NBC's DATELINE Delivers Most-Watched Thursday Telecast Since April

"Dateline NBC" (1.1/4 in 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall from 8-9 p.m. ET) delivered its top Thursday total-viewer result since April 2 (6.571 million) and finished within 0.1 of last week's 1.2 in adults 18-49, the show's top Thursday rating since April 2 (1.3).

"Dateline NBC" currently ranks #2 in the slot in women 25-54, behind only ABC, whose results are currently inflated by overrun NBA basketball on the West Coast.

"Aquarius" (0.7/2 in 18-49, 3.9 million viewers overall from 9-10 p.m. ET), facing competition from Game 1 of the NBA Finals, finished within 0.4 of last week's 1.1 rating for a two-hour series premiere in adults 18-49 and was within 0.1 of last week's result in men 18-49 (0.6 vs. 0.7).

"Aquarius" will add substantial viewership via time-shifting - last week's "Aquarius" increased by +35% in 18-49 going from L+SD to L+3 (1.05 to 1.42). In total viewers, "Aquarius" grew by 1.5 million persons (from 5.7 million to 7.2 million).

The third-season debut of "Hannibal" (0.7/2 in 18-49, 2.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) facing competition from Game 1 of the NBA Finals, ranked #2 in the time period among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults 18-49 and #2 or tied for #2 in men and women 18-49; adults and men 18-34; and adults and men 25-54.

Hannibal" retained 100% of its lead-in in adults 18-49.

Despite the 10 p.m. hour, "Hannibal" maintained its full rating from half-hour to half-hour in adults 18-49 (0.7 vs. 0.7).

"Hannibal" finished within 20% of its year-ago premiere in total viewers (2.621 million vs. 3.266 million at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014), despite last night's NBA competition and lower viewership levels in June versus the year-ago February debut.

In Late-Night Metered Markets Thursday Night:

In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 2.6/6; CBS's "Mentalist" rebroadcast, 1.6/4; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.5/8 delayed by an NBA FINALS overrun.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 0.9/4; "The Mentalist" rebroadcast, 0.3/1; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 1.1/7, delayed by an NBA FINALS overrun.

From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline," delayed by an NBA FINALS overrun, averaged a 1.7/7 in metered-market households and a 0.8/6 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) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.0/4). 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 0.6/3 in metered-market households and a 0.3/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated.

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