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 (2/5/15):

ABC (8.576 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) claimed the demo crown on a competitive Thursday thanks to new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.879 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8), "Scandal" (9.534 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (8.317 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4).

CBS (10.310 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then was a close second with fresh installments of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.826 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "Mom" (11.781 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (9.407 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T6), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (8.188 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9) and a new "Elementary" (7.829 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

Next up was FOX (6.567 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with originals from "American Idol" (9.500 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #5) and "Backstrom" (3.634 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.652 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) served up a repeat of "The Blacklist" (5.083 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) followed by the Thursday premiere of "The Blacklist" (9.948 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T6) and the launch of "Allegiance" (4.926 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.670 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) and "Reign" (0.996 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) closed out the evening over on The CW (1.333 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.38% - Elementary
+14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
+9.09% - American Idol
+2.27% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - Two and a Half Men
0.00% - Reign
-8.00% - The Blacklist (vs. 11/10/14)
-10.00% - How to Get Away with Murder
-13.89% - Scandal
-18.52% - Grey's Anatomy
-28.57% - Backstrom

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+210.00% - Scandal (vs. The Taste)
+200.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))
+120.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. The Taste)
+35.29% - Two and a Half Men (vs. The Crazy Ones)
+3.70% - Mom (vs. The Millers)
-9.09% - Backstrom (vs. Rake)
-10.00% - The Big Bang Theory
-11.11% - The Vampire Diaries
-16.67% - Elementary
-20.00% - American Idol
-33.33% - Reign
-60.34% - The Blacklist (vs. Olympics 2014 Primetime)
-81.03% - Allegiance (vs. Olympics 2014 Primetime)

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," 2.1/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.4/6.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.4/7; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.6/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.6/6 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/5 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 and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/6/14):

The bonus night of "Olympics 2014 Primetime" (19.556 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) coverage rocketed NBC (19.556 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.8, #1) to the top spot on Thursday.

CBS (10.411 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "The Big Bang Theory" (17.204 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.0, #2), "The Millers" (10.932 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "The Crazy Ones" (7.551 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7), "Two and a Half Men" (8.125 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5) and "Elementary" (9.326 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T5).

Next up was FOX (7.643 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3) with fresh installments of "American Idol" (10.944 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Rake" (4.343 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #8).

Meanwhile, ABC (3.220 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up a new "The Taste" (3.167 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9) and a repeat "Shark Tank" (3.326 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (2.128 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and "Reign" (1.664 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12) on The CW (1.896 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.5 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.8 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Taste
-1.96% - The Big Bang Theory
-3.23% - American Idol
-3.57% - The Millers
-5.26% - Two and a Half Men
-10.00% - Elementary
-10.00% - The Vampire Diaries
-10.53% - The Crazy Ones
-14.29% - Reign
-15.38% - Rake

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+314.29% - Olympics 2014 Primetime
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-18.03% - The Big Bang Theory
-18.18% - The Vampire Diaries
-21.74% - Elementary
-26.83% - American Idol
-34.15% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-43.75% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-46.88% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest)
-50.00% - Rake (vs. Glee)
-54.55% - The Taste (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat)/Grey's Anatomy)

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

·Jay Leno's final telecast hosting "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" has delivered the show's highest overnight rating in nearly five years, since March 2009.

·Leno averaged a 9.2 rating, 22 share in households in the 56 markets metered by Nielsen Media Research (with the Philadelphia market excluded last night), best since March 19, 2009 (the night President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to appear on a late-night talk show, 11.3/26).

·The final "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" more than tripled the show's season average in metered-market households, 2.8/7 heading into this week.

·"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" followed last night with its highest rating ever, a 4.6/15 in metered-market households. That tops the prior record of a 4.2/12 with a special 11:56 p.m. ET telecast on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The prior high for a weeknight "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" was a 3.9/13 on March 19, 2009, the night of President Obama's appearance on "Tonight." The 4.6 is also the highest for the "Late Night" franchise since "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" earned a 4.6/20 on Thursday, May 14, 1998, the night of the "Seinfeld" finale.

·Fallon tripled the show's 1.5 season average in metered-market households heading into this week.

·Guests on "Tonight" Thursday included Billy Crystal and Garth Brooks, with appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Jack Black, Carol Burnett, Sheryl Crow, Jim Parsons, Kim Kardashian and Chris Paul. Appearing in taped messages were Jimmy Fallon, Bob Costas, Steve Carell, Olivia Wilde, Miley Cyrus, Martha Stewart, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Charlie Sheen, Tyler Perry, Bill Maher, Kevin Hart, Dana Carvey, Larry the Cable Guy and President Barack Obama.

·The Feb. 6 edition of "Late Night" featured Colin Farrell, Chris Pratt and musical guest 2 Chainz.

·Fast-official national ratings for "Tonight" and "Late Night" are expected later today.

Source: Nielsen Media Research