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

Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/6/18):

ABC (4.441 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1) was the network to beat last night with its weekly installment of "Saturday Night College Football" (4.441 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #1).

CBS (2.874 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the number two draw with its mix of "The Neighborhood" (2.773 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3), "Happy Together" (2.164 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6), "God Friended Me" (2.576 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6) and a new "48 Hours" (3.579 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2).

Sharing the silver was NBC (2.849 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with a new "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.077 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.392 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

And finally, "CFB on FOX" (1.410 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6) rounded out the evening on FOX (1.410 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4).

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

· The Oct. 6 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Awkwafina and featuring musical guest Travis Scott, averaged a 4.2 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7/8 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· "Saturday Night Live" ranked as the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and in adults 18-49 in the local people meters, outrating every Saturday primetime program on those nets in both categories.

· Versus what "Saturday Night Live" averaged with originals for the month of October last year, the Oct. 6 telecast maintained 100% in both meter-market households (4.2 vs. 4.2) and in 18-49 in the local people meters (1.7 vs. 1.7 for October 2017). The year-ago Week 2 "SNL" scored a 4.4/10 in metered-market households and a 1.7/8 in the local people meters with host Kumail Nanjiani and musicil guest P!nk.

Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/7/17):

ABC (6.285 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1) continued its reign on Saturday with its coverage of "Saturday Night College Football" (6.285 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.9, #1).

CBS (3.277 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the silver draw with its trio of "Wisdom of the Crowd" (2.874 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6), "NCIS: New Orleans" (3.256 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3) and "48 Hours" (3.701 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

Next up was NBC (2.640 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its mix of "Will & Grace" (1.964 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9), "Superstore" (2.001 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.292 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.646 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T3).

And finally, FOX (1.474 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) rounded out the night with "CFB on FOX" (1.474 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T6).

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

The Oct. 7 telecast of "Saturday Night Live" has generated the show's second-biggest Week 2 overall viewership in five years, trailing over that span only last year's election-fueled result, according to "fast official" "live plus same day" results from Nielsen Media Research.

With a telecast hosted by Gal Gadot and featuring musical guest Sam Smith, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged 6.802 million viewers overall and a 1.76 rating in adults 18-49.

The Oct. 7 edition, which aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and counted unduplicated viewers from 11:30 encores in western markets, generated the show's second-biggest overall audience for the second "SNL" original telecast of a season since Sept. 22, 2012, when the episode hosted by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and featuring musical guest Mumford & Sons, averaged 6.912 million.

Source: Nielsen Media Research