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 (3/10/16):

CBS (8.225 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) edged out the competition on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (14.489 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.5, #1), "Life in Pieces" (8.824 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2), "Mom" (8.054 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4), "2 Broke Girls" (6.683 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #7) and the Sunday-bound "Elementary" (5.651 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 1.1, #10).

FOX (7.960 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #2) then was the number two draw with new episodes of "American Idol" (7.967 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4) and another "American Idol" (7.954 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.8, #T4).

Next up was ABC (6.121 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) and its trio of "Grey's Anatomy" (7.574 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.1, #T2), "Scandal" (6.002 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.6, #8) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (4.789 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #9).

Meanwhile, NBC (3.442 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) offered up its combination of a new "You, Me and the Apocalypse" (2.367 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #14), a repeat "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.096 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and a new "Shades of Blue" (4.863 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.0, #11).

And finally, originals from "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (2.058 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T12) and "The 100" (1.254 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.656 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #5) closed out the night.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+20.00% - You, Me and the Apocalypse
+16.67% - Life in Pieces
+5.88% - Mom
0.00% - 2 Broke Girls
0.00% - How to Get Away with Murder
0.00% - Elementary
0.00% - Shades of Blue
-4.55% - Grey's Anatomy
-5.26% - American Idol - 8:00
-5.26% - American Idol - 9:00
-5.41% - The Big Bang Theory (vs. 2/25/16)
-5.88% - Scandal (vs. 2/25/16)
-20.00% - The 100
-22.22% - DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+66.67% - Shades of Blue (vs. The Slap)
+16.67% - DC's Legends of Tomorrow (vs. The Vampire Diaries)
+5.88% - American Idol - 8:00
+5.88% - American Idol - 9:00
0.00% - How to Get Away with Murder (vs. American Crime)
0.00% - Grey's Anatomy
0.00% - The 100 (vs. Reign)
-18.18% - Mom (vs. The Big Bang Theory (Repeat))
-19.23% - Life in Pieces (vs. The Odd Couple)
-20.45% - The Big Bang Theory
-25.00% - You, Me and the Apocalypse (vs. Dateline NBC)
-26.09% - 2 Broke Girls (vs. Mom)
-26.67% - Elementary
-38.46% - 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," 2.0/5 with an encore telecast; "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," 1.9/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/5.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.6/3 with an encore; "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 1.3/4 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" (1.0/4 in metered-market households with an encore) ties CBS's first-run "Late Late Show" (1.0./4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.4/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/2).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.6/3 in metered-market households with an encore 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 (3/12/15):

CBS (10.196 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.4, #1) was the network to beat on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (16.080 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 4.4, #1), "The Odd Couple" (10.741 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T2), a repeat "The Big Bang Theory" (9.645 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.2, #5), "Mom" (9.176 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 2.3, #4) and "Elementary" (7.768 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 1.5, #10).

ABC (7.158 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 2.0, #2) then took home the silver with originals from "Grey's Anatomy" (7.381 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 2.1, #6), "Scandal" (8.281 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 2.6, #T2) and "American Crime" (5.812 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 1.4, #11).

Next up was FOX (8.139 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.7, #3) with a new "American Idol" (7.877 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and second hour of "American Idol" (8.401 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7).

Meanwhile, NBC (4.922 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.0, #4) served up its revised lineup of "Dateline NBC" (4.510 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.8, #12), "The Blacklist" (7.340 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.7, #T7) and "The Slap" (2.919 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13).

And finally, new episodes of "The Vampire Diaries" (1.334 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T13) and "Reign" (1.037 million viewers, #15; adults 18-49: 0.4, #15) on The CW (1.185 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), "Diaries" delivered a 1.0 rating at 8:00/7:00c and "Reign" a 0.5 rating at 9:00/8:00c.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+15.38% - Elementary
+4.55% - Mom
0.00% - The Blacklist
0.00% - Reign (vs. 2/19/15)
-6.38% - The Big Bang Theory
-12.50% - Grey's Anatomy
-13.33% - The Odd Couple
-13.33% - Scandal
-14.29% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. 2/19/15)
-19.05% - American Idol
-25.00% - The Slap
-30.00% - American Crime

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+162.50% - Grey's Anatomy (vs. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland)
+100.00% - The Vampire Diaries (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+70.00% - The Blacklist (vs. Hollywood Game Night)
+27.78% - Mom (vs. The Crazy Ones)
+13.04% - Scandal (vs. Grey's Anatomy)
0.00% - The Odd Couple (vs. The Millers)
-10.20% - The Big Bang Theory
-10.53% - American Idol - 8:00 (vs. Hell's Kitchen)
-11.76% - Elementary
-22.73% - American Idol - 9:00
-23.81% - Dateline NBC (vs. Community/Parks & Recreation)
-33.33% - Reign
-48.15% - American Crime (vs. Scandal)
-50.00% - The Slap (vs. Parenthood)

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," 2.2/6 with an encore telecast; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 1.9/5; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 3.1/8.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4 with an encore; "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 2.0/6 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" (1.1/4 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/3 with an encore). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.3/2 with an encore).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/3 with an encore in metered-market households and a 0.3/2 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

Source: Nielsen Media Research