ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Returns with Series Highs in Teens and Kids

During the 7 o'clock hour opposite CBS' huge 1-hour NFL overrun, ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos was up over its most recent telecast two weeks ago, achieving season highs with viewers and young adults. In fact, the show drew its biggest audience in nearly 9 months and equaled its highest young adult performance since the beginning of May - since 3/6/11 and 5/1/11, respectively.

Up against sports-fueled competition during the 8 o'clock hour from Sunday Night Football game (Pittsburgh-Kansas City) on NBC and CBS' NFL overrun-driven programming, ABC's Once Upon a Time returned after being preempted the prior week for the American Music Awards with impressive results. TV's #1 new drama in Adults 18-49, Once Upon a Time jumped over its lead-in at 8pm by 3.1 million viewers and by 89% with young adults and gained audience throughout its broadcast. The wide-appealing ABC freshman series finished #2 in the hour to Sunday Night Football with Adults 18-34, while ranking #1 across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and as the #1 broadcast show with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. In fact, Once Upon a Time stood as Sunday's #1 entertainment program across the Women demos and as the night's top-rated non-sports broadcast show with Kids.

· Spiking over its most recent telecast with Teens 12-17 (+18%) and Kids 2-11 (+31%), Disney-owned Once Upon a Time posted series-high numbers on both Nielsen measures.

From 9-11pm, ABC's Hallmark Hall of Fame - Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith gained viewers from its first hour to second hour and improved its 2-hour time period over the same night last year by 2.5 million viewers.

Quick Take for Sunday, November 27, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Hits Season Highs with Viewers And Young Adults, Attracting its Biggest Overall Audience in Nearly 9 Months

TV's No. 1 Freshman Drama in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Returns After Being Preempted as Sunday's No. 1 Non-Sports Show Across Key Women

Spiking Over its Last Airing, "Once Upon a Time" Hits Series Highs in Teens and Kids

Building Audience from its First Hour to its Second Hour, ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame - Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith" Improves its Slot by 2.5 Million Viewers

"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

During the 7 o'clock hour opposite CBS' huge 55-minute NFL overrun (Denver-San Diego), ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was up over its most recent telecast two weeks ago, achieving season highs with viewers (7.6 million) and young adults (1.8/4). In fact, the show drew its biggest audience in nearly 9 months and equaled its highest young adult performance since the beginning of May - since 3/6/11 and 5/1/11, respectively.

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Up against sports-fueled competition during the 8 o'clock hour from NBC's "Sunday Night Football" game (Pittsburgh-Kansas City) on NBC and CBS' NFL overrun-driven programming, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" returned after being preempted the prior week for the "American Music Awards" with impressive results. TV's No. 1 new drama in Adults 18-49, "Once Upon a Time" jumped over its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. by 3.1 million viewers (10.7 million vs. 7.6 million) and by 89% with young adults (3.4/8 vs. 1.8/4) and gained audience throughout its broadcast. The wide-appealing ABC freshman series finished No. 2 in the hour to football with Adults 18-34, while ranking No. 1 across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and as the No. 1 broadcast show with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· "Once Upon a Time" stood as Sunday's No. 1 entertainment program across the Women demos and as the night's top-rated non-sports broadcast show with Kids.

· Spiking over its most recent telecast with Teens 12-17 (+18%) and Kids 2-11 (+31%), Disney-owned "Once Upon a Time" posted series-high numbers on both Nielsen measures.

"Hallmark Hall of Fame - Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame - Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith" gained viewers from its first hour to second hour (6.4 million to 6.6 million) and improved its 2-hour time period over the same night last year by 2.5 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 4.0 million = "Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters" encores).

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), 11/27/11.