Tuesday's #1 Most-Watched Comedy, ABC's "Last Man Standing" Posts Big Year-to-Year Time-Slot Gains

Some early info on ABC's Tuesday, ahead of the regular press release.

ABC once again finished as the #2 most-watched network on Tuesday evening to CBS, besting Fox by 4.1 million viewers and NBC by 4.1 million viewers.

Starting out the night for ABC at 8pm against CBS' top-rated NCIS, ABC's Last Man Standing stood as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall, topping Fox's Glee by 2.3 million viewers and NBC's The Biggest Loser 12 by 2.5 million viewers. The new broad-skewing ABC comedy continued to beat out NBC's veteran Biggest Loser among Adults 18-49 (+18%), while once again finishing #2 in its time slot with Adults 25-54 and key Men (M18-49/M25-54).

· ABC self-starter Last Man Standing qualified as Tuesday's most-watched comedy overall, outdrawing Fox's runner-up Glee-led New Girl at 9pm by 2.4 million viewers.

· Last Man Standing improved its half-hour for ABC over the year-ago night by wide margins in viewers (+21%) and young adults (+24%).

· The ABC freshman comedy retained 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 number and grew +23% in Teens 12-17 to hit its 2nd-highest number yet.

At 8:30pm, against stiff competition from the second half-hours of NCIS and Glee, ABC's Man Up! held nearly all of its viewers (97%) and young adults (94%) week to week, while spiking +38% in Teens 12-17 to deliver a series high.

Building on its lead-in at 9pm and growing throughout its broadcast, ABC's Dancing with the Stars: The Results stood as the 2nd-most-watched TV show in its hour, more than doubling the viewer counts for The Biggest Loser (+116%) and Fox's comedies (+161% - New Girl/Raising Hope). In addition, the ABC dancing results program ranked #1 in its slot with key Women (W18-49/W25-54). Dancing defeated its NBC unscripted competition in the hour among Adults 18-49 (+8%). Attorney and TV personality Nancy Grace was the eighth celebrity dancer to leave the ABC dance competition this season. ABC's special In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville qualified as the 2nd-most-watched show in the 10pm hour, beating NBC's Parenthood by 3.4 million viewers. In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts also ranked #2 in its slot with Adults 25-54 and was the 2nd-highest rated broadcast program with Teens 12-17. The annual special is a lead-up to tonight's broadcast of The 45th Annual CMA Awards on ABC from 8-11pm (on Wednesday, 11/9/11).

· Versus the same night last year, In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville improved its time period for ABC by double-digit percentages in Total Viewers (+13%) and across all key Women: W18-34 (+18%), W18-49 (+14%) and W25-54 (+19%).

· In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts shot up over its year-ago performance (on 11/3/10) by 41% in Total Viewers.

Quick Take for Tuesday, November 8, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Outdraws NBC and Fox by More than 4 Million Viewers Each on Tuesday

Tuesday's No. 1 Comedy, ABC 8pm Self-Starter "Last Man Standing" Outdraws Fox's Runner-Up "Glee"-led "New Girl" by 2.4 Million Viewers

ABC's "Man Up!" Spikes Week to Week by 38% in Teens 12-17 to Hit a Series High

At 9pm, ABC's "DWTS: The Results" is No. 2 in Viewers and No. 1 in Key Women

Shooting Up 41% Over its Year-Ago Broadcast, ABC's "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" Outdraws NBC's "Parenthood" by 3.4 Million Viewers

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

ABC once again finished as the No. 2 most-watched network (10.4 million) on Tuesday evening to CBS, besting Fox by 4.1 million viewers (6.3 million) and NBC by 4.1 million (6.3 million).

"Last Man Standing" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Starting out the night for ABC at 8:00 p.m. opposite CBS' top-rated "NCIS," ABC's "Last Man Standing" (9.2 million) stood as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall, topping Fox's "Glee" by 2.3 million viewers (6.9 million) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser 12" by 2.5 million viewers (6.7 million). The new broad-skewing ABC comedy continued to beat out NBC's veteran "Biggest Loser" among Adults 18-49 (+18% - 2.6/7 vs. 2.2/6), while once again finishing No. 2 in its time slot with Adults 25-54 and key Men (M18-49/M25-54).

· ABC self-starter "Last Man Standing" qualified as Tuesday's most-watched comedy overall, outdrawing Fox's runner-up "Glee"-led "New Girl" (6.8 million) at 9:00 p.m. by 2.4 million viewers.

· "Last Man Standing" improved its half-hour for ABC over the year-ago night ("No Ordinary Family" on 11/9/10 = 7.6 million and 2.1/6) by wide margins in viewers (+21%) and young adults (+24%).

· The ABC freshman comedy retained 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 number and grew +23% in Teens 12-17 to hit its 2nd-highest number yet.

"Man Up!" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m. against stiff competition from the second half-hours of "NCIS" and "Glee," ABC's "Man Up!" held nearly all of its viewers (97% - 6.2 million vs. 6.4 million) and young adults (94% - 1.7/5 vs. 1.8/5) week to week, while spiking +38% in Teens 12-17 to deliver a series high.

"Dancing with the Stars: The Results" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. and growing throughout its broadcast, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars: The Results" registered as the 2nd-most-watched TV show in its hour (14.9 million), more than doubling the audiences for "The Biggest Loser" (+116% - 6.9 million) and Fox's comedies (+161% - "New Girl"/"Raising Hope" - 5.7 million). In addition, the ABC dancing results program ranked No. 1 in its slot with key Women (W18-49/W25-54). "Dancing" defeated its NBC unscripted competition in the hour among Adults 18-49 (+8% - 2.7/7 vs. 2.5/6). Attorney and TV personality Nancy Grace was the eighth celebrity dancer to leave the ABC dance competition this season.

"In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's special "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" qualified as the 2nd-most-watched show in the 10 o'clock hour, beating NBC's "Parenthood" by 3.4 million viewers (8.6 million vs. 5.2 million). "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts" also ranked No. 2 in its slot with Adults 25-54 and was the 2nd-highest rated broadcast program with Teens 12-17. The annual special is a lead-up to tonight's broadcast of "The 45th Annual CMA Awards" on ABC from 8:00-11:00 p.m. (on Wednesday, 11/9/11).

· Versus the same night last year ("Detroit 1-8-7" = 7.6 million), "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" improved its time period for ABC by double-digit percentages in Total Viewers (+13%) and across all key Women: W18-34 (+18%), W18-49 (+14%) and W25-54 (+19%).

· "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts" shot up over its year-ago performance by 41% in Total Viewers (6.1 million on Wednesday, 11/3/10).

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 43% currently, from 38% at the same point in 2010. 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), 11/8/11.