ABC's Winter Finale of "Grey's" Is Up by Double Digits and "Scandal" Hits 2-Month Highs with Big Year-to-Year Gains

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 7.1 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49): With its night of Winter Finales, ABC was up for the 2nd week on Thursday in Adults 18-49 (+10%) to deliver a 6-week high on the evening - since 10/31/13. In Adults 18-49, ABC's Scandal finished as the #2 TV series of the night for its 5th straight telecast, trailing only CBS' top-rated The Big Bang Theory. In addition, Scandal and Grey's Anatomy once again finished as Thursday's Top 2 dramas with young adults. The Net was up over the year-ago Thursday by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 on 12/13/12).

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (8-9pm - 3.5 million and 0.9/3 in AD18-49): During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland grew week to week in Total Viewers (+9%) and held steady in Adults 18-49.

Grey's Anatomy (9-10pm - 8.5 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49): Tripling its lead-in at 9pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy beat out its nearest competition in the hour by 29% (The Crazy Ones/Two and a Half Men = 2.1/6). Grey's surged week to week by 20% in Total Viewers and by 17% in Adults 18-49 to equal its best young adult number in 7 weeks - since 10/24/13. In addition, the ABC drama topped its year-ago Winter Finale by 4% in Total Viewers (8.2 million on 12/13/12).

Scandal (10-11pm - 9.3 million and 3.2/9 in AD18-49): Building on its Grey's lead-in by 19% at 10pm, ABC's Scandal beat its combined drama competition in the hour by 6% (3.2/9 - 3.0/9 for CBS' Elementary and NBC's Parenthood). Growing to week in viewers (+12%) and up for the 2nd week in Adults 18-49 (+7%), Scandal earned 2-month highs on both measures - since 10/17/13. In addition the show scored its 2nd-highest-ever Adult 18-34 rating.

· Scandal spiked over its year-ago Winter Finale (7.1 million and 2.4/7 on 12/13/12) in Total Viewers (+31%) and Adults 18-49 (+33%). On average, Scandal has shot up 63% over the same point last year in Adults 18-49, making it TV's fastest-growing returning series this season and ABC's highest-rated show in the time slot since Lost during the 2007-08 season.

· Season to date in the C3 Adult 18-49 ratings, ABC's Scandal (3.56 rating) leads NBC's Blacklist (3.55 rating) as the season's #1 broadcast drama in the key advertiser measure.

Quick Take for Thursday, December 12, 2013 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Hits a 6-Week High in Adults 18-49 with Its Thursday Night Winter Finales

"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" Grows Its Overall Audience Week to Week

"Grey's" Surges 17% to Match a 7-Week High in Adults 18-49 And Outdraws Its Year-Ago Winter Finale in Total Viewers

"Scandal" Hits 2-Month Highs and Beats Its Year-Ago Winter Finale by Over 30%

"Scandal" Closes Out Its Fall 2013 Run as TV's Fastest Growing Returning Series

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.1 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49):

With its night of Winter Finales, ABC was up for the 2nd week on Thursday in Adults 18-49 (+10%) to deliver a 6-week high on the evening - since 10/31/13. In Adults 18-49, ABC's "Scandal" ranked as the No. 2 TV series of the night for its 5th-straight telecast, trailing only CBS' top-rated "The Big Bang Theory." In addition, "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" once again finished as Thursday's Top 2 dramas with young adults.

· The Net improved over the year-ago Thursday by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 on 12/13/12).

"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 3.5 million and 0.9/3 in AD18-49):

During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" grew week to week in Total Viewers (+9%) and held steady in Adults 18-49.

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 8.5 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49):

Tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+200%), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" beat out its nearest competition in the hour by 29% ("The Crazy Ones"/"Two and a Half Men" = 2.1/6).

· "Grey's" surged by double digits week to week in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%) to equal its best young-adult number in 7 weeks - since 10/24/13. In addition, the ABC drama topped its year-ago Winter Finale by 4% in Total Viewers (8.2 million on 12/13/12).

"Scandal" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.2/9 in AD18-49):

Building on its "Grey's" lead-in by 19% at 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" beat its combined drama competition in the hour by 6% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/9 vs. 3.0/9 for CBS' "Elementary" and NBC's "Parenthood").

· Growing week to week in Total Viewers (+12%) and up for the 2nd week in Adults 18-49 (+7%), "Scandal" earned 2-month highs on both measures - since 10/17/13. In addition the show scored its 2nd-highest-ever Adult 18-34 rating.

· "Scandal" spiked over its year-ago Winter Finale (7.1 million and 2.4/7 on 12/13/12) in Total Viewers (+31%) and Adults 18-49 (+33%). On average, "Scandal" has shot up 63% over the same point last year in Adults 18-49, making it TV's fastest-growing returning series this season and ABC's highest-rated show in the time slot since "Lost" during the 2007-08 season.

· Season to date in the C3 Adult 18-49 ratings, ABC's "Scandal" (3.56 rating) leads NBC's "Blacklist" (3.55 rating) as the season's No. 1 broadcast drama in the key advertiser measure.

Social Stats: "Scandal" was Thursday's No. 1 most social TV program (on broadcast and cable, including sports) with 420,650 tweets, rising 6% week to week to stand as its 2nd-highest number this season, behind only the season premiere. With a total of 3.4 million tweets season to date, "Scandal" is ABC's most social series.

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 48% currently, from 46% at the same point in 2012. 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, 12/12/13.