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 (4/16/15):

CBS (9.560 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (14.495 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1), "The Odd Couple" (9.765 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T3), "Mom" (9.656 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #T3), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (8.582 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #6) and "Elementary" (7.430 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

ABC (6.627 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home the silver with its trio of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.575 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #5), "Scandal" (7.863 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) and "American Crime" (4.443 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

Next up was FOX (4.057 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with originals from "Bones" (4.749 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10) and "Backstrom" (3.364 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.207 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) served up repeats of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.847 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11), "The Blacklist" (3.330 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T11) and a new "Dateline NBC" (5.442 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T8).

And finally, the return of originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (1.341 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14) and "Reign" (0.999 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.170 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.8 rating at 8:00/7:00c and the latter a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+22.22% - American Crime
+16.67% - Elementary
+14.29% - Scandal (vs. 4/2/15)
+10.00% - Mom
+8.82% - The Big Bang Theory
+4.76% - The Odd Couple
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Bones
0.00% - Reign (vs. 3/19/15)
-8.33% - Dateline NBC
-12.50% - Backstrom
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 3/19/15)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+162.50% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
+68.18% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+40.00% - Elementary (vs. NCIS (Repeat))
+37.50% - Mom (vs. The Crazy Ones)
0.00% - Reign
-4.00% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries
-15.38% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-15.38% - Dateline NBC (vs. Parenthood)
-41.18% - Bones (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-51.72% - Backstrom (vs. American Idol/Surviving Jack)
-67.65% - American Crime (vs. Scandal)

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," 2.3/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.3/6.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 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 Seth Meyers" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) trailed CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with James Corden" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 17 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (4/17/14):

ABC (7.323 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) pulled in front on Thursday with its mix of a repeat "Grey's Anatomy" (3.417 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #15), a new "Grey's Anatomy" (8.100 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) and the season finale of "Scandal" (10.451 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1).

CBS (7.369 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) then was the most-watched network thanks to repeats of "The Big Bang Theory" (9.668 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4), another "The Big Bang Theory" (10.829 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2), a new "The Crazy Ones" (6.303 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7), the season finale of "The Crazy Ones" (5.362 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8) and a special repeat of "NCIS" (6.026 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10).

Next up was FOX (5.457 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T2) and originals from "Hell's Kitchen" (4.823 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6), "American Idol" (7.884 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #5) and "Surviving Jack" (4.297 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.267 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up the season finale of "Community" (2.902 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), a new "Parks & Recreation" (2.386 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13), an original "Hollywood Game Night" (3.196 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T13) and the season finale of "Parenthood" (3.962 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T8).

And finally, fresh installments of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.663 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.7, #16) and "Reign" (1.394 million viewers, #17; adults 18-49: 0.4, #17) closed out the night on The CW (1.529 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):
+25.00% - Community
+21.43% - Hell's Kitchen
+18.18% - Parenthood
+13.33% - Scandal
+11.76% - American Idol
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 3/27/14)
0.00% - Reign
-10.00% - Parks & Recreation
-16.67% - Surviving Jack
-18.18% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. 4/3/14)
-23.53% - The Crazy Ones

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+277.78% - Scandal (vs. Scandal (Repeat))
+127.27% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
-7.14% - Parenthood (vs. Hannibal)
-10.00% - Parks & Recreation (vs. The Office (Repeat))
-13.64% - American Idol (vs. Glee)
-22.22% - The Vampire Diaries
-23.08% - Community
-33.33% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-40.91% - The Crazy Ones (vs. 2 Broke Girls (Repeat))
-41.38% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-47.06% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. Parks & Recreation)
-50.00% - The Crazy Ones - 9:00 (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-54.55% - Surviving Jack (vs. Glee)

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," 2.1/5 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 3.4/8.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.8/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.4/6.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 2.3/7 in metered-market households and a 0.9/5 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) tied CBS's first-run "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research