nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, october 31, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

CBS (11.29 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) was the network to beat on Monday with its original mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (10.70 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 4.1, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (11.14 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 4.2, #2), "Two and a Half Men" (13.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1), "Mike & Molly" (11.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.28 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T5).

The silver then went to ABC (13.90 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) and its lineup of "Scared Shrekless" (8.68 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10), "Dancing With the Stars" (16.28 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.8, #7) and "Castle" (12.94 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T5).

Next up was FOX (6.46 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.3, #3) with fresh installments of "Terra Nova" (6.38 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9) and "House" (3.55 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 2.5, #8).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.30 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #4) offered up a new "The Sing-Off" (4.39 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11) and the premiere of "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.13 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, repeats of "Ringer" (1.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) and another "Ringer" (0.87 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T13) on The CW (0.94 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+16.00% - Castle
-4.65% - How I Met Your Mother
-6.67% - The Sing-Off
-8.70% - 2 Broke Girls
-9.68% - Dancing With the Stars
-12.12% - Hawaii Five-0
-13.64% - Mike & Molly
-16.07% - Two and a Half Men
-19.35% - House (vs. 10/17/11)
-22.22% - Terra Nova (vs. 10/17/11)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+23.53% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Rules of Engagement)
+10.81% - How I Met Your Mother
+5.56% - Mike & Molly
+3.57% - Castle
0.00% - Two and a Half Men
-3.33% - Hawaii Five-0
-26.47% - House (vs. World Series, Game 5)
-30.00% - Dancing With the Stars
-31.71% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Women of SNL)
-38.24% - Terra Nova (vs. World Series, Game 5)
-52.38% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. The Women of SNL)

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.4/8; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.6/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.7/3; "Nightline," 1.1/4; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

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" (0.5/3 in 18-49) tied "Late Late Show" (0.5/3).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore 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 (11/1/10):

ABC (17.02 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.6, #T1) and CBS (10.59 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.6, #T1) split top adults 18-49 honors on Monday, each beating "World Series, Game 5" (11.96 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T5) coverage on FOX (11.96 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.4, #3).

The Alphabet offered up new episodes of "Dancing With the Stars" (19.63 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #2) and "Castle" (11.80 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.8, #8).

The Eye then served up its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (9.00 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 3.7, #3), "Rules of Engagement" (8.84 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T5), "Two and a Half Men" (13.62 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.7, #1), "Mike & Molly" (10.89 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.6, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (10.59 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.0, #7).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.40 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #4) offered up a new "Chuck" (5.46 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10) followed by the two-hour "The Women of SNL" (5.37 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9) special.

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (2.05 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) and "Gossip Girl" (1.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T11) on The CW (2.02 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Rules of Engagement (17.20%), How I Met Your Mother (15.60%), Two and a Half Men (9.30%), Hawaii Five-0 (7.10%), Chuck (5.30%), Mike & Molly (0.00%), 90210 (0.00%), Gossip Girl (0.00%), Dancing With the Stars (-4.80%), Castle (-6.70%).

In late-night metered market ratings, ABC's "Nightline" (3.5/8) took top honors ahead of CBS's "Letterman" (2.6/6) and NBC's "Leno" (2.9/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.7/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.2/4) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.4/5) and "Daly" (0.9/4) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research