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 (3/15/18):

CBS (5.574 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.7, #1) was still the top draw on Thursday with the start of its "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (6.846 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) coverage followed by "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.317 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) and more "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (4.295 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

ABC (5.382 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then claimed the silver with new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.248 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2), "Scandal" (4.857 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #6) and the season finale to "How to Get Away with Murder" (4.043 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T7).

Next up was NBC (3.671 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) and its mix of "Superstore" (3.904 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T7), "AP Bio" (3.026 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.8, #9), "Will & Grace" (4.656 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #5), "Champions" (2.985 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.7, #10) and a repeat "Chicago Fire" (3.728 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.544 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) served up fresh installments from "Gotham" (2.512 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11) and "Showtime at the Apollo" (2.577 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T11).

And finally, the special "Tough Mudder: Tougher Together" (0.596 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) and a repeat "Arrow" (0.549 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T14) rounded out the night on The CW (0.572 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+11.11% - How to Get Away with Murder
+9.09% - Will & Grace
+5.88% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - AP Bio
0.00% - Showtime at the Apollo
-9.09% - Superstore
-12.50% - Champions
-14.29% - Gotham

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. The Catch)
0.00% - AP Bio (vs. Trial & Error (Repeat))
0.00% - Showtime at the Apollo (vs. Kicking & Screaming)
0.00% - Tough Mudder: Tougher Together (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
-9.09% - Superstore
-10.00% - Grey's Anatomy
-14.29% - Will & Grace (vs. Chicago Med)
-21.43% - Scandal
-45.45% - Gotham (vs. MasterChef Junior)
-50.00% - Champions (vs. Chicago Med)

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," 2.0/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.2/4 with an encore delayed by NCAA basketball; 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," 0.5/3; "Late Show," 0.3/2 with an encore delayed by NCAA basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.2/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," 0.8/3, delayed by NCAA basketball. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.4/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2, delayed by NCAA basketball.

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

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/16/17):

ABC (5.895 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) held off the competition on Thursday with new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.953 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1), "Scandal" (5.800 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) and "The Catch" (3.932 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T9).

CBS (4.597 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2) then had to settle for second place with its coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (4.716 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4), "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Update" (4.242 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.2, #6) and more "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament" (4.598 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T4).

Next up was NBC (5.014 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) with a new "Superstore" (4.204 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) alongside an encore of "Trial & Error" (3.185 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T9) and originals from "Chicago Med" (7.171 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.4, #T2) and "The Blacklist: Redemption" (4.177 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T9).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.955 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) offered up new episodes of "MasterChef Junior" (3.895 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T7) and "Kicking & Screaming" (2.016 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.6, #12).

And finally, The CW (0.489 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) opted for rebroadcasts of the "The Vampire Diaries" (0.597 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) finale and "The Vampire Diaries: Forever Yours" (0.382 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.1, #14).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.67% - Chicago Med
+5.26% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - Superstore (vs. 2/23/17)
0.00% - MasterChef Junior
0.00% - The Blacklist: Redemption
0.00% - The Catch
-14.29% - Kicking & Screaming

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+180.00% - Chicago Med (vs. The Blacklist (Repeat))
+83.33% - Superstore (vs. You, Me and the Apocalypse)
-4.76% - Grey's Anatomy
-12.50% - Scandal
-20.00% - The Blacklist: Redemption (vs. Shades of Blue)
-31.25% - MasterChef Junior (vs. American Idol)
-42.86% - The Catch (vs. How to Get Away with Murder)
-64.71% - Kicking & Screaming (vs. American Idol)

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," 2.2/6; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," delayed by NCAA basketball; 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," 0.7/4; "Late Show," delayed by NCAA basketball; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 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, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.1/4 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," delayed by NCAA basketball. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.4/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," delayed by NCAA basketball.

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

Source: Nielsen Media Research