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

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/15/16):

CBS (10.909 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #1) took home the top honors on Thursday with the return of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (8.240 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) and "Thursday Night Football" (11.443 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1).

NBC (2.925 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) then was a distant second with its marathon of "Superstore" (3.256 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3), another "Superstore" (2.721 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3), more "Superstore" (2.695 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3), yet another "Superstore" (2.682 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) and "Chicago Med" (3.099 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7).

Next up was ABC (3.038 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) and its repeat lineup of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.311 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9), another "Grey's Anatomy" (3.455 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.350 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.5, #11).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.201 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) likewise served up second runs of "Rosewood" (2.293 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T9) and "Bones" (2.110 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #12).

And finally, a repeat of "The Flash" (0.926 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and the series finale of "Beauty and the Beast" (0.734 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.830 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
-27.27% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game
-28.30% - Thursday Night Football
-33.33% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. Arrow (Repeat))

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

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household averages were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/4 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 ratings were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.7/4; "Late Show," delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.0/3 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, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.1/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," delayed by an NFL overrun. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.4/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," delayed by an NFL overrun.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/17/15):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (15.186 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1) was of course the network to beat on Thursday with the return of "Thursday Night Football" (15.969 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1). Opening the night was a half-hour "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (11.270 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) special.

NBC (5.246 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then was a distant second place with its specials "Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood" (6.411 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and "Mat Franco's Got Magic" (4.664 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4).

Next up was ABC (2.875 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.284 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "Scandal" (3.012 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.328 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.369 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) served up the feature "Scream 3" (1.369 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #7).

And finally, The CW (1.005 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) offered up special repeats of "The Flash" (1.096 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9) and "Arrow" (0.914 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said duo posted a 0.3 and a 0.3 rating, respectively.

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.61% - Thursday Night Football
+4.76% - Mat Franco's Got Magic (vs. The Biggest Loser/The Mysteries of Laura)
-7.69% - Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood (vs. The Biggest Loser)

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," 2.4/8, delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/4.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.9/6, delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.4/6, delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/5, delayed by an NFL overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research