nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, november 28, 2011)

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

CBS (8.51 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.7, #1) took home top honors on Monday despite an all-repeat mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (7.99 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.9, #3), "2 Broke Girls" (9.15 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1), "Two and a Half Men" (9.69 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #2), "Mike & Molly" (8.53 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.85 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #9).

FOX (7.26 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #2) then moved up to second place with new episodes of "Terra Nova" (7.19 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #8) and "House" (7.33 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5).

Next up was ABC (5.85 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with repeats of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (7.67 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7) and "Shrek the Halls" (7.66 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T5) followed by a new "You Deserve It" (4.36 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11) and a repeat of "Castle" (5.52 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.3, #12).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.95 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #4) offered up the season finale of "The Sing-Off" (6.43 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #10) and a new "Rock Center With Brian Williams" (4.98 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #13).

And finally, originals of "Gossip Girl" (1.34 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) and "Hart of Dixie" (1.87 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14) on The CW (1.60 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) rounded out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Gossip Girl" delivered a 1.2 rating while "Dixie" posted a 1.7 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Rock Center With Brian Williams
+21.43% - The Sing-Off
+14.29% - Hart of Dixie
+4.76% - Terra Nova
+4.00% - House
-14.29% - Gossip Girl
-33.33% - You Deserve It

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+37.50% - Terra Nova (vs. House (Repeat))
+18.18% - House (vs. Lie to Me)
+7.69% - You Deserve It (vs. Skating With the Stars/CMA Country Christmas)
-12.82% - The Sing-Off (vs. Chuck/The Event)
-20.00% - Hart of Dixie (vs. Gossip Girl)
-25.00% - Rock Center With Brian Williams (vs. Chase)
-40.00% - Gossip Girl (vs. 90210)

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," 3.1/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.0/5 with an encore; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 2.9/7; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.5/5.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.5/2 with an encore; "Nightline," 0.8/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.6/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.1/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

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 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (11/29/10):

CBS (8.65 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Monday despite an all-repeat lineup of "How I Met Your Mother" (8.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2), "Rules of Engagement" (7.82 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.4, #3), "Two and a Half Men" (11.25 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1), "Mike & Molly" (8.90 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (7.71 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T7).

FOX (5.69 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with a repeat of "House" (5.08 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9) followed by a new "Lie to Me" (6.31 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), which tied its season high in adults 18-49.

Next up was NBC (6.01 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) with new episodes of "Chuck" (6.17 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6), "The Event" (5.83 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #T7) and "Chase" (6.03 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T9). Said numbers mark "Chuck's" most-watched episode of the season.

ABC (6.69 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) then was out of the hunt with week two of "Skating With the Stars" (6.04 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and the special "CMA Country Christmas" (7.34 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "90210" (2.02 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) and "Gossip Girl" (1.98 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T13) on The CW (2.00 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Lie to Me (22.20%), Chuck (17.60%), Chase (14.30%), The Event (11.80%), 90210 (11.10% vs. 11/15/10), Gossip Girl (11.10% vs. 11/15/10), Skating With the Stars (-45.50%).

In late-night metered market ratings, NBC's "Leno" (3.3/8) took top honors ahead of CBS's "Letterman" (2.4/6) and ABC's "Nightline" (3.1/7). Rounding out the night then were "Kimmel" (1.5/5) on ABC "Ferguson" (1.3/5) on CBS and "Fallon" (1.4/5) and "Daly" (0.8/3) on NBC.

Source: Nielsen Media Research