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

Here are the highlights of the 10 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/8/18):

CBS (3.721 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) took home top honors on Saturday with its holiday mix of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (4.079 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1), "Frosty the Snowman" (3.765 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1), "Frosty Returns" (2.929 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) and "48 Hours" (3.737 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5).

NBC (3.497 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #2) then was the silver draw with its lineup of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.396 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #7), another "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.739 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T5) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (3.357 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3).

Next up was FOX (1.333 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #3) with its coverage of "MLS Cup 2018" (3.737 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #8).

And finally, a rebroadcast of "The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition" (1.793 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.3, #9) and the relocated "The Alec Baldwin Show" (1.053 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.2, #10) rounded out the night on ABC (1.546 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· The Dec. 8 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Jason Momoa and musical guest Mumford & Sons, averaged a 4.3 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 1.7/9 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 1.7 rating in 18-49 equals "SNL's" high since the show's Sept. 29 season premiere (2.3 with host Adam Driver and musical guest Kanye West).

· The Dec. 8 "Saturday Night Live" easily ranks the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime shows on those nets in both categories. The 1.7 rating in 18-49 in the local people meters nearly doubles the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 (0.9 for the 10 p.m. "SNL Vintage" encore).

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/9/17):

CBS (3.543 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #1) pulled in front on Saturday with its holiday mix of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (4.059 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1), "Frosty the Snowman" (3.730 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #T1), "Frosty Returns" (2.896 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and "48 Hours" (3.258 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

ABC (3.098 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) then was the silver draw thanks to the feature "Mary Poppins" (3.098 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T6).

Next up was NBC (2.759 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and its lineup of "Will & Grace" (1.999 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8), "Superstore" (1.926 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T8), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.415 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.900 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T3).

And finally, repeats of "The Gifted" (1.086 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11) and "Lethal Weapon" (1.333 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) on FOX (1.209 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.2, #4) rounded out the night.

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has delivered the show's highest 18-49 rating in the local people meters since Oct. 14 and its best household rating in Nielsen's metered markets since Nov. 4.

· The Dec. 9 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by James Franco and featuring musical guest SZA, has averaged a 4.5 rating, 10 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.1/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 4.5 in households is the best for "Saturday Night Live" since Nov. 4 (4.7 with host Larry David and musical guest Miley Cyrus) and the 2.1 in 18-49 is the show's high in the local people meters since Oct. 14 (2.2 with host Kumail Nanjiani and musical guest P!nk).

· "Saturday Night Live" was the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, ahead of all primetime programs on those networks in both categories.

· Among "SNL's" eighth original telecasts of each season, this is the highest-rated in nine years in metered-market households (since Nov. 15, 2008, 4.9 with host Paul Rudd and musical guest Beyonce).

· The Dec. 9 "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.

Source: Nielsen Media Research