Jay Leno Wraps with Biggest TONIGHT SHOW Week in Total Viewers Since 'Cheers'

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" has concluded its run with the show's best weekly average in total viewers since the week of the "Cheers" finale 20 years ago, while "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" has completed its run with the biggest total-viewer average for the "Late Night" franchise since the week of Johnny Carson's last "Tonight Show" in May 1992.

For its final week, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" averaged a 1.9 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49 and 8.289 million viewers overall, for the top "Tonight" total-viewer average since the week of May 17-21, 1993 (9.080 million for the week of the "Cheers" finale) and the show's best 18-49 weekly delivery since Jan. 18-22, 2010 (2.3 for Conan O'Brien's final week of "Tonight Show" originals). For the week, "Tonight" generated its biggest percentage margins ever over "Late Show with David Letterman" and the 11:35 p.m. edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 18-49 and total viewers.

Following Primetime Sochi Olympics coverage, the Thursday finale of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" delivered a 3.8/16 in adults 18-49 and 14.637 million viewers overall in "live plus same day" official nationals from Nielsen Media Research, making it the show's biggest telecast in total viewers in more than 15 years, since May 14, 1998 (the night of the "Seinfeld" finale, when Jerry Seinfeld appeared). It was "Tonight's" top 18-49 rating since Friday, Jan. 22, 2010 (4.4, O'Brien's final "Tonight") and best Thursday telecast since March, 19, 2009 (3.8, appearance by President Barack Obama).

The final week of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (featuring "Best Of" installments on Monday through Wednesday and a 12:05-1:05 a.m. ET Friday finale following Primetime coverage of the Sochi Olympics Opening Ceremony) generated a 1.3/7 in adults 18-49 and 4.202 million viewers overall. It was the franchise's best total-viewer average since the week of May 18-22, 1992, the week of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" finale (5.519 million for "Late Night with David Letterman"). And it's Fallon's best 18-49 weekly rating ever and best for the "Late Night" franchise since the week of Jan. 24-28, 2005 (1.3, for a week of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" encores that followed a high-rated "Tonight Show" tribute to Johnny Carson).

Friday's finale of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," following NBC's Primetime coverage of the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, delivered a 2.2/10 in 18-49 and 6.601 million viewers overall in official nationals. In total viewers, it was the top result for the franchise since the June 25, 1993 finale of "Late Night with David Letterman." In 18-49, it was Fallon's second-best telecast ever, behind only a 2.5 rating for an 11:56 p.m. ET special on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. It was the best 18-49 rating for a regularly-scheduled "Late Night" since May 6, 2004, the night of the "Friends" finale (2.7).

Versus the same week last year, Leno and Fallon were both up by triple-digit percentages in nearly every key ratings measure and delivered bigger audiences than their ABC and CBS time-period rivals in every key ratings category.

Season to date, Leno has delivered his biggest 18-49 viewership 20 weeks into a TV season in three years and in total viewers, it's the biggest season for "Tonight" at this point in five years. Fallon generated his biggest 18-49 rating at 20 weeks since 2009 and top total-viewer average in the five years he's been hosting "Late Night."

Versus the first 20 weeks of the year-ago season, Leno was up 15% in 18-49 viewers (with 1.216 million vs. 1.054 million) and up 16% in total viewers (4.143 million vs. 3.573 million). Fallon was up 27% in 18-49 viewers for the season thus far (864,000 vs. 680,000) and up 24% in total viewers (2.129 million vs. 1.714 million).

At 1:35 a.m. ET, "Last Call with Carson Daly" is also delivering sizable gains versus the first 20 weeks of last season, up 20% in 18-49 viewers (440,000 vs. 366,000) and up 12% in total viewers (984,000 vs. 877,000).

WEEKLY AVERAGES
(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of Feb. 3-7. Ratings reflect "live plus same day" data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of "live plus seven day" data except for the two most recent weeks, which are "live plus same day.")

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 1.9 rating, 8 share *
CBS "Late Show," 0.6/3
ABC "Kimmel," 0.7/3 *

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.4/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 1.3/7 *
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.4/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.4/3

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 8.3 million viewers *
CBS "Late Show," 3.0 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.5 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.6 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 4.2 million viewers *
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.6 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 1.3 million viewers

* Friday's "Tonight Show" was preempted and "Late Night" started at 12:05 a.m. ET that night. Friday's "Kimmel" was an encore.

SEASON TO DATE

ADULTS 18-49

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 1.0 rating, 4 share
CBS "Late Show," 0.6/3
ABC "Kimmel," 0.7/3

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 0.4/2

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 0.7/4
CBS "Late Late Show," 0.4/2

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 0.3/2

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Tonight," 4.1 million viewers
CBS "Late Show," 3.0 million viewers
ABC "Kimmel," 2.6 million viewers

12:35-1:05 a.m. ET
ABC "Nightline," 1.7 million viewers

12:35-1:35 a.m. ET
NBC "Late Night," 2.1 million viewers
CBS "Late Late Show," 1.5 million viewers

1:35-2:05 a.m. ET
NBC "Last Call," 1.0 million viewers

SELECTED CABLE RESULTS, WEEK OF JAN. 27-31

NATIONAL ADULT 18-49 RATING

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. ET, "The Daily Show," 0.7
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 0.6

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.4

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 0.9
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 0.6

Each adult 18-49 rating point equals 1.27 million viewers.

TOTAL VIEWERS

Comedy Central, 11-11:30 p.m. "The Daily Show," 1.7 million
Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.-midnight ET, "The Colbert Report," 1.3 million

TBS, 11 p.m.-midnight, "Conan," 0.8 million

Adult Swim, 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET, 1.9 million viewers
Adult Swim, 12:30-1:30 a.m. ET, 1.4 million viewers

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