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

Here are the highlights of the 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/22/14):

NBC (12.642 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) opened the 2014-15 season on top with the season premieres of "The Voice" (12.736 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.9, #3) and "The Blacklist" (12.453 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4).

CBS (13.146 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then was a close second place with the return of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.752 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 5.3, #2), a second "The Big Bang Theory" (17.985 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.4, #1), the premiere of "Scorpion" (14.008 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.3, #5) and the season finale of "Under the Dome" (7.561 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9).

Next up was FOX (6.767 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #3) with the launch of "Gotham" (7.988 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.2, #6) followed by the season premiere of "Sleepy Hollow" (5.546 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7).

Meanwhile, ABC (10.734 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #4) served up week two of "Dancing with the Stars" (11.970 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T7) alongside the special premiere of "Forever" (8.261 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

And finally, repeats of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.924 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12), another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.074 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T12) and a new "America's Next Top Model" (1.166 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) closed out the evening for The CW (1.083 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said trio posted 0.2, 0.2 and 0.4 rating, respectively.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+12.50% - Under the Dome
0.00% - America's Next Top Model
-16.67% - Dancing with the Stars

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+68.42% - Gotham (vs. Bones)
+60.00% - America's Next Top Model (vs. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Repeats))
+55.88% - The Big Bang Theory - 8:00 (vs. How I Met Your Mother)
+45.95% - The Big Bang Theory - 8:30 (vs. How I Met Your Mother)
+24.53% - Scorpion (vs. 2 Broke Girls/Mom)
0.00% - Under the Dome (vs. Hostages)
-10.53% - The Blacklist
-13.04% - Dancing with the Stars
-20.41% - The Voice
-31.82% - Forever (vs. Castle)
-35.48% - Sleepy Hollow

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

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.8/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/2.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.4/5 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" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 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 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/23/13):

NBC (13.982 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.6, #1) kicked off the 2013-14 season on top with the return of "The Voice" (14.665 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1) followed by the launch of "The Blacklist" (12.616 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.8, #2).

CBS (8.338 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2) then was a distant second place with the season premiere of "How I Met Your Mother" (9.012 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.4, #4), a second "How I Met Your Mother" (9.364 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 3.7, #3), the return of "2 Broke Girls" (8.756 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.8, #6) - its lowest-rated premiere ever - and the premieres of "Mom" (7.923 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.5, #7) and "Hostages" (7.486 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.8, #11).

Next up was FOX (7.610 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3) with week two of "Bones" (6.659 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.9, #10) and "Sleepy Hollow" (8.562 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 3.1, #5).

Meanwhile, ABC (12.737 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) served up a new "Dancing with the Stars" (13.364 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #8) alongside the season opener to "Castle" (11.485 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.2, #9).

And finally, repeats of "Hart of Dixie" (0.762 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.653 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T13) and another "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (0.728 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) on The CW (0.726 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Dixie" delivered a 0.3 rating while "Line" posted a 0.3 and a 0.4 rating.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-8.82% - Sleepy Hollow
-13.64% - Bones
-28.13% - Dancing with the Stars

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+138.46% - Sleepy Hollow (vs. The Mob Doctor)
+54.17% - How I Met Your Mother - 8:30 (vs. Partners)
+16.67% - The Voice
+8.57% - The Blacklist (vs. Revolution)
0.00% - How I Met Your Mother - 8:00
-5.26% - Hostages (vs. Hawaii Five-0)
-12.00% - Castle
-13.64% - Bones
-14.81% - Dancing with the Stars
-16.67% - Mom (vs. Mike & Molly)
-24.32% - 2 Broke Girls

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," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7 with an encore; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.3/6.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.7/3 with an encore; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.5/5 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/5 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/4 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research