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

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/17/15):

CBS (9.693 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) was the top draw on Thursday with its original mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.379 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1), "Life in Pieces" (11.174 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2), "Mom" (9.550 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (7.336 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #4) and "Elementary" (6.360 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5).

NBC (3.054 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #2) then claimed the silver with encores of "How Murray Saved Christmas" (2.170 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and "Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale" (3.477 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #11) plus a special "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (3.517 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7).

Next up was ABC (4.743 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with repeats of "Prep & Landing" (3.398 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #10), "Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice" (3.225 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) and "Modern Family" (3.215 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T7) alongside its annual "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2015" (6.206 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.233 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up specials from "American Country Countdown's Top 10 Stories of 2015" (2.687 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12) and "World's Funniest" (1.779 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T12).

And finally, The CW (1.118 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night with its special "iHeartRadio Jingle Ball" (1.200 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) and a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.873 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+4.17% - Life in Pieces
+2.50% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Mom
-7.69% - Elementary
-10.53% - 2 Broke Girls

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+78.26% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+49.25% - Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2015 (vs. Various)
+12.50% - Running Wild with Bear Grylls (vs. People Magazine Awards)
+8.70% - Life in Pieces (vs. Mom)
+6.25% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. The McCarthys)
+5.26% - Mom (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-14.29% - Elementary
-33.33% - iHeartRadio Jingle Ball
-37.50% - American Country Countdown's Top 10 Stories of 2015 (vs. Bones (Repeat))
-37.50% - World's Funniest (vs. Bones (Repeat))

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," 2.8/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.1/5; 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," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 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" (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 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/18/14):

CBS (8.705 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with a repeat of "The Big Bang Theory" (10.672 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1) followed by new episodes of "Mom" (10.106 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T1), "Two and a Half Men" (8.947 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3), "The McCarthys" (7.100 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #4) and "Elementary" (7.703 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #5).

NBC (3.710 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) then took home a distant second place with a new "The Biggest Loser" (3.787 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.9, #6) and the inaugural "People Magazine Awards" (3.672 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Next up was FOX (3.684 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) with a repeat "Bones" (3.563 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7) and a second "Bones" (3.804 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.897 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) served up a new "The Taste" (3.071 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T7) and a repeat "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.549 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

And finally, The CW (1.650 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) offered up its annual "iHeartRadio Jingle Ball" (1.838 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) and a repeat of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.084 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.6 rating and the latter posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Taste
-11.11% - The McCarthys
-12.50% - Elementary
-17.86% - Mom
-18.18% - The Biggest Loser
-24.00% - Two and a Half Men

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+160.87% - iHeartRadio Jingle Ball (vs. Various)
+55.56% - Elementary (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
+46.15% - Two and a Half Men (vs. The Crazy Ones (Repeat))
+35.29% - Mom (vs. The Millers (Repeat))
23.08% - The McCarthys (vs. Two and a Half Men (Repeat))
-25.00% - The Biggest Loser (vs. The Sing-Off)
-48.39% - The Taste (vs. A Charlie Brown Christmas (Repeat)/20/20: The Year)
-52.94% - People Magazine Awards (vs. Saturday Night Live Christmas (Repeat))

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.3/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.3/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research