nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for monday, march 19, 2012)

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

NBC (10.07 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.8, #1) held off the competition on Monday thanks to new episodes of "The Voice" (11.77 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) and "Smash" (6.67 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #9) - both season lows.

ABC (16.27 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) then had to settle for second place despite the return of "Dancing With the Stars" (18.47 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #3) - its lowest-rated premiere ever - and a new "Castle" (11.86 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.4, #8).

Next up was CBS (9.47 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.1, #T2) and its original mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (8.15 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T4) - tied as its season low, "2 Broke Girls" (9.19 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.4, #T4) - a series low, "Two and a Half Men" (11.34 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2), "Mike & Molly" (9.83 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6) and "Hawaii Five-0" (9.14 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7) - tied as its season low.

Meanwhile, FOX (5.43 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) offered up new episodes of "House" (5.78 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #10) and "Alcatraz" (5.07 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11).

And finally, repeats of "America's Next Top Model" (0.81 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Hart of Dixie" (0.69 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #13) closed out the night on The CW (0.75 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Top Model" delivered a 0.4 rating while "Dixie" posted a 0.3 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+10.34% - Mike & Molly (vs. 2/27/12)
+9.09% - Castle (vs. 2/27/12)
+5.56% - Two and a Half Men (vs. 2/27/12)
0.00% - Hawaii Five-0 (vs. 2/27/12)
-4.17% - Smash
-5.56% - How I Met Your Mother (vs. 2/27/12)
-6.25% - Alcatraz
-8.11% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. 2/27/12)
-11.76% - The Voice
-13.04% - House (vs. 2/20/12)

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+233.33% - The Voice (vs. Chuck/The Event)
+47.83% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Mad Love)
+46.15% - Two and a Half Men
+43.75% - Smash (vs. Harry's Law)
+17.24% - How I Met Your Mother
+6.67% - Mike & Molly
-13.79% - Hawaii Five-0
-21.05% - Alcatraz (vs. The Chicago Code)
-27.27% - Castle
-31.37% - Dancing With the Stars
-41.18% - House

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," 3.1/8; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.5/8; 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," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/3; "Nightline," 1.0/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) trailed 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) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/3 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 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 (3/21/11):

ABC (19.08 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1) surged to the top spot on Monday thanks to the return of "Dancing With the Stars" (22.27 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.1, #1) and a new "Castle" (12.70 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #3).

CBS (8.81 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "How I Met Your Mother" (7.95 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T5), "Mad Love" (6.55 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8), a repeat of "Two and a Half Men" (9.14 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #7), "Mike & Molly" (9.63 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) and "Hawaii Five-0" (9.79 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #T5). "Mother" and "Molly" were both at season lows.

Next up was FOX (7.81 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) with originals of "House" (9.31 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #2) and "The Chicago Code" (6.31 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.9, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.53 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) offered up new episodes of "Chuck" (4.32 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.5, #11), "The Event" (4.05 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.2, #12) and "Harry's Law" (8.21 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.6, #10) - all of which once again matched or hit new series lows.

And finally, repeats of "90210" (0.78 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and "Gossip Girl" (0.53 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) on The CW (0.65 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) rounded out the evening.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49): Castle (17.90% vs. 2/28/11), Mad Love (9.50% vs. 2/28/11), Hawaii Five-0 (7.40% vs. 2/21/11), The Chicago Code (0.00%), The Event (0.00%), House (-2.90%), Harry's Law (-5.90%), Chuck (-6.30%), Mike & Molly (-11.80% vs. 2/28/11), How I Met Your Mother (-14.70% vs. 2/28/11).

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.7/7; and ABC's combo of "Nightline," 3.6/9; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/6.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.9/4; "Nightline," 1.2/5; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3.

At 12:35 a.m., "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/5 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.5/3 with an encore).

At 1:35 a.m., Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research