ABC's "Last Resort" and "Grey's Anatomy" Return Up After Prior Week's Preemptions

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

Up against big competition during the 8 o'clock hour from NBC's special The Voice, CBS' top-rated comedies (The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men) and Fox's The X Factor Results Show premiere, ABC freshman Last Resort returned after its preemption the prior week with gains of 8% in Adults 18-49 and 25% in Adults 18-34 from two weeks ago. The new show also spiked 25% with Men 18-34 over its last telecast to equal its best number since early October - since 10/11/12.

· One of the biggest percentage gainers via DVR playback for any 8pm show this season, ABC's Last Resort adds on 2.3 million viewers and shoots up by an impressive 56% (+1.0 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· The ABC freshman drama continued to deliver double digit year-over-year growth in its time period. In fact on average, Last Resort is boosting its hour for ABC by 29% in Total Viewers and by 47% in Adults 18-49 over the same point last season with original drama programming.

More than doubling its lead-in among Adults 18-49 (+129%) at 9pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy won its hour to register as Thursday's #1 drama for its 5th straight telecast this season. Leading the 9 o'clock hour by double-digit percentages among Adults 18-49, Grey's beat out CBS' Person of Interest by 10%, Fox's Glee by 33% and NBC's The Voice-fueled comedies (The Office/Parks and Recreation) by 45%. Jumping in DVR Playback this season, Grey's builds by 3.5 million viewers and by 1.7 Adult 18-49 rating points from its next-day numbers to its L+7 finals.

· Grey's grew over its most recent airing two weeks ago by 5% in Total Viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, Grey's Anatomy is up over the same point last year in both viewers (+6%) and young adults (+2%).

ABC's Scandal once again posted a close second-place finish to CBS' Elementary in the 10 o'clock hour (pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point in Adults 18-49), while running way ahead of NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams in Total Viewers (+39%) and Adults 18-49 (+82%). Additionally, Scandal continued to beat out Elementary to stand as the #1 scripted TV show in its slot in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Posting large increases from DVR playback, on average this season the ABC 10 o'clock drama surges by 2.4 million viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49 over its first-reported L+SD numbers to its Live + 7 Day results.

· Scandal tied its 2nd-strongest Adult 18-49 rating this season. In addition, the show matched a season high with Women 18-49, equaling the series 2nd-highest number ever.

Quick Take for Thursday, November 8, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "Last Resort" Returns Up After its Preemption Among Young Adults And Continues to Deliver Strong Year-Over-Year Time-Period Growth for ABC

Building Over its Most-Recent Airing, ABC's "Grey's" Wins the 9pm Hour and Stands as Thursday's No. 1 Drama in Adults 18-49 for its 5th Straight Broadcast

ABC's "Scandal" Finishes a Close 2nd to "Elementary" in Adults 18-49 and Leads With Adults 18-34, while Equaling the Series' 2nd-Best-Ever Women 18-49 Rating

"Last Resort" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Up against big competition during the 8 o'clock hour from NBC's special "The Voice," CBS' top-rated comedies ("The Big Bang Theory"/"Two and a Half Men") and Fox's premiere of "The X Factor Results Show," ABC freshman "Last Resort" returned after its preemption the prior week with gains of 8% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.3/4) and 25% in Adults 18-34 (1.0/3 vs. 0.8/3) from two weeks ago. The new show also spiked 25% with Men 18-34 over its last telecast to equal its best number since early October � since 10/11/12.

· One of the biggest percentage gainers via DVR playback for any 8:00 p.m. show this season, ABC's "Last Resort" adds on 2.3 million viewers and shoots up by an impressive 56% (+1.0 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· The ABC freshman drama continued to deliver double-digit year-over-year growth in its time period. In fact on average "Last Resort" is boosting its hour for ABC by 29% in Total Viewers and by 47% in Adults 18-49 over the same point last season with original drama programming.

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

More than doubling its lead-in among Adults 18-49 (+129%) at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" won its hour and registered as Thursday's No. 1 drama for its 5th straight telecast this season. Leading the 9 o'clock hour by double-digit percentages among Adults 18-49, "Grey's" (3.2/8) beat out CBS' "Person of Interest" by 10% (2.9/7), Fox's "Glee" by 33% (2.4/6) and NBC's "The Voice"-fueled comedies ("The Office"/"Parks and Recreation") by 45% (2.2/6). Jumping in DVR Playback this season, "Grey's" builds by 3.5 million viewers and by 1.7 Adult 18-49 rating points from its next-day numbers to its L+7 finals.

· "Grey's" grew over its most recent airing two weeks ago by 5% in Total Viewers (9.2 million vs. 8.8 million) and by 7% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/8 vs. 3.0/8).

· Season to date "Grey's Anatomy" is up over the same point last year in both viewers (+6%) and young adults (+2%).

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

ABC's "Scandal" once again posted a close 2nd-place finish to CBS' "Elementary" in the 10 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49 (pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point), while running way ahead of NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in Total Viewers (+39% - 6.1 million vs. 4.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+82% - 2.0/5 vs. 1.1/3). Additionally, "Scandal" continued to beat out "Elementary" to stand as the No. 1 scripted TV show in its slot in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Posting large increases from DVR playback, on average this season the ABC 10 o'clock drama surges by 2.4 million viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49 over its first-reported L+SD numbers to its Live + 7 Day results.

· "Scandal" tied its 2nd-strongest Adult 18-49 rating this season. In addition, the show matched a season high with Women 18-49, equaling the series' 2nd-highest number ever.

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 46% currently, from 43% 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 Program Ratings, 11/08/12.