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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (8/20/15):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to local NFL pre-emptions, fast nationals for all networks are inflated.]

CBS (5.740 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was the top draw on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.141 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2), "Mom" (5.644 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4), "Big Brother 17" (6.637 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) and "Under the Dome" (4.191 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6).

NBC (5.717 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then was a close second with originals from "Food Fighters" (4.786 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.1, #5) and "Dateline NBC" (6.183 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2).

Next up was ABC (3.711 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and its trio of "The Astronaut Wives Club" (3.988 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), "Mistresses" (3.422 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T6) and "Rookie Blue" (3.723 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.548 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) offered up a new "Boom!" (2.444 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and a repeat "Bones" (2.652 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

And finally, an original "Beauty and the Beast" (0.913 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) and a second run "Arrow" (0.768 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) on The CW (0.840 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said duo posted a 0.2 and a 0.1 rating, respectively.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Dateline NBC
-8.33% - Food Fighters
-12.50% - Big Brother 17
-22.22% - The Astronaut Wives Club
-22.22% - Boom!
-25.00% - Rookie Blue
-27.27% - Mistresses
-42.86% - Under the Dome
-60.00% - Beauty and the Beast

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+115.38% - Dateline NBC (vs. Various)
+22.22% - Food Fighters (vs. Hollywood Game Night)
+16.67% - Boom! (vs. Bones (Repeat))
+14.29% - Under the Dome (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
0.00% - The Astronaut Wives Club (vs. The Quest)
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-8.70% - Big Brother 17
-20.00% - Mistresses (vs. Rookie Blue)
-50.00% - Rookie Blue

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

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (8/21/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to significant local NFL pre-season preemptions, Fast Nationals for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are inflated.]

CBS (5.926 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.997 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2), "Mom" (6.384 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3), "Big Brother 16" (6.968 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #1) and "Elementary" (3.619 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8).

ABC (4.683 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #2) then took home the silver with new episodes of "The Quest" (2.704 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), "Rookie Blue" (5.202 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) and the season finale of "Rookie Blue" (6.144 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4).

Next up was FOX (2.822 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) with repeats of "Bones" (2.447 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12) and another "Bones" (3.198 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.767 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) served up its combination of "Hollywood Game Night" (3.686 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T6), "Welcome to Sweden" (2.431 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8), another "Welcome to Sweden" (2.082 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T8) and "America's Got Talent" (2.359 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.631 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) and "The Originals" (0.540 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) on The CW (0.585 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 0.2 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Originals" a 0.2 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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.8/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5 with an encore.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3 with an encore.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1 with an encore).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research