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

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/18/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (9.017 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to week two of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (7.887 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and "Thursday Night Football" (9.243 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

The silver then went to NBC (4.384 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) with a special two-hour "The Biggest Loser" (4.575 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) alongside a repeat of "The Mysteries of Laura" (4.001 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4).

Next up was ABC (3.591 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its repeat lineup of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.615 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5), "Scandal" (3.350 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #7) and another "Scandal" (3.809 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.089 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) served up rebroadcasts of "Sleepy Hollow" (2.056 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8) and another "Sleepy Hollow" (2.122 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.598 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) and "The Originals" (0.603 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) on The CW (0.600 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Originals" a 0.3 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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.4/5 with an encore delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.4/3 with an encore delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET , ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 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" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/4 delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/3 delayed by an NFL overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m. ET , "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/19/13):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL pre-emptions, Fast Nationals for ABC and NBC will be inflated.]

CBS (6.720 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday despite an all-repeat lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (8.843 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (7.029 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #5), a second hour of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.913 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) and "Two and a Half Men" (6.597 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) plus "Elementary" (4.969 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

FOX (4.458 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then took home second place with a new "The X Factor" (6.070 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) alongside rebroadcasts of "Dads" (3.021 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (2.673 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

Next up was NBC (5.068 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) with the two-hour season finale of "Million Second Quiz" (5.422 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) followed by the special "Valerie's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special" (4.361 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

Meanwhile, ABC (4.518 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T3) offered up the season finale of "Wipeout" (4.415 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8) plus repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (5.064 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T6) and "Scandal" (4.075 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.816 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "America's Next Top Model" (0.558 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.687 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 0.4 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Top Model" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+27.27% - Million Second Quiz
-5.00% - The X Factor
-7.69% - Wipeout

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-9.09% - Valerie's Story: A Meredith Vieira Special (vs. Rock Center With Brian Williams)
-14.29% - Wipeout
-16.67% - Million Second Quiz (vs. SNL Weekend Update Thursday/Up All Night/The Office/Parks & Recreation)
-44.12% - 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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.7/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 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" (1.3/5 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" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 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