nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for tuesday, september 20, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Time-zone adjusted numbers from Nielsen pushed "Glee" from a 3.8 to a 4.0 in adults 18-49, "New Girl" from a 4.7 to a 4.8.]

FOX (8.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.9, #1) was the network to beat on the first Tuesday of the new season. The network offered up the return of "Glee" (8.91 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.8, #3) alongside the launch of "New Girl" (10.08 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1) and the season opener to "Raising Hope" (6.87 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5). "New Girl" is FOX's highest-rated fall sitcom debut in 10 years, since "The Bernie Mac Show" on 11/14/01.

CBS (16.74 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #2) however was the most-watched network with its combination of "NCIS" (19.55 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (16.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) and "Unforgettable" (13.98 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #6).

Next up was ABC (11.65 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3) with its mix of "Dancing With the Stars: Meet the Cast" (10.74 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.0, #11), "Dancing With the Stars" (14.54 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7) and the return of "Body of Proof" (9.65 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.84 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #4) offered up the season premiere to "The Biggest Loser 12" (6.13 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.3, #T8) plus a new "Parenthood" (5.26 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.1, #10).

And finally, week two of "90210" (1.56 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) and "Ringer" (1.96 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12) on The CW (1.76 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "90210" delivered a 1.0 rating while "Ringer" posted a 1.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-8.70% - Parenthood
-12.50% - 90210
-25.00% - Ringer

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+51.61% - New Girl (vs. Raising Hope)
+28.57% - Ringer (vs. Life Unexpected)
+24.00% - Raising Hope (vs. Running Wilde)
+7.69% - NCIS
+5.88% - NCIS: Los Angeles
-3.33% - Unforgettable (vs. NCIS: Los Angeles (S))
-8.00% - Body of Proof (vs. Detroit 187)
-16.00% - Parenthood
-20.69% - The Biggest Loser 12
-22.22% - 90210 (vs. One Tree Hill)
-23.08% - Dancing With the Stars: Meet the Cast (vs. Dancing With the Stars (S))
-30.91% - Glee
-34.88% - Dancing With the Stars

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

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.8/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.3/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.8/4; "Nightline," 1.0/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) tied CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.4/5). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/21/10):

FOX (9.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.1, #1) snagged the adults 18-49 crown on Tuesday thanks to the return of "Glee" (12.28 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 5.5, #1) followed by the premieres of "Raising Hope" (7.47 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5) and "Running Wilde" (5.87 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9).

The comedies were down 11.4% and 28.6%, respectively, from the final hour of "Hell's Kitchen" a year ago (see below for specifics).

Second place then went to CBS (16.06 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) with the season premieres of "NCIS" (18.92 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.9, #3), "NCIS: Los Angeles" (15.69 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4) and a second hour of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (13.60 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #6).

Next up was ABC (13.35 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3) with night two of "Dancing With the Stars" (12.00 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #8), a second hour of "Dancing With the Stars" (18.31 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.3, #2) and the launch of "Detroit 187" (9.75 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9).

"Detroit" was off 3.8% from last year's launch of "The Forgotten" (see below for specifics).

Meanwhile, NBC (6.73 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) offered up the return of "The Biggest Loser" (7.16 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.9, #7) and a new "Parenthood" (5.86 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 2.5, #T9).

And finally, new episodes of "One Tree Hill" (1.91 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12) and "Life Unexpected" (1.51 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) on The CW (1.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #5) rounded out the evening.

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.5/8) took top honors over NBC's "Leno" (2.7/7) and CBS's "Letterman" (2.9/8). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.8/6) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.4/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.3/5) and "Daly" (0.8/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research