 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) was the network to beat on Wednesday with the two-hour season finale of "America's Got Talent" (11.980 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) followed by the premiere of "The Mysteries of Laura" (10.428 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3).

CBS (5.616 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) then snagged the silver with its mix of "Big Brother 16" (6.648 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2), "Criminal Minds" (4.748 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10) and "Extant" (5.453 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Next up was FOX (3.960 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) with a new "Hell's Kitchen" (3.889 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) alongside the launch of "Red Band Society" (4.030 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.3, #6).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.212 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up repeats of "The Middle" (3.964 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8), "The Goldbergs" (3.476 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), "Modern Family" (3.598 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #7), another "Modern Family" (3.964 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T4) and "Nashville" (2.137 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12).

And finally, a new "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.597 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12) and a repeat "The 100" (0.662 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) closed out the evening over on The CW (1.130 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.4 rating while the latter posted a 0.2 rating.

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," 3.4/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.5/4 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.2/6; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· 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 Seth Meyers" (1.5/6 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" (0.6/5 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/18/13):

CBS (8.127 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the top demo draw on Wednesday with the respective 90-minute premiere of "Survivor: Blood vs. Water" (9.524 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) and finale to "Big Brother 15" (6.731 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3).

FOX (6.560 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then had to settle for second place with week two of "The X Factor" (6.404 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5) alongside a second hour of "The X Factor" (6.716 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4).

Next up was NBC (9.203 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3) with the penultimate night of "Million Second Quiz" (4.921 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) followed by the two-hour season finale of "America's Got Talent" (11.344 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.501 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up repeats of "The Middle" (4.124 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), another "The Middle" (3.928 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T9), "Modern Family" (3.727 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7), another "Modern Family" (4.100 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6) and "Nashville" (2.564 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #11).

And finally, second runs of "Arrow" (1.154 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Supernatural" (1.075 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12) on The CW (1.114 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Supernatural" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+19.05% - America's Got Talent
+9.09% - Big Brother 15
0.00% - The X Factor
0.00% - Million Second Quiz

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+108.33% - America's Got Talent (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat)/Revolution (Repeat))
-4.00% - Big Brother 15
-16.13% - Survivor: Blood vs. Water
-29.41% - Million Second Quiz (vs. The Voice (Repeat))
-32.26% - The X Factor - 8:00
-42.50% - The X Factor - 9:00

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," 3.1/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.8/5 with an encore; and ABC's "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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/3 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/6 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" (0.6/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research