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

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (7/28/16):

CBS (4.991 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #1) took home another victory on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (6.739 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2), "Life in Pieces" (5.013 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3), "Big Brother 18" (5.812 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.8, #1) and "CBS News Special" (3.286 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5).

NBC (3.153 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) then was the number two draw with its special editions of "Running Wild with Bear Grylls" (2.955 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7), "Hollywood Game Night" (2.779 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7) and "NBC News Special" (3.727 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4).

Next up was ABC (3.011 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) with originals from "BattleBots" (3.392 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5), "Greatest Hits" (2.413 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and "ABC News Special" (3.228 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7).

Meanwhile, FOX (1.922 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up a new "Home Free" (1.970 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T10) and a second "Home Free" (1.875 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.5, #12).

And finally, a repeat "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (0.881 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.3, #13) and a new "Beauty and the Beast" (0.930 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.2, #14) closed out the evening on The CW (0.906 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5).

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+25.00% - Home Free
+14.29% - BattleBots
+5.88% - Big Brother 18
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast
-14.29% - Greatest Hits

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+33.33% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. Dates)
+25.00% - Home Free - 9:00 (vs. Bones (Repeat))
0.00% - BattleBots (vs. The Astronaut Wives Club)
0.00% - Home Free - 8:00 (vs. Boom!)
-10.00% - Big Brother 18
-14.29% - Greatest Hits (vs. Mistresses)
-30.00% - Hollywood Game Night (vs. Dateline NBC)

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

TBA

Here are the highlights of the 14 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (7/30/15):

CBS (5.741 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.4, #1) was the top draw on Thursday with its mix of "The Big Bang Theory" (7.155 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.5, #2), "Mom" (5.403 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.1, #3), "Big Brother 17" (6.322 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.0, #1) and "Under the Dome" (4.622 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T4).

NBC (4.894 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) then claimed the silver with originals from "Food Fighters" (3.589 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7) and "Dateline NBC" (5.547 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T4).

Next up was ABC (3.592 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #3) and its trio of "The Astronaut Wives Club" (4.028 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #6), "Mistresses" (3.112 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7) and "Rookie Blue" (3.636 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T7).

Meanwhile, FOX (2.072 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) offered up a new "Boom!" (1.863 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.6, #10) and a repeat "Bones" (2.281 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11).

And finally, new episodes of "Beauty and the Beast" (0.996 million viewers, #12; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12), "Dates" (0.573 million viewers, #13; adults 18-49: 0.1, #14) and another "Dates" (0.563 million viewers, #14; adults 18-49: 0.2, #T12) on The CW (0.782 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.2, #5) closed out the evening. In the netlet's target demo (women 18-34), said trio posted a 0.2, 0.1 and a 0.2 rating, respectively.

Week-to-week changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Dates - 9:30
+33.33% - The Astronaut Wives Club
+11.11% - Big Brother 17
0.00% - Dateline NBC
0.00% - Under the Dome
0.00% - Mistresses
0.00% - Boom!
0.00% - Beauty and the Beast
0.00% - Dates - 9:00
-12.50% - Rookie Blue
-12.50% - Food Fighters

Year-to-year changes (adults 18-49):
+100.00% - Dates - 9:30 (vs. The Originals (Repeat))
+100.00% - Beauty and the Beast (vs. The Vampire Diaries (Repeat))
+42.86% - Under the Dome (vs. Elementary (Repeat))
+20.00% - Boom! (vs. Sleepy Hollow (Repeat))
+14.29% - The Astronaut Wives Club (vs. The Quest)
+13.64% - Dateline NBC (vs. Various)
0.00% - Dates - 9:00 (vs. The Originals (Repeat))
-4.76% - Big Brother 17
-22.22% - Mistresses (vs. Rookie Blue)
-22.22% - Rookie Blue (vs. NY Med)
-30.00% - Food Fighters (vs. Hollywood Game Night)

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," 3.1/8; "CBS Summer Showcase," 1.4/4 with an encore; 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," 1.1/5; "CBS Summer Showcase," 0.3/1 with an encore; 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" (1.3/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with James Corden" (0.9/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/3 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

· 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