ABC's "Scandal" Gains 11% Week to Week to Hit a Season High

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

ABC finished #2 on Thursday night in Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

During the 8 o'clock hour against CBS' top-rated comedies (The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men) and Fox's The X Factor Results Show, ABC freshman Last Resort outdrew NBC's established comedies (30 Rock/Up All Night) by 2.5 million viewers and tied among Adults 18-49. One of the biggest percentage gainers via time-shifted playback for any 8pm show this season, ABC's Last Resort adds on 2.3 million viewers and shoots up by an impressive 53% (+0.9 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· On average, the ABC freshman drama is generating big year-over-year improvement for ABC, boosting its time period by 30% in Total Viewers and by 41% in Adults 18-49 over the same point last season with original drama programming.

More than doubling its lead-in among Adults 18-49 (+138%) at 9pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy ranked #1 in its hour and stood as Thursday's #1 drama for its 6th straight telecast this season. In addition, the ABC drama dominated the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). Jumping in time-shifted playback this season, Grey's builds by 3.6 million viewers and by 1.8 Adult 18-49 rating points (+50%) from its next-day numbers to its L+7 finals.

· Grey's marked its best numbers in 4 weeks with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 - since 10/18/12.

· Broadcast TV's #1 drama in Adults 18-49 this season, ABC's Grey's Anatomy is up over the same point last year in both viewers (+6%) and young adults (+2%).

ABC's Scandal delivered another strong 2nd-place finish to CBS' Elementary in the 10 o'clock hour with Adults 18-49 (pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point of tying for #1), while leading by wide margins over NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams in Total Viewers (+53%) and Adults 18-49 (+91%). Additionally, Scandal once again defeated Elementary in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). Posting substantial increases from time-shifted playback, on average this season the ABC 10 o'clock drama jumps 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.

· Growing week to week by 11% in Adults 18-49, Scandal equaled a season high. In addition, the ABC drama scored the series' 2nd highest rating ever with Women 18-49.

Quick Take for Thursday, November 15, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Program Ratings)

ABC Takes Second on Thursday in Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and Key Women

From 8-9pm, ABC's "Last Resort" Outdraws NBC's Comedies by 2.5 Million Viewers While Improving its Hour by Wide Margins This Season in Viewers and Young Adults

TV's No. 1 Broadcast Drama This Season, ABC's "Grey's" Finishes as Thursday's No. 1 Drama in Adults 18-49 for its 6th Consecutive Telecast

"Scandal" Hits a Season High in Adults 18-49 and 2nd-Best-Ever Women 18-49 Rating

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

ABC finished No. 2 on Thursday night in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6-tie), Adults 25-54 (2.7/6) and key Women demographics (W18-49/W25-54).

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

During the 8 o'clock hour against CBS' top-rated comedies ("The Big Bang Theory"/"Two and a Half Men") and Fox's "The X Factor Results Show," ABC freshman "Last Resort" outdrew NBC's established comedies ("30 Rock"/"Up All Night") by 2.5 million viewers (5.8 million vs. 3.3 million) and tied among Adults 18-49 (1.3/4). One of the biggest percentage gainers via time-shifted 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 53% (+0.9 rating) in Adults 18-49 from the next-day L+SD numbers to the final L+7 numbers.

· On average, the ABC freshman drama is generating big year-over-year improvement for ABC, boosting its time period by 30% in Total Viewers and by 41% 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 (+138%) at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" ranked No. 1 in its hour (3.1/8-tie) and stood as Thursday's No. 1 drama for its 6th straight telecast this season. In addition, the ABC drama dominated the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· "Grey's" marked its best numbers in 4 weeks with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34 - since 10/18/12.

· Broadcast TV's No. 1 drama in Adults 18-49 this season, ABC's "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" delivered another strong 2nd-place finish to CBS' "Elementary" in the 10 o'clock hour with Adults 18-49 (pacing within 2-tenths of a rating point of tying for No. 1 - 2.1/6 vs. 2/3/7), while leading by wide margins over NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in Total Viewers (+53% - 6.1 million vs. 4.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+91% - 2.1/6 vs. 1.1/3). Additionally, "Scandal" once again defeated "Elementary" by its biggest margins this season in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Growing week to week by 11% in Adults 18-49, "Scandal" equaled a season high. In addition, the ABC drama scored the series' 2nd highest rating ever with Women 18-49.

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 Ratings, 11/15/12.