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 (2/25/16):

FOX (8.661 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.1, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with a new "American Idol" (8.643 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.0, #5) and a second hour of "American Idol" (8.680 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3).

CBS (8.542 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.9, #2) then claimed the silver with the 200th episode of "The Big Bang Theory" (15.684 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.7, #1) followed by new episodes of "Life in Pieces" (9.421 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2), "Mom" (7.972 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #6), "2 Broke Girls" (6.578 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "Elementary" (5.797 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #11).

Next up was ABC (5.994 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #3) and its trio of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.208 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T3), "Scandal" (5.884 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (4.890 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 1.5, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.470 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) offered up fresh installments from "You, Me and the Apocalypse" (2.580 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14), "The Blacklist" (5.856 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.3, #10) and "Shades of Blue" (4.976 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.0, #12).

And finally, new episodes of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (2.463 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.9, #13) and "The 100" (1.422 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T14) on The CW (1.942 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.7, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - The 100
+13.33% - 2 Broke Girls
+12.50% - DC's Legends of Tomorrow
+10.00% - Elementary
+7.14% - How to Get Away with Murder
+5.26% - American Idol - 8:00
+5.00% - American Idol - 9:00
+4.76% - Life in Pieces
0.00% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - Scandal
0.00% - The Blacklist
0.00% - You, Me and the Apocalypse
-4.55% - Grey's Anatomy
-9.09% - Shades of Blue

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+200.00% - DC's Legends of Tomorrow (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+200.00% - The 100 (vs. Supernatural (Repeat))
+133.33% - American Idol - 9:00 (vs. Backstrom)
+25.00% - Shades of Blue (vs. Allegiance)
+10.00% - Elementary (vs. Victoria's Secret Swim Special)
-4.55% - Grey's Anatomy
-4.76% - American Idol - 8:00
-14.29% - You, Me and the Apocalypse (vs. The Slap)
-14.29% - Mom (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-17.78% - The Big Bang Theory
-19.05% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Mom)
-21.43% - Life in Pieces (vs. The Odd Couple)
-27.78% - The Blacklist
-37.04% - Scandal (vs. How to Get Away with Murder)
-48.28% - 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," 2.3/6; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.8/5; 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," 0.8/4; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.7/4.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/5 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" (1.1/4 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (0.9/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· 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 15 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (2/26/15):

ABC (8.472 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #1) was the demo champ on Thursday thanks to a new "Grey's Anatomy" (7.472 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5) followed by part one of the "How to Get Away with Murder" (8.673 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.7, #4) season finale and part two of the "How to Get Away with Murder" (9.272 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.9, #2) season finale.

CBS (8.740 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.2, #2) then claimed the silver with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.333 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.5, #1), "The Odd Couple" (11.040 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.8, #3), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (8.879 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6), the relocated "Mom" (8.155 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and its special "Victoria's Secret Swim Special" (4.018 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #10).

Next up was FOX (6.516 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.5, #3) with fresh installments from "American Idol" (9.269 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T6) and "Backstrom" (3.763 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.9, #11).

Meanwhile, NBC (5.029 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #4) offered up originals from "The Slap" (3.624 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #13), "The Blacklist" (7.854 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.8, #9) and "Allegiance" (3.609 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12).

And finally, repeats of "The Vampire Diaries" (0.761 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #14) and "Supernatural" (0.669 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.2, #15) on The CW (0.715 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 "Supernatural" a 0.2 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+5.88% - The Blacklist
+3.57% - How to Get Away with Murder - 10:00
+2.27% - The Big Bang Theory
0.00% - American Idol
0.00% - Mom
0.00% - Backstrom
-9.68% - The Odd Couple
-11.11% - Allegiance
-12.00% - Grey's Anatomy
-12.50% - The Slap

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+120.00% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Countdown to the Oscars)
+50.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night)
+12.50% - Backstrom (vs. Rake)
+10.53% - Mom (vs. The Crazy Ones)
0.00% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Millers)
-8.16% - The Big Bang Theory
-8.70% - American Idol
-10.00% - How to Get Away with Murder - 9:00 (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
-12.12% - How to Get Away with Murder - 10:00 (vs. Scandal)
-27.27% - Allegiance (vs. Parenthood)
-30.00% - The Slap (vs. Community/Parks & Recreation)
-37.50% - Victoria's Secret Swim Special (vs. Elementary)

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," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.7/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.6/7.

·In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.3/7; "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 1.6/5 in metered-market households and a 0.5/4 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" (1.0/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.6/4 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 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research