"Modern Family" Is First-Ever Show to Top "American Idol"-Wednesday Finale/ABC's "Middle," "Modern" and "Nashville" Grow

Wednesday's #1 TV Show, ABC's Modern Family became the first ever show to outdeliver a Wednesday finale of American Idol on the night in Adults 18-49, leading by a definitive 21%. In fact, Modern beat or tied Idol-Wed in each of its last 7 first-run airings. The Net took second place on the night in Adults 18-49, topping CBS by 5% and NBC by 25%. Each of ABC's Wednesday returning series were up on the night in Adults 18-49.

Taking second to the Idol finale at 8pm, ABC's The Middle was up 6% over the prior week in Adults 18-49. For the 2nd week in a row, the ABC family comedy held the #1 position in the half-hour in Teens 12-17, tying the Idol finale.

Almost tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+192%), ABC's Modern Family dominated its half-hour, beating runner-up Criminal Minds by 40%, Fox's Idol-led So You Think You Can Dance by 52% and NBC's L&O: SVU by 150%. Modern Family was up week to week in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+6%).

The biggest week-to-week gainer in the 10 o'clock hour week to week, ABC's Nashville grew 13% in Adults 18-49 to equal its highest rating in nearly 4 months - since 1/23/13. In addition, the ABC freshman increased its overall audience for the 2nd week running (+4%) to deliver its most-watched telecast in 5 weeks - since 4/10/13.