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

Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/17/15):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (15.186 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.0, #1) was of course the network to beat on Thursday with the return of "Thursday Night Football" (15.969 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 5.3, #1). Opening the night was a half-hour "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (11.270 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.3, #2) special.

NBC (5.246 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2) then was a distant second place with its specials "Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood" (6.411 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and "Mat Franco's Got Magic" (4.664 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4).

Next up was ABC (2.875 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with repeats of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.284 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "Scandal" (3.012 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.328 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.369 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) served up the feature "Scream 3" (1.369 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #7).

And finally, The CW (1.005 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) offered up special repeats of "The Flash" (1.096 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9) and "Arrow" (0.914 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T9). In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said duo posted a 0.3 and a 0.3 rating, respectively.

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+60.61% - Thursday Night Football
+4.76% - Mat Franco's Got Magic (vs. The Biggest Loser/The Mysteries of Laura)
-7.69% - Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood (vs. The Biggest Loser)

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," 2.8/7; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.4/8, delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.7/4.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/5; "Late Show," 0.9/6, delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.1/4 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" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.4/6, delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.5/5, delayed by an NFL overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (9/18/14):

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the nature of live sports, Fast Nationals for CBS are approximate.]

CBS (9.017 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) was the top draw on Thursday thanks to week two of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (7.887 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and "Thursday Night Football" (9.243 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.3, #1).

The silver then went to NBC (4.384 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.2, #2) with a special two-hour "The Biggest Loser" (4.575 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) alongside a repeat of "The Mysteries of Laura" (4.001 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4).

Next up was ABC (3.591 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its repeat lineup of "Grey's Anatomy" (3.615 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5), "Scandal" (3.350 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #7) and another "Scandal" (3.809 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.089 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) served up rebroadcasts of "Sleepy Hollow" (2.056 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8) and another "Sleepy Hollow" (2.122 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T8).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.598 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) and "The Originals" (0.603 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) on The CW (0.600 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 0.3 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Originals" a 0.3 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

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," 3.0/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.4/5 with an encore delayed by an NFL overrun; 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," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.4/3 with an encore delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.5/3.

·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" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (0.9/4 delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/3 delayed by an NFL overrun).

·At 1:35 a.m. ET , "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research