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

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (3/19/21):

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

CBS (3.362 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) was the top draw on Friday thanks to its primetime coverage of the "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: (8) North Carolina vs. (9) Wisconsin" (3.719 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1) and "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: (6) San Diego State vs. (11) Syracuse" (3.005 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T1).

FOX (1.946 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #2) had to settle for second with its latest installment of "WWE SmackDown" (1.946 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3).

Next up was ABC (2.568 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with repeats of "Shark Tank" (3.058 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) and "20/20" (2.618 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4) plus a special "20/20" (2.027 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.3, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (2.462 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) offered up a repeat "The Blacklist" (2.017 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.2, #8) and a new "Dateline NBC" (2.685 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T4).

And finally, The CW (0.753 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) closed out the night with "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.765 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9), a repeat "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.655 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9) and "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.796 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - WWE SmackDown
0.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
0.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
-20.00% - Dateline NBC
-25.00% - 20/20

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
0.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Repeats))
0.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. Penn & Teller: Fool Us (Repeat))
-37.50% - WWE SmackDown
-42.86% - Dateline NBC
-62.50% - 20/20

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/20/20):

ABC (5.073 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) pulled in front on Friday with its duo of "Shark Tank" (5.969 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1) and "20/20" (4.626 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

FOX (2.563 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) had to settle for second with its weekly "WWE SmackDown" (2.563 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.462 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) with the return of "The Blacklist" (5.391 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) plus a new "Dateline NBC" (3.997 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

Meanwhile, CBS (5.316 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4) opted for repeats of "MacGyver" (5.388 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5), "Hawaii Five-0" (5.410 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #7) and "Blue Bloods" (5.148 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #8).

And finally, The CW (0.756 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.1, #5) likewise served up second runs of "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (0.871 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.619 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9) and another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.665 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.1, #T9).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+60.00% - The Blacklist (vs. 12/13/19)
+37.50% - Shark Tank
+16.67% - Dateline NBC
+14.29% - 20/20
+14.29% - WWE SmackDown

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Blindspot)
+100.00% - Shark Tank (vs. Fresh Off the Boat/Speechless)
+33.33% - WWE SmackDown (vs. Various)
+27.27% - Dateline NBC (vs. The Blacklist/Dateline NBC)
0.00% - 20/20

Source: Nielsen Media Research, ShowBuzzDaily.com