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

Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/7/17):

ABC (6.285 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) continued its reign on Saturday with its coverage of "Saturday Night College Football" (6.285 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1).

CBS (3.277 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the silver draw with its trio of "Wisdom of the Crowd" (2.874 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6), "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.256 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) and "48 Hours" (3.701 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

Next up was NBC (2.640 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its mix of "Will & Grace" (1.964 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9), "Superstore" (2.001 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.292 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.646 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

And finally, FOX (1.474 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) rounded out the night with "CFB on FOX" (1.474 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6).

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

The Oct. 7 telecast of "Saturday Night Live" has generated the show's second-biggest Week 2 overall viewership in five years, trailing over that span only last year's election-fueled result, according to "fast official" "live plus same day" results from Nielsen Media Research.

With a telecast hosted by Gal Gadot and featuring musical guest Sam Smith, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged 6.802 million viewers overall and a 1.76 rating in adults 18-49.

The Oct. 7 edition, which aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and counted unduplicated viewers from 11:30 encores in western markets, generated the show's second-biggest overall audience for the second "SNL" original telecast of a season since Sept. 22, 2012, when the episode hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and featuring musical guest Mumford & Sons, averaged 6.912 million.

Here are the highlights of the seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/8/16):

ABC (5.146 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) was sparked to another Saturday victory thanks to its coverage of "Saturday Night College Football" (5.146 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1).

CBS (5.095 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "NCIS" (6.394 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #2), "NCIS: New Orleans" (4.463 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "48 Hours" (4.429 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

Next up was NBC (2.201 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) with its NASCAR rain delay lineup of "Dateline NBC" (2.308 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6) and "Saturday Night Live" (1.987 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5).

And finally, FOX (1.231 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T3) closed out the evening with its own "CFB on FOX" (1.231 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6).

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

· The Oct. 8 edition of "Saturday Night Live" is currently equaling the show's highest Week 2 rating in eight years in Nielsen's metered markets.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live," with host Lin-Manuel Miranda and musical guest Twenty One Pilots, is currently scoring a 5.2 rating, 13 share in "live plus same day" household results from the local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.4/12 in adults 18-49 in the markets with local people meters. Note that averages currently exclude Charlotte, Orlando, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Raleigh-Durham and West Palm Beach.

· With a telecast featuring appearances by Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey, last night's "Saturday Night Live" equaled the show's highest Week 2 household rating in the metered markets since the Sept. 20, 2008 edition, hosted by James Franco with musical guest Kings of Leon, which scored a 5.7 rating. Last night's 5.2 was equaled over that span by the Oct. 1, 2011 Week 2 telecast hosted by Melissa McCarthy with musical guest Lady Antebellum.

· In adult 18-49 results in the 25 markets with local people meters, last night's 2.4 for "Saturday Night Live" was the show's highest Week 2 rating since Oct. 5, 2013 (2.7 with host and musical guest Miley Cyrus).

· Last night's telecast is currently up +24% from the show's October 2015 average for original telecasts in metered-market households (5.2 vs. 4.2) and +20% in 18-49 in the local people meters (2.4 vs. 2.0 for October 2015).

Source: Nielsen Media Research