"Grey's" and "Scandal" Return Up to Deliver a 4-Month High for ABC on Thursday

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 7.8 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49): With a Countdown to the Oscars special and the mid-season returns of Grey's and Scandal (after a 2-1/2 month break), ABC finished in a near-tie for #1 in Adults 18-49 on Thursday with CBS (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point) and hit a 4-month high on the night - since 10/31/13. In addition, the Net won the night in Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC's Scandal (3.3/10) and Grey's Anatomy (3.0/9) finished as the #2 and #3 TV shows of the night in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' The Big Bang Theory and pacing well ahead of Fox's American Idol, which dropped to a new series low for the 2nd week in a row (2.3/7).

Grey's Anatomy (9-10pm - 9.3 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): Tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+200%), ABC's Grey's Anatomy (3.0/9) dominated its hour by 36% over its nearest competition (Two and a Half Men/The Crazy Ones = 2.2/6). Grey's grew over its Winter Finale (12/12/13) by double digits in Total Viewers (+11%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%), to deliver its best numbers in nearly 5 months - since 10/3/13. In fact, it was Grey's 2nd-most-watched episode this season.

Scandal (10-11pm - 9.3 million and 3.3/10 in AD18-49): Building on its Grey's lead-in by 10% in Adults 18-49 at 10pm, ABC's Scandal beat its combined drama competition by 22% in the hour (3.3/10 vs. 2.7/8 for CBS' Elementary and NBC's Parenthood). Scandal was up over its Winter Finale (12/12/13) in Adults 18-49 (+3%) to equal the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating.

Quick Take for Thursday, February 27, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Mid-Season Drama Returns Boost ABC to a 4-Month High on Thursday Night

"Grey's" Return is Up by Double Digits to its Strongest Performance in 5 Months

"Scandal" Beats its Combined 10pm Drama Competition by 22% in Adults 18-49, And Grows Over its Winter Finale to Equal the Series' 2nd-Highest-Ever Rating

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.8 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49):

With a "Countdown to the Oscars" special and the mid-season returns of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" (after a 2-1/2 month break), ABC finished in a near-tie for No. 1 in Adults 18-49 on Thursday with CBS (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point - 2.4/7 vs. 2.5/8) and hit a 4-month high on the night - since 10/31/13. In addition, the Net won the night in Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC's "Scandal" (3.3/10) and "Grey's Anatomy" (3.0/9) finished as the No. 2 and No. 3 TV shows of the night in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' top-rated "The Big Bang Theory" and paced well ahead of Fox's "American Idol," which dropped to a new series low for the 2nd week in a row (2.3/7).

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

Tripling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+200%), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (3.0/9) dominated its hour by 36% over its nearest competition (CBS' "Two and a Half Men"/"The Crazy Ones" = 2.2/6).

· "Grey's" grew over its Winter Finale (12/12/13) by double digits in Total Viewers (+11%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%) to deliver its best numbers in nearly 5 months - since 10/3/13. In fact, it was "Grey's" 2nd-most-watched episode this season.

"Scandal" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.3/10 in AD18-49):

Building on its "Grey's" lead-in by 10% in Adults 18-49 at 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" beat its combined drama competition by 22% in the hour (3.3/10 vs. 2.7/8 for CBS' "Elementary" and NBC's "Parenthood").

· "Scandal" was up over its Winter Finale (12/12/13) in Adults 18-49 (+3%) to equal the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating.

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 2013. 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, 02/27/14.