Grey's is Thursday's #1 TV Show for 2nd Straight Week

Some early points on ABC's Thursday, ahead of the regular press release.

ABC ran a competitive second on Thursday among Total Viewers (8.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), while finishing #1 on the evening for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-34 and key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49).

Surging from its lead-in (+213% in Total Viewers/+300% in Adults 18-49), self-starter Grey's Anatomy soared to the top of the 9 o'clock hour to finish for the as the #1 TV show on Thursday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49. Widening its winning advantage in the time period week to week, Grey's (4.4/12) outdelivered runner-up NBC's comedies by +38% (The Office/Outsourced - 3.2/9), CBS' CSI by +47% (3.0/8) and Fox's Fringe by +132% (1.9/5).

In the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Private Practice ranked a close second to CBS' The Mentalist among Adults 18-49, while topping NBC's The Apprentice by 107% (2.9/8 vs. 1.4/4). For the 2nd consecutive week, Private Practice dominated The Mentalist with Adults 18-34, leading its CBS drama competition by an even wider margin of 44% on Week 2 of the season (2.6/8 vs. 1.8/6).

Quick Take for Thursday, September 30, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is No. 1 on Thursday in Adults 18-34 for 2nd Straight Week

"Grey's Anatomy" Stands as Thursday's No. 1 TV Show in Adults 18-49

Surging from its Lead-in with Adults 18-49, ABC Self-Starter "Grey's Anatomy" Dominates the 9 O'clock Hour by an Even Bigger Margin Week to Week

"Private Practice" Widens its Winning Advantage Over "Mentalist" in Adults 18-34

Thursday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC ran a competitive second on Thursday among Total Viewers (8.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), while finishing No. 1 on the evening for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-34 and key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49).

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Surging from its lead-in (+213% in Total Viewers/+300% in Adults 18-49), self-starter "Grey's Anatomy" soared to the top of the 9 o'clock hour to finish as the No. 1 TV show on Thursday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49. Widening its winning advantage in the time period week to week, "Grey's" (4.4/12) outdelivered runner-up NBC's comedies by +38% ("The Office"/"Outsourced" - 3.2/9), CBS' "CSI" by +47% (3.0/8) and Fox's "Fringe" by +132% (1.9/5).

"Private Practice" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

In the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Private Practice" paced a close second to CBS' "The Mentalist" among Adults 18-49, while topping NBC's "The Apprentice" by 107% (2.9/8 vs. 1.4/4). For the 2nd consecutive week, "Private Practice" dominated "The Mentalist" with Adults 18-34, leading its CBS drama competition by an even wider margin of 44% on Week 2 of the season (2.6/8 vs. 1.8/6).

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 38% currently, from 32% at the same point in 2009. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Source: The Nielsen Company (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Day Ratings), 9/30/10.