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

Here are the highlights of the 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (3/12/15):

CBS (10.196 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.080 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "The Odd Couple" (10.741 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T2), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (9.645 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "Mom" (9.176 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) and "Elementary" (7.768 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

ABC (7.158 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "Grey's Anatomy" (7.381 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6), "Scandal" (8.281 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T2) and "American Crime" (5.812 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

Next up was FOX (8.139 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with a new "American Idol" (7.877 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and second hour of "American Idol" (8.401 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.922 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up its revised lineup of "Dateline NBC" (4.510 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12), "The Blacklist" (7.340 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "The Slap" (2.919 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.334 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13) and "Reign" (1.037 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.185 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.0 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.38% - Elementary
+4.55% - Mom
0.00% - The Blacklist
0.00% - Reign (vs. 2/19/15)
-6.38% - The Big Bang Theory
-12.50% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.33% - The Odd Couple
-13.33% - Scandal
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 2/19/15)
-19.05% - American Idol
-25.00% - The Slap
-30.00% - American Crime

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+162.50% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland)
+100.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+70.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night)
+27.78% - Mom (vs. The Crazy Ones)
+13.04% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
0.00% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Millers)
-10.20% - The Big Bang Theory
-10.53% - American Idol - 8:00 (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-11.76% - Elementary
-22.73% - American Idol - 9:00
-23.81% - Dateline NBC (vs. Community/Parks & Recreation)
-33.33% - Reign
-48.15% - American Crime (vs. Scandal)
-50.00% - The Slap (vs. Parenthood)

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," 2.2/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 3.1/8.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4 with an encore; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 2.0/6 in metered-market households and a 0.7/5 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 16 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (3/13/14):

CBS (10.579 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the top draw on Thursday for the third consecutive week thanks to new episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.259 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.9, #1), "The Millers" (11.102 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T3), "Two and a Half Men" (10.044 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T3), "The Crazy Ones" (7.013 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #8) and "Elementary" (9.030 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.7, #9).

FOX (7.016 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) then took home the silver with the return of "Hell's Kitchen" (5.272 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) and the relocated "American Idol" (8.761 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #6).

Next up was ABC (6.115 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.9, #3) with originals from "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (3.121 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.8, #14), "Grey's Anatomy" (7.130 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.3, #5) and "Scandal" (8.094 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #2).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.216 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) served up its mix of "Community" (2.895 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12), "Parks & Recreation" (2.729 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11), "Hollywood Game Night" (2.970 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T12) and "Parenthood" (3.866 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.2, #10).

And finally, a repeat "The Vampire Diaries" (1.129 million viewers, #16; adults 18-49: 0.3, #16) and a new "Reign" (1.650 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #15) on The CW (1.390 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+5.88% - The Crazy Ones
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Elementary
0.00% - Parenthood
0.00% - Community
0.00% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
-3.57% - Scandal
-3.70% - Two and a Half Men
-5.77% - The Big Bang Theory
-8.33% - Parks & Recreation
-9.09% - Hollywood Game Night
-11.54% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.33% - The Millers
-14.29% - Reign

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+125.00% - Scandal (vs. Scandal (Repeat))
+33.33% - Parenthood (vs. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeat))
+20.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
+10.00% - American Idol (vs. Glee)
+8.89% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Community
-10.34% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-11.54% - Grey's Anatomy
-21.21% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-29.17% - Elementary
-31.03% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. The Office/1600 Penn)
-31.25% - Parks & Recreation
-36.67% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-37.93% - The Crazy Ones (vs. Person of Interest)
-38.46% - Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (vs. Shark Tank (Repeat))

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," 2.9/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.2/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "Tonight," 1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.0/5.

·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 Seth Meyers" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.0/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

·At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research