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 (2/26/15):

ABC (8.472 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the demo champ on Thursday thanks to a new "Grey's Anatomy" (7.472 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) followed by part one of the "How to Get Away with Murder" (8.673 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) season finale and part two of the "How to Get Away with Murder" (9.272 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) season finale.

CBS (8.740 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.333 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "The Odd Couple" (11.040 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (8.879 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6), the relocated "Mom" (8.155 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and its special "Victoria's Secret Swim Special" (4.018 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

Next up was FOX (6.516 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with fresh installments from "American Idol" (9.269 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Backstrom" (3.763 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.029 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up originals from "The Slap" (3.624 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13), "The Blacklist" (7.854 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9) and "Allegiance" (3.609 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.761 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Supernatural" (0.669 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.715 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 "Supernatural" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+5.88% - The Blacklist
+3.57% - How to Get Away with Murder - 10:00
+2.27% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - Backstrom
-9.68% - The Odd Couple
-11.11% - Allegiance
-12.00% - Grey's Anatomy
-12.50% - The Slap

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+120.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Countdown to the Oscars)
+50.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night)
+12.50% - Backstrom (vs. Rake)
+10.53% - Mom (vs. The Crazy Ones)
0.00% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Millers)
-8.16% - The Big Bang Theory
-8.70% - American Idol
-10.00% - How to Get Away with Murder - 9:00 (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-12.12% - How to Get Away with Murder - 10:00 (vs. Scandal)
-27.27% - Allegiance (vs. Parenthood)
-30.00% - The Slap (vs. Community/Parks & Recreation)
-37.50% - Victoria's Secret Swim Special (vs. Elementary)

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," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.7/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.3/7; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/27/14):

CBS (10.544 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) climbed to the top spot on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.502 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1), "The Millers" (11.240 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #4), "Two and a Half Men" (10.046 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.5, #5), "The Crazy Ones" (7.422 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) and "Elementary" (8.526 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8).

ABC (7.757 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then took home the silver with its special "Countdown to the Oscars" (4.690 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) followed by the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (9.310 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.0, #3) and "Scandal" (9.271 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2).

Next up was FOX (6.630 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with new episodes of "American Idol" (9.809 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #6) and "Rake" (3.450 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.160 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) served up originals from "Community" (2.625 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11), "Parks & Recreation" (2.456 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11), the relocated "Hollywood Game Night" (3.387 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9) and "Parenthood" (3.553 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.945 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #14) and "Reign" (1.313 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.5, #16) on The CW (1.629 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.7 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+38.89% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 2/6/14)
+11.76% - The Crazy Ones (vs. 2/6/14)
+11.11% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. 12/12/13)
+3.70% - The Millers (vs. 2/6/14)
+3.12% - Scandal (vs. 12/12/13)
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 2/6/14)
-2.00% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 2/6/14)
-4.17% - American Idol
-9.09% - Community (vs. 1/30/14)
-11.11% - Elementary (vs. 2/6/14)
-15.38% - Parenthood (vs. 1/23/14)
-16.67% - Parks & Recreation (vs. 1/30/14)
-16.67% - Reign (vs. 2/6/14)
-20.00% - Rake
-20.00% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. 2/3/14)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+312.50% - Scandal (vs. Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars (Repeat))
+233.33% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Scandal (Repeat))
+125.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+75.00% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+66.67% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast (Repeat))
+31.58% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest (Repeat))
+27.27% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men (Repeat))
+26.32% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. The Office (Repeat)/1600 Penn)
+22.22% - Parenthood (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+11.11% - Parks & Recreation (vs. Parks & Recreation (Repeat))
0.00% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest (Repeat))
0.00% - Elementary (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
0.00% - Countdown to the Oscars (vs. Zero Hour)
-9.09% - Community
-39.47% - American Idol
-78.95% - Rake (vs. American Idol)

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," 3.5/9; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 3.0/8.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.4/7; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/6.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.8/6 in metered-market households and a 0.8/5 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.7/6 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" (0.7/5 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 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research