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 (4/30/15):

ABC (7.040 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) was the network to beat among adults 18-49 on Thursday with a new "Grey's Anatomy" (8.680 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.5, #3), a second hour of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.676 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) and "American Crime" (3.765 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #9).

CBS (8.849 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then was a close second with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (13.448 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1), "The Odd Couple" (9.284 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4), "Mom" (8.848 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #T4), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (7.640 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.7, #6) and "Elementary" (6.937 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7).

Next up was NBC (4.895 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with a repeat "The Blacklist" (3.166 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13) alongside new episodes of "The Blacklist" (6.436 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T7) and "Dateline NBC" (5.084 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.506 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) served up a new "Bones" (4.177 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T10) and the season finale of "Backstrom" (2.835 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #12).

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (1.222 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T13) and "Reign" (0.854 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.3, #15) on The CW (1.038 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), the former delivered a 0.7 rating at 8:00/7:00c and the latter a 0.4 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.04% - Grey's Anatomy
+11.11% - American Crime
+5.26% - Mom
0.00% - The Odd Couple
0.00% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Reign
-7.69% - Elementary
-8.57% - The Big Bang Theory
-10.00% - Bones
-10.71% - Grey's Anatomy
-12.50% - Backstrom
-14.29% - The Blacklist
-16.67% - The Vampire Diaries

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+177.78% - Grey's Anatomy - 8:00 (vs. Grey's Anatomy (Repeat))
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy - 9:00
-4.76% - Mom (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-4.76% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Millers)
-23.08% - American Crime (vs. Black Box)
-25.00% - Elementary
-27.27% - The Big Bang Theory
-28.57% - The Vampire Diaries
-29.41% - The Blacklist (vs. iHeartRadio Music Awards)
-40.00% - Reign
-43.75% - Bones (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-44.00% - Backstrom (vs. American Idol/Surviving Jack)
-47.06% - Dateline NBC (vs. iHeartRadio Music Awards)

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," 2.6/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.6/7; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.9/5.

·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," 0.6/3.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.3/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

·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.

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (5/1/14):

CBS (9.429 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #1) was still to top draw on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.687 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "The Millers" (9.579 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3), "Two and a Half Men" (9.161 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3), "Bad Teacher" (6.521 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and "Elementary" (7.817 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6).

NBC (5.449 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #2) then snagged the silver with its presentation of the "iHeartRadio Music Awards" (5.449 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #5).

Next up was ABC (6.080 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with a repeat of "Grey's Anatomy" (4.141 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #12) followed by new episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" (8.693 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #2) and "Black Box" (5.405 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.927 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.4, #4) served up originals from "Hell's Kitchen" (4.441 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.6, #T6), "American Idol" (6.917 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.5, #T8) and "Surviving Jack" (3.910 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11)

And finally, originals from "The Vampire Diaries" (1.816 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13) and "Reign" (1.424 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.5, #14) on The CW (1.620 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the night. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.6 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+13.04% - Grey's Anatomy
+2.33% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Elementary
0.00% - Surviving Jack
0.00% - The Vampire Diaries
0.00% - Reign
-5.88% - Hell's Kitchen
-13.33% - Black Box
-16.00% - The Millers
-16.00% - Two and a Half Men
-16.67% - American Idol
-28.57% - Bad Teacher

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+21.43% - iHeartRadio Music Awards (vs. Various)
0.00% - Reign (vs. Beauty and the Beast)
-4.35% - The Big Bang Theory
-10.34% - Grey's Anatomy
-12.50% - Two and a Half Men (vs. Person of Interest)
-16.67% - American Idol (vs. Glee)
-20.00% - Elementary
-22.22% - The Vampire Diaries
-32.26% - The Millers (vs. Two and a Half Men)
-36.00% - Hell's Kitchen (vs. American Idol)
-37.50% - Bad Teacher (vs. Person of Interest)
-44.44% - Surviving Jack (vs. Glee)
-50.00% - Black Box (vs. Scandal)

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," 2.7/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/6.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,"1.1/5; "Late Show," 0.5/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/3.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/5 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

·From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.2/4 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 0.8/3 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