ABC Scores its Biggest Season-Ending Wednesday in 5 Years

Early info on ABC's Wednesday, ahead of the regular press release.

Opposite Fox's 2-hour American Idol season closer on the final evening of the season, ABC's Wednesday night of finales earned a strong second place among Adults 18-49, beating CBS by 73% and NBC by 86%.

· Building week to week against the Idol finale in viewers (+9%) and young adults (+13%), ABC hit 3-month highs on Wednesday night on both counts - since 2/29/12.

· Jumping over the year-ago night in viewers (+16%) and young adults (+13%), ABC marked its strongest season-ending Wednesday since 2007. And on average for the 2011-12 season, ABC's Wednesday delivery grew by 15% in viewers and by 23% in young adults over last season, scoring its best results on the evening in 5 years - since the 2006-07 television season.

At 8pm, ABC's season finale of The Middle finished a solid #2 to Idol in viewers and young adults, beating the season finale of Off their Rockers by 18% and 33%, respectively.

· Gaining over the prior week in Adults 18-49 (+5%), The Middle equaled a 6-week high - since 4/11/12. In addition, the ABC comedy matched a 12-week high with Adults 18-34 - since 2/29/12.

· Improving for its second straight year (+4%), ABC's The Middle marked its top-rated season yet in Adults 18-49.

At 8:30pm among Adults 18-49, a repeat Modern Family beat out CBS' encore Two and a Half Men by 66% and NBC's encore Off their Rockers by 33%.

TV's #1 scripted series for the 2nd straight season in Adults 18-49, ABC's season closer of Modern Family vaulted over its lead-in to stand as Wednesday's #1 scripted program in both viewers and young adults. The ABC comedy qualified as Wednesday's #1 scripted show on each original telecast this season with young adults.

· Modern Family was up week to week in both viewers (+6%) and young adults (+3%). Posting its best-ever season, on average ABC's Modern Family surged over last season by double digits in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%).

In the 9:30pm half-hour against the final segment of Idol, the freshman season finale of ABC's Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 ran as the #1 scripted show in its half-hour among Adults 18-49.

· Shooting up over the prior week with viewers (+21%) and young adults (32%), Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 hit its highest numbers in 5 weeks - since 4/18/12. The show also marked best-since premiere numbers with key Men (M18-34/M18-49), despite facing NBA Playoff coverage on ESPN.

· The new ABC comedy improved its slot year to year in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+25%), pacing ahead of the year-ago season finale for Cougar Town.

ABC's freshman season finale of Revenge won the 10 o'clock hour, beating out the season ender of NBC's veteran Law & Order: SVU in the hour by wide margins with Total Viewers (+11%), Adults 18-49 (+26%) and Adults 25-54 (+25%).

· Jumping by double digits week to week, Revenge drew its biggest audience in 20 weeks and equaled 15-week highs with Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 -since 1/4/12 and 2/8/12, respectively.

· The Disney-owned drama produced substantial year-to-year gains in the hour, outdelivering season-finale programming on the same night last year in Viewers (+77%), Adults 25-54 (+43%) and Adults 18-49 (+33%). On average, Revenge capped out its first season as ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 5 years - since Lost during the 2006-07 season.

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 23, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Generates its Strongest Season-Ending Wednesday in 5 Years

Closing Out its Best-Ever Season, "The Middle" Equals a 6-Week High in Adults 18-49

ABC's "Modern Family" Stands as Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted Show in Viewers and Young Adults and Finishes its Strongest Season Ever, with Double-Digit Improvement

Against the Conclusion of "Idol," ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" Shoots Up Week to Week and Improves its Time Period Over the Year-Ago Night

Winning the 10pm Hour, ABC's "Revenge" Caps Out its Freshman Season with its Most-Watched Telecast in 20 Weeks and as the Net's Top Draw in the Slot in 5 Years

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

Opposite Fox's 2-hour "American Idol" season closer on the final evening of the season, ABC's Wednesday night finales earned a strong second place among Adults 18-49 (2.6/7), beating CBS by 73% (1.5/4) and NBC by 86% (1.4/4).

· Building week to week against the "Idol" finale in viewers (+9%) and young adults (+13%), ABC hit 3-month highs on Wednesday night on both counts - since 2/29/12.

· Jumping over the year-ago night in viewers (+16% - 7.3 million vs. 6.3 million) and young adults (+13% - 2.6/7 vs. 2.3/6), ABC marked its strongest season-ending Wednesday since 2007. And on average for the 2011-12 season, ABC's Wednesday delivery grew by 15% in viewers and by 23% in young adults over last season, scoring its best results on the evening in 5 years - since the 2006-07 television season.

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's season finale of "The Middle" (6.5 million and 2.0/7) finished a solid No. 2 to "Idol" in viewers and young adults, beating the season finale of NBC's "Off their Rockers" (5.5 million and 1.5/5) by 18% and 33%, respectively.

· Gaining over the prior week in Adults 18-49 (+5%), The Middle equaled a 6-week high - since 4/11/12. In addition, the ABC comedy matched a 12-week high with Adults 18-34 - since 2/29/12.

· Improving for its second straight year (+4%), ABC's "The Middle" marked its top-rated season yet in Adults 18-49.

"Modern Family-R" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m. among Adults 18-49, a repeat "Modern Family" (2.0/6) beat out CBS' encore "Two and a Half Men" by 66% (1.2/4) and NBC's encore "Off their Rockers" by 33% (1.5/5).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

TV's No. 1 scripted series for the 2nd straight season in Adults 18-49, ABC's season closer of "Modern Family" vaulted over its lead-in to stand as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted program in both viewers (10.0 million) and young adults (4.0/11). The ABC comedy qualified as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted show on each original telecast this season with young adults.

· "Modern Family" was up week to week in both viewers (+6%) and young adults (+3%). Posting its best-ever season, on average, ABC's "Modern Family" surged over last season by double-digit percentages in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%).

"Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

During the 9:30 p.m. half-hour against the conclusion of "Idol," the freshman season finale of ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" ranked as the No. 1 scripted show in its slot with Adults 18-49 (2.5/7).

· Shooting up over the prior week with viewers (+21%) and young adults (32%), "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" hit its highest numbers in 5 weeks - since 4/18/12. The show also marked best-since premiere numbers with key Men (M18-34/M18-49), despite facing NBA Playoff coverage on ESPN.

· The new ABC comedy improved its slot year to year in Total Viewers (+10% - 5.7 million vs. 5.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+25% - 2.5/7 vs. 2.0/5), pacing ahead of the year-ago season finale for "Cougar Town."

"Revenge" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's freshman season finale of "Revenge" finished as the No. 1 series in the 10 o'clock hour, beating out the season ender of NBC's veteran "Law & Order: SVU" in the hour by wide margins with Total Viewers (+11% - 7.8 million vs. 7.0 million), Adults 18-49 (+26% - 2.4/6 vs. 1.9/5) and Adults 25-54 (+25% - 3.07 vs. 2.4/6).

· Jumping by double digits across the board week to week, "Revenge" drew its biggest audience in 20 weeks and equaled 15-week highs with Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 - since 1/4/12 and 2/8/12, respectively.

· The Disney-owned drama produced substantial year-to-year gains in the hour, outdelivering season-finale programming on the same night last year in Viewers (+77%), Adults 25-54 (+43%) and Adults 18-49 (+33%). On average, "Revenge" capped out its first season as ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 5 years - since "Lost" during the 2006-07 season.

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 44% currently, from 41% at the same point in 2011. 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), 05/23/12. Season averages based on Most Current data stream.