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 (9/21/15):

NBC (11.645 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.4, #1) kicked off the 2015-16 season on top with the return of "The Voice" (12.143 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) and the debut of "Blindspot" (10.648 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 3.1, #3).

The silver then went to CBS (11.211 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.3, #2) and its opening lineup of "The Big Bang Theory" (17.784 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "Life in Pieces" (11.519 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4), "Scorpion" (10.986 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) and "NCIS: Los Angeles" (7.996 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Next up was ABC (10.109 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.6, #3) with a new "Dancing with the Stars" (11.617 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6) alongside the season premiere of "Castle" (7.094 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T8).

Meanwhile, FOX (3.792 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.3, #4) offered up the return of "Gotham" (4.494 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.6, #7) and the launch of "Minority Report" (3.090 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

And finally, originals from "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (1.342 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T11), "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (1.320 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T11) and "Significant Mother" (0.882 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) on The CW (1.221 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said trio posted a 0.2, 0.4 and a 0.3 rating, respectively.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+50.00% - Significant Mother
+33.33% - Whose Line Is It Anyway?
-20.00% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us
-21.74% - Dancing with the Stars

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Penn & Teller: Fool Us (vs. Whose Line Is It Anyway? (Repeats))
0.00% - Whose Line Is It Anyway? (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-8.82% - Blindspot (vs. The Blacklist)
-10.00% - Dancing with the Stars
-10.26% - The Voice
-15.09% - The Big Bang Theory
-20.00% - Castle (vs. Forever)
-25.00% - Significant Mother (vs. America's Next Top Model)
-33.33% - Scorpion
-33.33% - NCIS: Los Angeles (vs. Under the Dome)
-45.00% - Minority Report (vs. Sleepy Hollow)
-50.00% - Life in Pieces (vs. The Big Bang Theory)
-50.00% - Gotham

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; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.5/7; 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," 1.2/6; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.4/2.

· 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" (1.0/4). 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 0.8/4 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 13 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research