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

Here are the highlights of the 12 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (9/24/15):

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

CBS (12.242 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.0, #1) held onto the top spot on Thursday with its coverage of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (9.058 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T4) and "Thursday Night Football" (12.879 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.3, #1).

ABC (9.341 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) then had to settle for second place despite the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (9.449 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), "Scandal" (10.176 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 3.2, #2) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (8.399 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T4).

Next up was NBC (5.639 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with the launch of "Heroes Reborn" (6.491 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.0, #6), a second "Heroes Reborn" (5.571 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.9, #7) and "The Player" (4.856 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.2, #8).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.067 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up an encore of "Scream Queens" (2.257 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.8, #9) and a second "Scream Queens" (1.877 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #10).

And finally, repeats of "The Flash" (1.144 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11) and "Arrow" (0.774 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.3, #12) on The CW (0.959 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.3, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said duo posted a 0.4 and a 0.2 rating, respectively.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
-18.87% - Thursday Night Football
-21.21% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+53.85% - Heroes Reborn - 8:00 (vs. The Biggest Loser)
+46.15% - Heroes Reborn - 9:00 (vs. The Biggest Loser)
-3.70% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game
-4.44% - Thursday Night Football
-6.67% - Grey's Anatomy
-14.29% - The Player (vs. Parenthood)
-15.79% - Scandal
-31.58% - How to Get Away with Murder

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; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 2.2/8, delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.5/7.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.0/5; "Late Show," 0.7/5, delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.9/5.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/3 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" (1.1/5, delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/3, delayed by an NFL overrun).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 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 (9/25/14):

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

CBS (11.859 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.2, #1) held onto the demo crown on Thursday with its presentation of "Thursday Night Football Pre-Game" (8.450 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.7, #5) and "Thursday Night Football" (12.541 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1).

ABC (11.900 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #2) then was the most-watched network with the return of "Grey's Anatomy" (9.776 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 3.0, #4) and "Scandal" (11.916 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 3.8, #T2) followed by the launch of "How to Get Away with Murder" (14.007 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.8, #T2).

Next up was NBC (4.399 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.3, #3) with a new "The Biggest Loser" (4.467 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #8) and the season premiere of "Parenthood" (4.262 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.4, #7).

Meanwhile, FOX (4.342 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up the season opener to "Bones" (6.218 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.6, #6) alongside a rebroadcast of "Sleepy Hollow" (2.466 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #9).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.641 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) and "The Originals" (0.568 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T10) on The CW (0.604 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #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 "Originals" a 0.1 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+47.83% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game
+36.36% - Thursday Night Football
0.00% - The Biggest Loser

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+114.29% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (Repeat))
+33.14% - Thursday Night Football (vs. Various)
+15.15% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
+11.76% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. Scandal)
-12.50% - Parenthood
-20.00% - Bones (vs. The X Factor)
-22.62% - The Biggest Loser (vs. Various)
-49.06% - Thursday Night Football Pre-Game (vs. The Big Bang Theory)

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," 2.5/7; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.1/7 delayed by an NFL overrun; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 3.0/8.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.8/5 delayed by an NFL overrun; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.2/6.

·From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET , ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.7/6 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" (1.2/4 in metered-market households) trailed CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.3/6 delayed by an NFL overrun). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) trailed "Late Late Show" (0.6/5 delayed by an NFL overrun).

·At 1:35 a.m. ET , "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.7/3 in metered-market households and a 0.2/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research