ABC's "Castle" Posts Its Top-Rated Premiere in 3 Years in Adults 18-49

Monday Night (9/29/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

DWTS: Live + 3 = 14.5 million/2.2 rating and Live + 7 = 14.9 million/2.3 rating

Castle: Live + 3 = 15.9 million/3.3 rating and Live + 7 = 17.2 million/3.5 rating

Please Note: ABC's Monday lineup was preempted in Boston, Manchester and Kansas City for local NFL coverage.

Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Results:

Dancing With the Stars (8-10pm - 12.7 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49): From 8-10pm, ABC's Dancing ran in a virtual tie with NBC's The Voice in Total Viewers (12.7 million). Dancing was up from its week ago Fast Affiliate number in Total Viewers (12.7 million vs. 12.0 million) and held steady in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6 vs. 2.0/6). Building from its first to second hour (+17%), Dancing beat out Fox's Sleepy Hollow from 9-10pm among Adults 18-49 (+24% - 2.1/6 vs. 1.7/5).

· DWTS was the most social series on broadcast Monday with 88,952 tweets up 11% from the prior week.

Castle (10-11pm - 11.3 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49): In the 10pm hour, ABC's Castle (11.3 million) emerged as the most-watched TV show, topping NBC's Blacklist (10.7 million) and CBS' season premiere of NCIS: LA (9.4 million). In addition, Castle beat the NCIS: LA premiere in Adults 18-49 (+26% - 2.4/7 vs. 1.9/5) and Blacklist in Women 18-34 (2.4/8 vs. 2.1/7)

· Castle was up over its year-ago opener by 9% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.2/6 on 9/23/13) to its top-rated season premiere in 3 years - since 9/19/11. In fact, ABC drama equaled its highest rated telecast since October 2011 - since 10/31/11.

Quick Take for Monday, September 22, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Beats Fox's "Sleepy Hollow" in the 9pm Hour For the 2nd Straight Week in Adults 18-49

"Dancing with the Stars" is Monday's Most Social Broadcast Series

ABC's "Castle" Stands as the Most-Watched TV Show at 10pm; Delivers Best Adults 18-49 Premiere Performance in 3 Years

Monday (9/29/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Ratings/Projections

"DWTS:" Live + 3 = 14.5 million/2.2 rating and Live + 7 = 14.9 million/2.3 rating

"Castle:" Live + 3 = 15.9 million/3.3 rating and Live + 7 = 17.2 million/3.5 rating

Please Note: ABC's Monday lineup was preempted in Boston, Manchester and Kansas City for local NFL coverage.

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 12.7 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "Dancing" ran in a virtual tie with NBC's "The Voice" in Total Viewers (12.7 million). "Dancing" was up from its week ago Fast Affiliate number in Total Viewers (12.7 million vs. 12.0 million) and held steady in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6 vs. 2.0/6). Building from its first to second hour (+17%), "Dancing" beat out Fox's "Sleepy Hollow" from 9:00-10:00 p.m. among Adults 18-49 (+24% - 2.1/6 vs. 1.7/5).

· "DWTS" was the most social series on broadcast Monday with 88,952 tweets, up 11% from the prior week.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 11.3 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49):

In the 10:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "Castle" (11.3 million) emerged as the most-watched TV show, topping NBC's "Blacklist" (10.7 million) and CBS' season premiere of "NCIS: LA" (9.4 million). In addition, "Castle" beat the "NCIS: LA" premiere in Adults 18-49 (+26% - 2.4/7 vs. 1.9/5) and "Blacklist" in Women 18-34 (+14% - 2.4/8 vs. 2.1/7).

· "Castle" was up over its year-ago opener by 9% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.2/6 on 9/23/13) to its top-rated season premiere in 3 years - since 9/19/11. In fact, the ABC drama equaled its highest rated telecast since October 2011 - since 10/31/11.

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 49% currently, from 48% 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, 9/29/14. Nielsen Socialguide 9/29/14, Total Tweets +/- 3hrs during telecast.