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

Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (5/17/14):

NBC (4.375 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) was the top draw on the final Saturday of the May sweeps period with "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (4.901 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) and a repeat of "Saturday Night Live" (3.325 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1).

CBS (3.140 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) then claimed the silver with repeats of "2 Broke Girls" (2.247 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "Friends with Better Lives" (1.837 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7), "48 Hours" (2.488 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and a new "48 Hours" (4.891 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

Next up was ABC (2.430 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) with a rebroadcast of "Spider-Man 2.1" (2.430 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #4).

And finally, encores of "Kitchen Nightmares" (1.339 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T7) and "The Following" (0.787 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #9) on FOX (1.063 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the evening.

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

· "Saturday Night Live," with host Andy Samberg and musical guest St. Vincent, averaged a 4.0/10 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 2.1/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, making it the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in metered-market households and in 18-49 in the Local People Meters, ahead of all primetime programs on the Big 4 networks in both measures.

· It's the top "Saturday Night Live" in metered-market households since April 5 (with host Anna Kendrick and musical guest Pharrell, 4.0/10) and equals the "SNL" high since March 8 (with host Lena Dunham and musical guest The National, 4.1/11).

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, this week's 2.1 rating is the show's high since April 12 (with host Seth Rogen and musical guest Ed Sheeran, 2.1/10) and matches the high since April 5 (with host Anna Kendrick and musical guest Pharrell, 2.2/10).

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/18/13):

FOX (2.602 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) was the top demo draw on Saturday with repeats of its Spike TV bound "Cops" (2.355 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5), another "Cops" (2.682 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3), yet another "Cops" (2.669 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1) and even more "Cops" (2.702 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1).

ABC (3.054 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) then took home the silver with a new "Bet on Your Baby" (1.989 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10) and its two-hour special "20/20: Rock 'n' Royalty: Billboard's All-Stars" (3.586 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

Next up was NBC (2.187 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) with rebroadcasts of "Grimm" (1.847 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10), "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2.430 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.6, #8) and "Saturday Night Live" (2.284 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

And finally, repeats of "Elementary" (2.472 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) and "Criminal Minds" (3.158 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #9) plus a new "48 Hours" (3.921 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T3) on CBS (3.183 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) rounded out the night.

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

* "Saturday Night Live," with host Ben Affleck and musical guest Kanye West (4.7/12 in metered-market households) dominated its time period, delivering the top rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters. "SNL" earned its highest rating in metered-market households since April 6 (4.8 for a telecast hosted by Melissa McCarthy with musical guest Phoenix).

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.7 rating, 13 share in adults 18-49. "SNL" posted the top rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters, out-rating all primetime programming on those networks. In fact, "SNL" more than tripled the highest primetime 18-49 rating on those networks (0.8/3 each for ABC's "20/20" and Fox's 9:30 "Cops"). "SNL" matched its highest 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters since April 13 (2.8 for an edition hosted by Vince Vaughn with musical guest Miguel).

Source: Nielsen Media Research