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 (10/1/14):

CBS (10.026 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) claimed top honors on Wednesday thanks to a new "Survivor: San Juan del Sur" (9.472 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.4, #4) followed by the return of "Criminal Minds" (11.541 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and the premiere of "Stalker" (9.066 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6).

ABC (6.995 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its week two lineup of "The Middle" (7.046 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7), "The Goldbergs" (6.666 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "Modern Family" (9.995 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "Black-ish" (7.960 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and "Nashville" (5.151 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

Next up was NBC (7.794 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with originals from "The Mysteries of Laura" (8.894 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (7.813 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and "Chicago PD" (6.676 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #9).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.587 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up new episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" (3.840 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T11) and "Red Band Society" (3.334 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.1, #13).

And finally, repeats of "Arrow" (0.698 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) and another "Arrow" (0.674 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.686 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.2 rating while the latter posted a 0.2 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.00% - Red Band Society
+7.69% - Hell's Kitchen
0.00% - Nashville
-4.35% - The Goldbergs
-5.41% - Modern Family
-6.67% - The Mysteries of Laura
-9.52% - The Middle
-11.11% - Survivor: San Juan del Sur
-14.29% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-15.79% - Chicago PD
-24.24% - Black-ish

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+22.22% - The Goldbergs (vs. Back in the Game)
+14.29% - Chicago PD (vs. Ironside)
0.00% - Criminal Minds
-4.76% - Stalker (vs. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation)
-6.67% - The Mysteries of Laura (vs. Revolution)
-7.69% - Survivor: San Juan del Sur
-10.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-13.64% - The Middle
-16.67% - Modern Family
-21.05% - Nashville
-21.88% - Black-ish (vs. Super Fun Night)
-39.13% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. The X Factor)
-57.69% - Red Band Society (vs. 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 Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.2/6; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· 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" (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 0.8/4 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 (10/2/13):

CBS (10.196 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T1) was the most-watched network on Wednesday with its usual mix of "Survivor: Blood vs. Water" (10.054 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T4), "Criminal Minds" (11.010 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #3) - tying its lowest-rated fall telecast ever - and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (9.525 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #8).

Sharing the gold among adults 18-49 however was ABC (7.590 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T1) with week two of "The Middle" (7.774 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #7), "Back in the Game" (6.593 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11), "Modern Family" (10.913 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1), the premiere of "Super Fun Night" (8.211 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) - posting the best retention for any regular comedy debut in the slot in 4 years - and a new "Nashville" (6.023 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10).

Next up was the equally competitive FOX (7.755 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) and fresh installments of "The X Factor" (7.078 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) plus a second "The X Factor" (8.433 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T4).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.343 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) served up its second weeks of "Revolution" (5.393 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.5, #12) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (6.829 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #9) alongside the debut of "Ironside" (6.807 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #13) - NBC's lowest-rated fall drama debut ever.

And finally, the special "Arrow: Year One" (1.747 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) lead into repeats of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.125 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) and another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.190 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T15) on The CW (1.452 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Arrow" delivered a 0.8 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Whose Line" a 0.4 and a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.04% - Survivor: Blood vs. Water
+5.00% - Modern Family
0.00% - The X Factor - 9:00
0.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
-3.57% - Criminal Minds
-4.17% - The X Factor - 8:00
-8.33% - The Middle
-9.52% - Nashville
-16.67% - Revolution
-18.18% - Back in the Game
-20.00% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Arrow: Year One (vs. Oh Sit!)
+40.00% - Modern Family (vs. ABC News Special)
+6.67% - Super Fun Night (vs. ABC News Special)
0.00% - The Middle
-7.14% - The X Factor - 9:00 (vs. FOX News Special)
-9.09% - Revolution (vs. Animal Practice/Guys With Kids)
-10.00% - Criminal Minds (vs. CBS News Special)
-10.00% - Back in the Game (vs. The Neighbors)
-10.34% - Survivor: Blood vs. Water
-16.00% - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (vs. CBS News Special/Debate Analysis)
-26.92% - Nashville (vs. ABC News Special/Debate Analysis)
-32.35% - The X Factor - 8:00
-41.18% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (vs. NBC News Special)
-52.54% - Ironside (vs. NBC News Special/Debate Analysis)

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," 2.8/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.0/6.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/5 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 Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 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" (0.5/4 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