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

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/16/17):

FOX (1.777 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and NBC (2.697 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared the demo crown on Saturday as the former served up "UFC on FOX" (1.777 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

The Peacock then offered up its mix of "Will & Grace" (2.127 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #9), "Superstore" (1.956 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.185 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.865 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

Next up was CBS (3.611 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and its lineup of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.641 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "SWAT" (3.256 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and "48 Hours" (3.937 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

And finally, ABC (1.819 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) rounded out the night with "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!" (2.549 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), the return of "Ten Days in the Valley" (1.533 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and a second "Ten Days in the Valley" (1.376 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has generated its top metered-market household rating since Nov. 4, to match the show's second-highest overnight result of the season.

· In adult 18-49 rating in the local people meters, "SNL" equaled its high since Oct. 14.

· The Dec. 16 telecast, hosted by Kevin Hart and featuring musical guest Foo Fighters, has averaged a 4.6 rating, 11 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.0/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 4.6 in households is the best for "Saturday Night Live" since Nov. 4 (4.7 with host Larry David and musical guest Miley Cyrus) and ties the Oct. 14 edition as the #2 highest rated of the season.

· The 2.0 in 18-49 ties last week and the Nov. 18 telecast as the show's high in the local people meters since Oct. 14 (2.2 with host Kumail Nanjiani and musical guest P!nk).

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was easily the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, nearly doubling the night's best primetime household rating on those nets (4.6 vs. 2.4 for "48 Hours") and nearly tripling primetime's top Big 4 adult 18-49 LPM rating (2.0 vs. 0.7 for the "SNL Vintage" encore at 10 p.m.).

· The Dec. 16 "SNL" aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and was replayed at 11:30 in western markets. Note that these numbers under-report last night's "SNL" results because they don't include viewership from the show's 11:30 replays in the Western U.S.

Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/17/16):

NBC (3.936 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #1) was the top draw on a modest Saturday with encores of "A Pentatonix Christmas Special" (3.696 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special" (4.056 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1).

The silver then went to FOX (2.694 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) and its coverage of "UFC on FOX" (2.694 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2).

Next up was ABC (3.502 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) and its mix of "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown" (2.844 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5), "20/20 Saturday" (3.352 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and a second "20/20 Saturday" (4.311 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

And finally, CBS (3.269 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) opted for the feature "The Big Game" (3.329 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and a new "48 Hours" (3.148 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has scored the show's highest metered-market ratings since Nov. 12.

· The Dec. 17 telecast, with host Casey Affleck and musical guest Chance The Rapper, scored a 4.9 rating, 12 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.4/12 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· These are the strongest "Saturday Night Live" local-market ratings since the Nov. 12 telecast, which was the first "SNL" to follow the Presidential election. Featuring host Dave Chappelle and musical guest A Tribe Called Quest, the Nov. 12 edition averaged a 6.2 household rating and a 3.9 in 18-49 in the local people meters.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" is up +14% versus the show's December 2015 average for original telecasts in both metered-market households (4.9 vs. 4.3) and 18-49 in the local people meters (2.4 vs. 2.1 for December 2015).

· Both the 4.9 rating in households and the 2.4 in 18-49 beat results for the final 10 "Saturday Night Live" originals from last season.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 telecast of the night on the broadcast networks, outrating every Saturday primetime telecast on those nets.

· National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night's "Saturday Night Live" are due from Nielsen on Tuesday.

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals so far this season growing by +59% in 18-49 and +3.438 million persons or +45% in total viewers nationally going from "live plus same day" Nielsens to "live plus seven day" figures. In L+SD, "SNL" this season has averaged a 2.29 rating in 18-49 nationally and 7.655 million viewers overall, and in L+7, "SNL" has grown to a 3.65 in 18-49 and 11.093 million viewers.

· Versus the same point last season, "SNL" originals are up +34% in 18-49 nationally (3.65 vs. 2.73) and +2.701 million persons or +32% in total viewers (11.093 million vs. 8.392 million).

· The average 11.093 million viewers in L+7 makes this the show's most-watched season at this point in 24 years (versus prior seasons' original telecasts through comparable dates), best since 1992 (12.097 million for that season's first eight originals).

· The 3.65 average in L+7 adults 18-49 rating nationally average is the show's best performances in the demo at this point since 2008 (4.40 for that season's first ten originals).

Source: Nielsen Media Research