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NBC's CHICAGO FIRE Builds on Its Lead-In by 18% in Key Demos

Related: NBC

At 10 p.m. ET, "Chicago Fire" (2.0/6 in adults 18-49, 7.2 million viewers overall) ranked #1 versus encore dramas on ABC and CBS in adults 18-49, total viewers and all other key ratings categories. "Chicago Fire" Built on its lead-in by 18 percent in 18-49 rating and 13 percent in total viewers. From its first half-hour to its second, "Chicago Fire" grew by 5 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 2.1 rating from a 2.0), 4 percent in adults 25-54 (2.6 vs. 2.5) and 4 percent in total viewers (7.4 million vs. 7.1 million)

* With its three originals this month, "Chicago Fire" has delivered its three biggest total-viewer results to date and three of its four highest 18-49 ratings.

* "Chicago Fire" has now topped its premiere 1.9 rating in 18-49 on four different occasions (including three times this month). The only other new drama on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX to top its premiere rating even once this season is Fox's "The Following." In total viewers, "Chicago Fire" has topped its premiere result (6.6 million) six times, while no other new drama on those networks has done it even once.

* At 9 p.m. ET, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1.7/4 in adults 18-49, 6.4 million viewers overall) Built on its lead-in by 55 percent in 18-49 rating and by 120 percent in total viewers. From its first half-hour to its second, "SVU" grew by 13 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 1.8 from a 1.6) and by 8 percent in total viewers (6.6 million vs. 6.1 million), as "SVU" returned with its first original in three weeks and first this season to face competition from "American Idol."

* Keep in mind that last season, "Law & Order: SVU" originals added an average of 47 percent to these next-day "live plus same day" ratings in 18-49 when Nielsen reported "live plus seven day" results.

* From 8-8:30 p.m. ET, "Whitney" (1.3/4 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall) finished within a tenth or a rating point of its prior original, which aired three weeks ago (1.4 in 18-49 on Jan. 9) and did not face competition from Fox's "American Idol."

* From 8:30-9 p.m. ET, "Guys With Kids" (1.1/3 in 18-49, 2.9 million viewers overall) retained 85 percent of its 18-49 lead-in from "Whitney."

In Late-Night Metered Markets Wednesday night:

* In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 2.9/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.4/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.1/6.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 Wednesday results were: "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," 0.9/4; "Late Show," 0.6/3; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.8/4.

* From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET Wednesday night, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.2/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

* From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.4/5 in metered-market households) beat CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.2/4). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.5/4 in 18-49) topped "Late Late Show" (0.4/2).

* At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.8/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.