ABC Upsets CBS with a Thursday Win in AD18-49 - Net Claims the Top 2 Dramas

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.0 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49): With a 2nd airing this season of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown leading into Scandal and HTGAWM, ABC won Thursday night in Adults 18-49, upsetting CBS' premiere of its entertainment lineup on the night (+4% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.4/7). In addition, the Net continued to more than double the young adult deliveries of Fox (+150% - 1.0/3) and NBC (+150% - 1.0/3) on the night.

· ABC's Scandal (3.0/9) and HTGAWM (2.7/8) were Thursday's Top 2 dramas (pacing well ahead of CBS' Elementary premiere, NBC's Parenthood and Fox's Bones and Gracepoint) and trailed only CBS' The Big Bang Theory overall on the night in Adults 18-49. Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point a year ago in Total Viewers (+34%) and Adults 18-49 (+24%) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

... more to come.

ABC Wins Opening Night of Nov. Sweep for 2nd Straight Year - Great Pumpkin Beats Originals on Fox and NBC at 8p

Thursday Night (10/30/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Scandal: Live + 3 = 13.3 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 14.0 million/4.6 rating

How to Get Away with Murder: Live + 3 = 12.4 million/3.9 rating and Live + 7 = 13.1 million/4.1 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.0 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49): With a 2nd airing this season of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown leading into Scandal and HTGAWM, ABC won Thursday night in Adults 18-49, upsetting CBS' premiere of its entertainment lineup on the night (+4% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.4/7). In addition, the Net continued to more than double the young adult deliveries of Fox (+150% - 1.0/3) and NBC (+150% - 1.0/3) on the night. It was ABC's 2nd straight year to lead the opening night of the November Sweep.

· ABC's Scandal (3.0/9) and HTGAWM (2.7/8) were Thursday's Top 2 dramas (pacing well ahead of CBS' Elementary premiere, NBC's Parenthood and Fox's Bones and Gracepoint) and trailed only CBS' The Big Bang Theory overall on the night in Adults 18-49. Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point a year ago in Total Viewers (+34%) and Adults 18-49 (+24%) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (8-9pm - 6.2 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49): From 8-9pm against the Thursday premiere of Big Bang and season opener of Mom, ABC's 2nd repeat of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (6.2 million and 1.7/6) dominated first-runs of Fox's Bones (5.5 million and 1.3/4) and The Biggest Loser (4.4 million and 1.1/4) in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.1 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): Spiking 76% over its lead-in at 9pm in Adults 18-49 to dominate its hour, ABC's Scandal (3.0/9) beat CBS' comedy premieres by 30% (Two and a Half Men premiere/McCarthy's series debut = 2.3/7), and more than tripled the deliveries of NBC's comedies (Bad Judge/A to Z = 0.8/2) and Fox's Gracepoint (0.8/2). Scandal was up from Grey's in the hour on the same night last year (8.9 million and 2.6/8). Despite a lower lead-in, the ABC drama held steady week to week in Adults 18-49 and increased from its own year-ago telecast at 10pm (2.9/9 on 10/31/13).

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 8.5 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (2.7/8) beat its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49, towering over CBS' Elementary season opener by 93% (1.4/4) and NBC's Parenthood by 145% (1.1/3). The new ABC drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot (8.5 million).

Quick Take for Thursday, October 30, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Beats CBS' Thursday Night Premieres to Win the Opening Night Of the November Sweep for the 2nd Straight Year in Adults 18-49

At 8pm, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" Beats Originals on NBC and Fox

"Scandal" Dominates the 9pm Hour and Continues to Post Year to Year Growth

"HTGAWM" Defeats its Combined NBC and CBS Drama Competition from 10-11pm

Thursday Night (10/30/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 13.3 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 14.0 million/4.6 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 12.4 million/3.9 rating and Live + 7 = 13.1 million/4.1 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.0 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49):

With a 2nd airing this season of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" leading into "Scandal" and "HTGAWM," ABC won Thursday night in Adults 18-49, upsetting CBS' premiere of its entertainment lineup on the night (+4% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.4/7). In addition, the Net continued to more than double the young adult deliveries of Fox (+150% - 1.0/3) and NBC (+150% - 1.0/3) on the night. It was ABC's 2nd straight year to lead the opening night of the November Sweep.

· ABC's "Scandal" (3.0/9) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.7/8) were Thursday's Top 2 dramas (pacing well ahead of CBS' "Elementary" premiere, NBC's "Parenthood" and Fox's "Bones" and "Gracepoint") and trailed only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" overall on the night in Adults 18-49. "Scandal" and "HTGAWM" are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point a year ago in Total Viewers (+34%) and Adults 18-49 (+24%) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 6.2 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-9:00 p.m. against the Thursday premiere of "Big Bang Theory" and season opener of "Mom," ABC's 2nd repeat of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (6.2 million and 1.7/6) outdelivered by strong margins first-runs of Fox's "Bones" (5.5 million and 1.3/4) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser" (4.4 million and 1.1/4) in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.1 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

Spiking 76% over its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49 to dominate its hour, ABC's "Scandal" (3.0/9) beat CBS' comedy premieres by 30% ("Two and a Half Men" premiere/"McCarthys" series debut = 2.3/7), while more than tripling the deliveries of NBC's comedies ("Bad Judge"/"A to Z" = 0.8/2) and Fox's "Gracepoint" (0.8/2).

· "Scandal" was up from "Grey's" in the hour on the same night last year (8.9 million and 2.6/8). And despite a lower lead-in, the ABC drama held steady week to week in Adults 18-49 and increased from its own year-ago telecast at 10:00 p.m. (2.9/9 on 10/31/13).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.5 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.7/8) beat its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49, towering over CBS' "Elementary" season opener by 93% (1.4/4) and NBC's "Parenthood" by 145% (1.1/3). The new ABC drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot (8.5 million).

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.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 10/30/14.