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 (9/27/18):

[Note: Fast affiliate ratings are inaccurate for live sports.]

FOX (10.083 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1) got a big boost on Thursday with the network premieres of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (8.535 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #2) and "Thursday Night Football" (10.393 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1).

ABC (5.519 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2) then was a distant second with the season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.079 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #4), a second hour of "Grey's Anatomy" (6.492 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #5) and the return of "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.986 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12).

Next up was CBS (7.865 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) and its lineup debuts of "The Big Bang Theory" (11.793 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #3), "Young Sheldon" (10.083 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6), "Mom" (7.991 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.3, #7), "Murphy Brown" (7.420 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.1, #9) and "SWAT" (4.979 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.427 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up the return of "The Good Place" (3.297 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10), a second "The Good Place" (2.933 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11), the season premiere of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.678 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T10) and also a second "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.489 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

And finally, repeats of "Supernatural" (0.784 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) and "The Originals" (0.504 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.1, #15) rounded out the night on The CW (0.644 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-4.71% - Young Sheldon (vs. 9/24/18)
-10.83% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 9/24/18)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+239.00% - Thursday Night Football (vs. Gotham/The Orville)
+217.50% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game (vs. Gotham)
-6.96% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. Thursday Night Football Pre-Game)
-16.96% - Grey's Anatomy - 8:00
-18.33% - The Good Place - 8:00 (vs. Superstore)
-22.67% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - 10:00 (vs. Chicago Fire)
-23.04% - Grey's Anatomy - 9:00
-25.45% - How to Get Away with Murder
-30.00% - The Good Place - 8:30
-49.38% - Young Sheldon (vs. Thursday Night Football)
-50.95% - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - 9:00 (vs. Will & Grace/Good News)
-59.38% - Mom (vs. Thursday Night Football)
-66.88% - Murphy Brown (vs. Thursday Night Football)
-77.50% - SWAT (vs. Thursday Night Football)

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," 1.7/5; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 3.0/8; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 ratings were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.5/3; "Late Show," 0.5/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.2/5 in metered-market households; CBS's "Late Late Show," ZXZXZX. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, averages were: "Late Night," 0.3/3 in 18-49; "Late Late Show," 0.2/2.

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/28/17):

CBS (10.464 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) was the top draw on premiere Thursday with its coverage of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (9.305 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) and "Thursday Night Football" (10.696 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1).

ABC (6.640 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then took home the silver medal with the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.142 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3), a second "Grey's Anatomy" (7.751 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T3) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (4.027 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

Next up was NBC (6.452 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) and its debut lineup of "Superstore" (4.570 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #9), "The Good Place" (4.624 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7), "Will & Grace" (10.044 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2), "Good News" (5.125 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #T7) and "Chicago Fire" (7.176 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #6).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.260 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) offered up originals from "Gotham" (2.791 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12) and "The Orville" (3.731 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T10).

And finally, a new "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.715 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.4, #13), the season finale of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.048 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) and a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.095 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) on The CW (1.393 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) rounded out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - The Orville
0.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
-7.14% - The Good Place (vs. 9/20/17)
-20.00% - Gotham
-50.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+180.70% - Thursday Night Football (vs. Various (Repeats))
+123.08% - Will & Grace (vs. Chicago Med)
+109.09% - Grey's Anatomy - 9:00 (vs. Notorious)
+64.29% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
+36.36% - Chicago Fire (vs. The Blacklist)
+10.00% - The Orville (vs. Pitch)
8.33% - The Good Place
0.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. The Flash (Repeat))
0.00% - Gotham (vs. Rosewood)
0.00% - Good News (vs. Chicago Med)
0.00% - Superstore
-4.17% - Grey's Anatomy
-15.38% - How to Get Away with Murder
-33.33% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Supernatural (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," 2.2/6; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/6.

· 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," 0.6/3.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, ratings were: "Late Night with Seth Meyers," 1.2/5 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 0.7/3 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